President Donald Trump plans to remove the American Bar Association’s authority to accredit law schools, a U.S. Department of Education spokesperson said on Aug. 21.
The spokesperson confirmed the Wall Street Journal’s reporting on this matter, which notes the American Bar Association (ABA) reviews and sets standards for about 200 law schools that receive federal funding.
American Bar Association accreditation standards are essential for law student access to bar exams and attorney licensing.
“After reviewing ABA’s accreditation standards, department staff found the accreditor out of compliance with the agency’s accreditation regulations and recognition standards,” the spokesperson told The Epoch Times.
“We will not comment on details as the process is ongoing and involves multiple stages of review, including by an independent, bipartisan advisory committee in September.”
The move to replace the American Bar Association is part of Trump’s larger ongoing effort to overhaul higher education.
On Aug. 19, the Department of Education released a notice of proposed rulemaking aimed at overhauling the college and university accreditation process.
It said that a small number of accrediting agencies have controlled higher education for far too long: “Driving up costs for American students and families and, in some cases, pushing colleges and universities to prioritize ideological agendas over a robust education focused on student outcomes, including whether students graduate on time, secure jobs in their field of study, and earn family-sustaining wages.”
“Instead of ensuring institutions offer high-quality educational programs that justify the time and cost of a college education, the antiquated accreditation system has contributed to inflated tuition, administrative bloat, and ideology-driven mandates on college campuses,” Education Undersecretary Nicholas Kent said in an Aug. 18 news release.
“The department’s proposed changes to our higher education quality assurance system will improve college affordability, reconnect education to workforce needs, strengthen accountability, and restore confidence in our accreditation system.”
The Epoch Times reached out to the American Bar Association for comment.
Melissa Hart, who chairs the American Bar Association’s Accreditation Council, told the Wall Street Journal that her agency complies with both federal laws and Department of Education requirements.
“As a national accrediting body for American law schools, we remain focused on ensuring quality legal education that produces competent, ethical attorneys who are eligible for licensure,” she said.
“The outcomes produced by council-accredited law schools are unmatched, and we continue the important work of accrediting law schools as our recognition process proceeds,” Hart said.
Public comments on the proposed rules, which include higher education accreditation changes, can be submitted to the federal eRulemaking portal until Sept. 21, the Department of Education announced.
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