The U.S. Department of Education’s negotiated rulemaking sessions are circling a proposed overhaul of federal recognition rules for specialized, or “programmatic,” academic accreditors. Administration officials say trade and professional associations can exert outsized influence on accreditation standards, potentially driving up costs for colleges and students. The draft regulations discussed this week focus heavily on accrediting bodies that oversee single fields—such as nursing, physical therapy, and some mental-health counseling programs. Department negotiators argue that these standards can expand degree requirements, faculty credential expectations, curriculum design, and equipment needs, without necessarily improving program quality. If finalized, the rules could reshape how programmatic accreditors operate and how institutions plan compliance and pricing for high-cost, regulated majors that often depend on accreditation recognition for broader eligibility and third-party funding.