DeSantis Announces New Higher Ed Accreditation Agency With Multiple States

Launch of New Accreditation Agency

• 🚀 Florida, in partnership with five other public university systems, is launching the Commission for Public Higher Education (CPHE).
• 🎯 This new agency aims to disrupt the monopoly of existing "woke accreditation cartels" and offer an alternative focused on student achievement and measurable outcomes.
• 🔑 The initiative is supported by the Trump administration, which is seen as more amenable to overhauling the accreditation process.

Critiques of Current Accreditation System

• 📉 Gallup surveys show declining public confidence in higher education, citing political agendas, indoctrination, and worthless degrees.
• ⚠️ The current accreditation process is criticized for focusing on inputs and bureaucracy rather than outputs and academic excellence, with accredititors issuing few disciplinary actions for poor student outcomes.
• 💰 Many accredited institutions have low graduation rates and negative return on investment for students, yet continue to receive federal student aid.
• 🚫 Accredititors have allegedly pressured universities to adopt policies like DEI, even when they conflict with state laws.

Reforms in Florida Higher Education

• 💡 Florida has been a leader in higher education reform, including overhauling tenure, eliminating DEI initiatives, and focusing on merit-based achievement.
• 📚 The state has emphasized workforce education, vocational training, and a renewed focus on American civics and classical liberal arts.
• 🗣️ Universities are encouraged to foster robust debates and uphold standards of conduct, with accountability for disruptive behavior.

Goals of the Commission for Public Higher Education

• ✨ The CPHE will establish rigorous, transparent, and outcomes-based accreditation standards.
• ✅ It aims to ensure colleges and universities maintain academic quality and operational excellence, supporting ongoing reforms.
• 🤝 The consortium seeks to provide a competitive alternative that prioritizes student success and removes ideological bias and unnecessary financial burdens.

Addressing Immigration and State Budget

• 🛂 Florida is leading efforts to assist federal immigration enforcement by establishing staging facilities for processing and repatriating undocumented individuals.
• 💰 These facilities, located in the Everglades and Camp Blanding, are intended to be reimbursed by the federal government and will not impact Everglades restoration.
• 📝 Governor DeSantis is also in the process of reviewing and approving the state budget, with a focus on signing beneficial legislation and vetoing others before the July 1st deadline.