The U.S. Department of Education asked the public to weigh in on a proposed overhaul of the federal accreditation handbook, releasing a 45-day request for information that seeks to cut what officials called “unduly burdensome and bureaucratic” requirements. Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education David Barker framed the effort as part of an April executive order to “reform and strengthen” accreditation and signaled draft rules for accreditors next year. The department asked for feedback on standards, benchmarks, innovation incentives, and ways the handbook might better encourage intellectual diversity. The request aligns with broader Trump administration priorities to reduce regulatory burdens and to shift oversight toward measurable outcomes. The Education Department will use responses to draft new guidance and possible regulatory changes for accrediting agencies. Higher-education leaders and accreditors will likely pressure the department on how changes are measured and who retains oversight. Accreditors worry that sweeping edits could upend long-standing quality-assurance processes; institution leaders must assess how revised handbook standards might affect federal recognition and access to Title IV funding.