Policy Briefs August 2026

On August 20, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) released a notice of proposed rule (NPRM) reflecting ED’s plan to reform the federal accreditation framework. The proposed rule follows negotiated rulemaking conducted by the Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) Committee, which met in April and May of 2026 to craft accreditation regulations. The proposed rules include, but are not limited to:

Removing geographic restrictions on the ability of institutions and programs to choose an accrediting agency;

Requiring that accrediting agencies establish clear institutional and program-level student achievement outcomes;

Defines fiscal and administrative criteria that an accrediting agency would have to meet to prove it is fully separate and independent from any related, associated, or affiliated trade or membership organization;

Prohibiting accrediting agencies from sharing personnel, services, equipment, facilities, or information technology with a related, associated, or affiliated trade association or professional organization, and from occupying office space in the same building.

Prohibiting accrediting agencies from restricting access to employment in a profession, occupation, or vocation, such as increasing credential standards or the cost or level of required education or training. 

These are proposed regulations and not final. ED is fielding comments from stakeholders on the contents of the proposed rule. Comments from stakeholders will be due on September 21, 2026. ED anticipates that the final rule will be released before November 1, 2026. The NPRM indicates that the earliest effective date for changes would likely be July 1, 2027. A press release from ED can be found here.

CSWE is prepared to engage with ED on accreditation policy to ensure that students in social work programs receive quality education. 

On August 2, the Senate Appropriations Committee released bill text for a continuing resolution (CR), that would fund the government at fiscal year (FY) 2026 levels through December 11. The Senate’s CR follows the House passage of its version of a CR, H.R. 9770, funding the government through December 4. At the time of writing, the Senate has not yet released any of its FY 2027 appropriations bills ahead of the August recess, suggesting that negotiations for FY 2027 funding levels will not be agreed upon before October 1. 

CSWE will continue to monitor negotiations and developments in the House and Senate as it relates to funding for social work programs and America’s behavioral health workforce.