The Education Department’s top higher‑education official sent formal letters to two accreditors ordering them to rescind diversity, equity and inclusion standards the agency says violate federal civil‑rights law. Under Secretary Nicholas Kent named the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education and required monitoring reports over the next year. Kent cited Title VI and the 2023 Supreme Court ruling on race‑conscious admissions as the legal foundation for the warning, saying accreditors cannot place institutions in the position of choosing between federal law and accreditor expectations. Both accreditors suspended DEI standards last year but, the department contends, have not formally rescinded them. The directive escalates a broader push by the administration to police accreditation standards and could reshape how colleges address equity work tied to accreditation and federal funding. Institutions and accreditors warned the letters raise governance and compliance risks and could trigger appeals or litigation if the department moves to withdraw formal recognition.