Regulatory Guidance Relating to the Criteria and Process for Initial Recognition of an Accrediting Agency

What it does

This interpretive rule sets forth the Department's interpretation of certain regulations at the Criteria for Recognition, and the Recognition Process, governing an accrediting agency's submission of a written application seeking initial recognition. In general, the provisions in this interpretive rule are designed to reduce unnecessary barriers to the recognition of accrediting agencies to promote competition in the market for assessing the quality of education or training offered by postsecondary institutions and programs.

The Education Department's summary, as published in the Federal Register.

What changed in the regulation

1 part of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

34 CFR 602

Compared with

The Education Department has published 16 final rules in 2026 so far, compared with 13 in all of 2025.

Counted by the Tribune from Federal Register records since Jan. 1, 2025.

What happens next and when

February 27, 2026.

The agency's dates, word for word.

Check it yourself

• The document in the Federal Register
• Title 34 on eCFR

The record as published

Source: the Federal Register (public domain). The document in the Federal Register