End Woke Higher Education Act
Sponsored by Burgess Owens
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Sep 23, 2024
The Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2023 modifies the requirements for accrediting agencies to receive Department of Education recognition. Accrediting agencies must confirm their standards do not require, encourage, or coerce institutions to support or oppose specific political, partisan, ideological, or social viewpoints, and do not require disparate treatment based on protected classes under federal civil rights law. The bill also requires accrediting agencies to confirm their standards do not prohibit institutions from maintaining a religious mission or requiring statements of faith or codes of conduct. Institutions complying with their accrediting agency's standards remain eligible for federal student aid programs.
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Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2023 This bill revises the requirements for an accrediting agency to be recognized by the Department of Education as a reliable authority on the quality of education being offered at an institution of higher education (IHE). Specifically, an accrediting agency must confirm that its standards do not require, encourage, or coerce an IHE to (1) support, oppose, or commit to supporting or opposing specific partisan, political, or ideological viewpoints or beliefs or specific viewpoints or beliefs on social, cultural, or political issues; or (2) support or commit to supporting the disparate treatment of any individual or group on the basis of any protected class under federal civil rights law. Additionally, an accrediting agency must confirm that its standards do not prohibit an IHE from having a religious mission. The accrediting agency may not prohibit the IHE from requiring an applicant, student, employee, or independent contractor to provide a statement of faith or adhere to a code of conduct. The bill specifies that an IHE shall be eligible to participate in federal student aid programs if the IHE is in compliance with the standards of the accrediting agency that assesses the IHE in accordance with statute.