,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #egfh ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #f1 #bjbj,mrs4 ,trahan 7for herself1 ,ms4 ,dean1 and ,mrs4 ,hayes7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and ,labor ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife to protect students and taxpayers by modernizing evaluation and increasing transparency in the accreditation system1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,accreditation ,reform ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,national ,advisory ,committee on ,institutional ,quality and ,integrity ,paragraph 7#a7 of section #aad7;c7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajaa;c7c77 is amended to read as follows3 7#a7 advise the ,secretary with respect to-- 7,a7 the establishment and enforcement of the standards of accrediting agencies or associations under subpart #b of part ,h of title ,,iv and how such standards relate to programs under such title2 7,b7 participation in ,federal recognition reviews 7including on-site inspections and reviews of institutions of higher education and unannounced site visits7 of accrediting agencies or associations1 including through document requests that are considered part of the petitions for recognition of such accrediting agencies or associations under section #dif2 and 7,c7 whether to recognize an accrediting agency or association under section #dif2 4 #c4 ,independent evaluation of accreditation system ,section #dif of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajii;b7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7n77#a7-- 7,a7 in the matter before subparagraph 7,a71 by inserting and data and evidence compiled by the ,department of ,education before the second period2 7,b7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b7 as subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c71 respectively2 7,c7 by inserting before subparagraph 7,b71 as redesignated by subparagraph 7,b71 the following3 7,a7 prior to the solicitation of third-party information concerning the performance of the accrediting agency or association under subparagraph 7,b71 the public comments received by the ,secretary pursuant to subsection 7r77#a7 with respect to the petition of the accrediting agency or association to be recognized under this section2 2 7,d7 in subparagraph 7,c71 as redesignated by subparagraph 7,b71 by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon2 and 7,e7 by adding at the end the following3 7,d7 any data the ,department of ,education has previously collected with respect to the performance of the institutions of higher education that the accrediting agency or association accredits1 including-- 7i7 any action taken by the accrediting agency or association to limit an institution of higher education1 such as restrictions on enrollment or other substantive changes2 7ii7 any action taken by an accrediting agency or association to address the retention1 course completion1 or graduation rates of an institution of higher education2 7iii7 student achievement data at such institutions of higher education2 7iv7 findings under completed program and audit reviews of such institutions of higher education2 and 7v7 a record of such institutions of higher education that fail to meet the financial responsibility requirements under section #dhf7;d77#b77;,c77i72 7,e7 a summary record of other actions 7including initial and reaffirmations of accreditation1 substantive changes1 monitoring1 warning1 probation1 show cause1 or limits placed on an institution of higher education accredited by the accrediting agency or association1 such as limits on enrollment7 taken by the accrediting agency or association and an explanation for such actions2 and 7,f7 conducted at least once annually1 an enhanced review of the standards of any accrediting agency or association that accredited an institution of higher education-- 7i7 which was the subject of an investigation1 settlement1 or adverse judgement by a ,federal or ,state authority for a violation pertaining to fraud or abuse1 deceptive practices1 or material harm to students enrolled or previously enrolled at such institution of higher education2 or 7ii7 that closed without a teach-out agreement4 2 7#b7 in subsection 7o71 by inserting 7including limitations on accrediting agencies or associations7 before and for the appeal2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7r7 ,transparency requirements 7#a7 ,notice and comment ,the ,secretary shall1 with respect to each petition made by an accrediting agency or association to receive recognition under this section1 make publicly available on the website of the ,department of ,education for purposes of public notice and comment1 the following3 7,a7 ,such petition4 7,b7 ,with respect to each institution of higher education accredited by the accrediting agency or association that made such petition1 a record of student complaints received by1 or available to1 such accrediting agency or association4 7,c7 ,a record of investigations1 lawsuits1 settlements1 or adverse judgments by a ,federal or ,state authority for a violation relating to fraud or abuse1 deceptive practices1 or material harm to students enrolled or previously enrolled at each institution of higher education accredited by such accrediting agency or association4 7,d7 ,any negative action against an institution of higher education accredited by such accrediting agency or association4 7,e7 ,any documents of such accrediting agency or association requested by the ,secretary for purposes of review by the ,national ,advisory ,committee on ,institutional ,quality and ,integrity under section #aad4 7,f7 ,such other information as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7#b7 ,accrediting agency or association documents ,the ,secretary shall establish and maintain on the website of the ,department of ,education the following3 7,a7 ,all final documents produced in an accrediting agency or association review of institutions of higher education accredited by such accrediting agency or association1 including on-site inspection and unannounced site visit reports1 substantive change reviews and decisions1 decision letters1 and all other final documents that the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7,b7 ,all final documents produced by the ,secretary in determining whether an accrediting agency or association is recognized under this section1 including-- 7i7 a summary of any deficiencies found with respect to such an accrediting agency or association2 and 7ii7 the rationale for recognition or denial of such an accrediting agency or association4 7,c7 ,aggregate outcome data for institutions of higher education accredited by each accrediting agency or association4 4