Information for ACICS Accredited Institutions & Students of ACISC Accredited Institutions - Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education

The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) lost its recognition by the Department of Education (Department) pursuant to 34 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 602, based on the following events:

June 2021 - Present

On or about June 2, 2021, the Senior Department Official (SDO) agreed with the recommendations of Department accreditation staff and the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) – an independent federal advisory committee – to withdraw recognition of ACICS.
On July 5, 2021, ACICS appealed the decision made by the SDO at the Department.

June 2016 - March 2018:

On or about June 14, 2016, Department staff recommended to the SDO at the Department and the NACIQI that ACICS’s petition for renewal of recognition by the Department be denied for several reasons.
On June 23, 2016, NACIQI voted to recommend to the Department that re-recognition be denied.
On September 22, 2016, the SDO at the Department of Education accepted the recommendation of Department staff and NACIQI to deny renewal of recognition to the Council.
On September 22, 2016, ACICS issued the following statement: "ACICS plans to appeal the Senior Department Official’s decision to Secretary King. While the appeal is pending, ACICS retains its federal recognition and remains determined to fully execute its accreditation responsibilities in a professional manner."
On October 21, 2016, ACICS appealed the SDO's decision to the Secretary of Education.
On December 12, 2016, the Secretary of Education upheld the decision of the SDO and recognition of ACICS ceased. ACICS released the following statement: "ACICS will immediately file litigation seeking injunctive and other relief through the courts."
On December 15, 2016, ACICS requested a temporary restraining order in order to prevent implementation of the December 12, 2016 decision by the Department of Education.
On December 20, 2016, ACICS's request for a temporary restraining order was denied.
On February 21, 2017, ACICS was denied a preliminary injunction to halt implementation of the December 12, 2016 decision by the Department of Education.
On March 23, 2018, a United States District Court for the District of Columbia issued an order in Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools v. DeVos, Civil Action No. 16-244. Specifically, the Court remanded to Education Secretary DeVos the December 12, 2016 decision for further proceedings.
On April 3, 2018, as a result of the district court’s remand, Secretary DeVos restored ACICS’s status as a federally recognized accrediting agency as of December 12, 2016.