Nicholas Kent, the Education Department’s under secretary for higher education, outlined plans to overhaul the U.S. accreditation system, saying accreditors are "failing institutions, students, and taxpayers." Kent said the department will push for stronger accountability around student outcomes, lower administrative burdens, and easier approval for new accreditors, with negotiated rulemaking sessions slated for April and May. The proposals are intended to tie quality assurance more closely to student outcomes and to introduce competitive alternatives to existing regional accreditors. Kent framed the changes as deregulatory and pro-competition: his team aims to make it simpler for new quality-assurance providers to operate, a move that could reshape federal access to Pell Grants and student loans if finalized.