C-RAC Submits Comments Supporting Updated Accreditation Terminology

Washington, DC — The Council of Recognized Accrediting Commissions (C-RAC) submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Education in response to its proposed interpretive rule addressing the use of the terms “national” and “regional” by federally recognized accrediting agencies.

C-RAC expressed support for the Department’s efforts to ensure that outdated references to “regional accreditation” are removed from federal, state and institutional communications and policies. C-RAC emphasized that its member agencies have already taken steps to remove references to “regional accreditation” from their policies, websites, and public materials following the 2020 regulatory changes, which C-RAC supported.

“We agree that students deserve clear and accurate information about accreditation,” said Dr. Heather F. Perfetti, Chair of C-RAC and President of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. “We look forward to working with the regulatory Triad and with our institutions to help reduce any confusion and better reflect how accreditation operates today.”

The organization will continue to advocate with stakeholders to ensure consistent implementation of updated accreditation terminology and to promote broader understanding of accreditation across higher education for the benefit of our students.

About C-RAC

C-RAC represents seven federally recognized institutional accrediting commissions that are responsible for accrediting nearly 3,000 postsecondary, degree-granting colleges and universities across the United States. These include over 1,500 public, 1,100 private non-profits, and nearly 100 private for-profit institutions with a broad set of missions and constituencies.

2026-03-09 C-RAC Comment on Use of National and Regional by Recognized Accrediting Agencie.

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