The Heritage Foundation published plans to remove accrediting bodies as gatekeepers of federal student aid, arguing states should certify institutional quality and accreditors refocus on improvement. Adam Kissel and other Heritage authors outlined a policy package that would shift oversight responsibilities from regional and national accreditors to states or third parties and reduce the Education Department’s role in linking accreditation to Title IV funding. Higher‑education leaders and accreditors are likely to push back, saying such a change would upend long‑standing federal quality controls and complicate institution eligibility for Pell and student loans.