The U.S. Department of Education is moving to reshape how accreditation is overseen, with draft regulations released alongside a negotiated rulemaking process. The proposal includes easing pathways for new accreditors to form and adding expectations that accrediting agencies have standards related to intellectual diversity among faculty. The department’s draft is tied to a broader policy effort to reduce the role of DEI standards in accrediting decisions. It also reflects legal volatility around the government’s interpretation of civil-rights obligations after prior anti-DEI guidance was struck down by a federal court. Accreditors, campuses, and students will face new compliance benchmarks over the next rulemaking cycle, with the Department planning meetings that include sector representatives and students. Institutions should anticipate additional audit and documentation requirements as recognition criteria change. Separately, the Education Department is convening negotiated rulemaking sessions in 2026 through its Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) committee, with sessions slated for April and May, followed by a notice of proposed rulemaking and final rules expected by late 2026.