Executive Summary
- Florida Atlantic University, Florida Polytechnic University, and Chipola College plan to switch accreditation to the Commission for Public Education.
- The move complies with a 2022 Florida law requiring public institutions to rotate accreditors each cycle.
- The new commission was formed following executive actions by President Donald Trump and state legislative reforms.
- Critics express concern regarding the new agency’s independence and the board’s composition of state system representatives.
Three Florida higher education institutions have announced their intent to seek accreditation from the Commission for Public Education (CPHE), a newly formed agency, in accordance with a 2022 state law requiring public colleges and universities to change accreditors during each review cycle. Florida Atlantic University, Florida Polytechnic University, and Chipola College are the first to initiate this transition.
The move follows the enactment of Senate Bill 7044, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, which mandates that institutions rotate accreditation agencies to prevent what state officials described as an unchecked monopoly by established regional bodies. According to the legislation, the new requirement is intended to increase accountability and transparency in higher education governance.
The CPHE was established following an executive order by President Donald Trump calling for the creation of new accreditors. According to Jason Jewell, the Chief Academic Officer for Florida’s Board of Governors and Vice Chair of the CPHE, the new commission aims to facilitate accreditation reform. Jewell has stated that the initiative is designed to renew public institutions, arguing that independent agencies have historically impeded such efforts.
Critics, including faculty members Katie Rainwater and Stacy Frazier, have raised concerns regarding the independence of the new commission. In a published analysis, they note that the CPHE’s board structure includes a majority of seats reserved for representatives from participating state university systems. They argue that this composition, along with standards that emphasize “intellectual diversity” over traditional faculty governance roles, could subject curricular decisions to political influence rather than academic peer review.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) has historically served as the primary accreditor for the region. The divergence from SACSCOC standards has sparked debate over the future of academic freedom and institutional autonomy within the state’s university system.
Regulatory Oversight
The transition to the Commission for Public Education represents a significant shift in the regulatory landscape of Florida’s higher education system. As accreditation is a prerequisite for institutions to receive federal student aid, the U.S. Department of Education’s recognition of the CPHE will be a critical factor in the agency’s viability. This development serves as a test case for state-level legislative interventions in accreditation processes, potentially influencing policy decisions in other jurisdictions seeking to alter the traditional regional accreditation model.
