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Accreditors need to focus more on the outcomes of students while judging universities and colleges providing higher education, and keeping this in view the Obama Administration plans action.

The actions taken will be just one part of the many proposals which is aimed at reforming this system of accreditation, which, according to the administration, is giving the ‘go signal’ to universities and colleges which are not performing too well.

Ted Mitchell, the Under Secretary of Education, stated that the Accreditors are required to do much
more and focus on the outcomes. According to him, the department was yet working out the plans of accreditation, which will be divided in to three-parts, including legislation, reforms which are regulatory and executive action. An Education Department spokesman said that the proposals will soon be announced.

Federal Criteria

The accrediting agencies need to meet with certain criteria which are federal so that the universities and colleges which are accredited can receive federal aid. The Education Department should be able to take responsibility and periodically check the accreditors, ensuring that they are meeting these standards.

An analysis has been able to prove that the graduation rates even in single digits were earning the approval of the accreditors. The changes being made to accreditation is the approach aken by the administration to boost rates of completion and outcomes of students.

Focus of Accreditation

Accreditation should be able to focus on whether graduation is completed by the different universities and colleges and these should also be able to provide the skills required for success. The Accreditors should also keep a watch whether universities and colleges are able to enroll a good number of students considered ‘at-risk’ and assist them in completing their education.

According to the Education Department, their focus on Accreditation is due to the collapse of the Corinthian Colleges, a college-chain for-profit. It was surpri9sinh that the day the Corinthian declared bankruptcy they were accredited.

Accreditation Agencies and Obama Administration

The Obama Administration is pressurizing these accrediting agencies to policy colleges which are low-performing. According to the administration these agencies lack flexibility which is required for the innovation of higher education.

Pilot Program of the Obama Administration

The pilot program of this administration for being able to open up federal aid by the educational providers to students sidesteps the accreditation which is traditional to a high extent. Evaluation of
these new programs will be taken over by the entities of quality-control which will focus whether the students are able to learn and also get jobs after completing their education.

Though there were changes proposed in this system of accreditation before these were not implemented, but now the scenario seems to have changed as there is dissatisfaction among the politicians where this system is concerned.

Accreditation has been a hindrance where innovations which are cost-saving are concerned in higher education, and this has been stated by the Republican Senator Marco Rubio. The Obama
Adminstration also intends looking into ‘job placements. This makes higher education totally
worthwhile.