Notice2026-11520
National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity; Notice of Meeting
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 9, 2026
Issuing agencies
Education Department
Abstract
This notice sets forth the agenda, time, and instructions to access or participate in the July 22 & 23, 2026, meeting of NACIQI, and provides information to members of the public regarding the meeting, including requesting to make written or oral comments. Committee members will meet in-person. Agency representatives have the option to meet in-person or virtually, and public attendees will participate virtually. The notice of this meeting is required under 5 U.S.C. Chapter 10 (commonly known as the Federal Advisory Committee Act) and Section 114(d)(1)(B) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 110 (Tuesday, June 9, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 110 (Tuesday, June 9, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34813-34815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-11520]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and
Integrity; Notice of Meeting
AGENCY: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and
Integrity (NACIQI or Committee), Office of Postsecondary Education,
U.S. Department of Education.
ACTION: Announcement of an open meeting.
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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the agenda, time, and instructions to
access or participate in the July 22 & 23, 2026, meeting of NACIQI, and
provides information to members of the public regarding the meeting,
including requesting to make written or oral comments. Committee
members will meet in-person. Agency representatives have the option to
meet in-person or virtually, and public attendees will participate
virtually. The notice of this meeting is required under 5 U.S.C.
Chapter 10 (commonly known as the Federal Advisory Committee Act) and
Section 114(d)(1)(B) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as
amended.
DATES: The NACIQI meeting will be held on July 22 & 23, 2026, from 9:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
ADDRESSES: U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW,
Barnard Auditorium, Washington, DC 20202 [Only NACIQI members,
accrediting agency representatives, and Department of Education staff
will participate in the meeting at this address].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Alan Smith, Executive Director/
Designated Federal Official (DFO), NACIQI, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202, telephone:
(202) 453-7757, or email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b0f7d5dfc2d7d59ef1dcd1de9ee3ddd9c4d8f0d5d49ed7dfc6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c98eaca6bbaeace788a5a8a7e79aa4a0bda189acade7aea6bf">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Statutory Authority and Function: NACIQI is established under
Section 114 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1011c). NACIQI advises the Secretary
of Education with respect to:
<bullet> The establishment and enforcement of the standards of
accrediting agencies or associations under subpart 2, part H, title IV
of the HEA, as amended;
<bullet> The recognition of specific accrediting agencies or
associations;
<bullet> The preparation and publication of the list of nationally
recognized accrediting agencies and associations;
<bullet> The eligibility and certification process for institutions
of higher education under title IV of the HEA,
[[Page 34814]]
together with recommendations for improvement in such process;
<bullet> The relationship between (1) accreditation of institutions
of higher education and the certification and eligibility of such
institutions, and (2) State licensing responsibilities with respect to
such institutions; and
<bullet> Any other advisory function relating to accreditation and
institutional eligibility that the Secretary of Education may prescribe
by regulation.
Meeting Agenda
The purpose of the meeting is to conduct a review of applications
for renewal of recognition submitted by seven accrediting agencies and
one compliance report submitted by a State agency.
Applications for Renewal of Recognition
1. Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. Scope of
Recognition: The accreditation of postsecondary, nondegree-granting
institutions and degree-granting institutions, including those granting
associate, baccalaureate and master's degrees, that are predominantly
organized to educate students for occupational, trade and technical
careers, and including institutions that offer programs via distance
education. Geographic Area of Accrediting Activities: Throughout the
United States.
2. American Osteopathic Association, Commission on Osteopathic
College Accreditation. Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and
preaccreditation (``Provisional Accreditation'') of freestanding
institutions of osteopathic medicine and of osteopathic medical
programs leading to the degree of Doctor of Osteopathy or Doctor of
Osteopathic Medicine. Geographic Area of Accrediting Activities:
Throughout the United States.
3. Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation. Scope of
Recognition: The accreditation of institutions and programs that award
postsecondary certificates, postsecondary diplomas, academic associate
degrees and occupational associate degrees, in the practice of massage
therapy, bodywork, and aesthetics/esthetics and skin care, including
those offered via distance education. Geographic Area of Accrediting
Activities: Throughout the United States.
4. Council on Occupational Education. Scope of Recognition: The
accreditation and preaccreditation (``Candidacy Status'') of
postsecondary occupational education institutions offering non-degree
and applied associate degree programs in specific career and technical
education fields, including institutions that offer programs via
distance education. Geographic Area of Accrediting Activities:
Throughout the United States.
5. Midwifery Education Accreditation Council. Scope of Recognition:
The accreditation and preaccreditation of direct-entry midwifery
educational institutions and programs conferring degrees and
certificates, including the accreditation of such programs offered via
distance education. Geographic Area of Accrediting Activities:
Throughout the United States.
6. National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences,
Inc. Scope of Recognition: The accreditation of postsecondary schools
and departments of cosmetology arts and sciences and massage therapy,
leading to a certificate, diploma, or occupational associate degree,
including those offered via distance education. Geographic Area of
Accrediting Activities: Throughout the United States.
7. National Nurse Practitioner Residency and Fellowship Training
Consortium. Scope of Recognition: The accreditation of nurse
practitioner (NP) and joint nurse practitioner and physician assistant/
associate postgraduate residency and fellowship training programs. This
recognition also extends to the agency's Appeals Panel. Geographic Area
of Accrediting Activities: Throughout the United States.
Compliance Report
1. Kansas State Board of Nursing. Scope of Recognition: State
agency for the approval of nurse education. The compliance report
includes findings of noncompliance with the criterion found at 34 FR
587644 (Jan. 16, 1969) identified in the May 28, 2024, letter from the
senior Department official following the February 27, 2024, NACIQI
meeting, available at: <a href="https://surveys.ope.ed.gov/erecognition/#/public-documents">https://surveys.ope.ed.gov/erecognition/#/public-documents</a>.
To ensure sufficient time for all agency reviews, including NACIQI
questions and discussion, the Department requests that the agencies
limit their opening statements to 10 minutes (total for one or more
statements), and that the agencies avoid extended discussions about
agency representatives and their backgrounds. Following the brief
opening statement, the agency's presentation should focus on the
regulatory criteria, and in particular, responses to areas where
Department staff has recommended a finding of noncompliance or
substantial compliance, or where other concerns have been raised that
the agency would like to address. However, the agency should expect
that questions from NACIQI members may focus on other areas.
Instructions for Accessing the Meeting Registration
You may register for the meeting on your computer using the link
below. After you register, you will receive a confirmation email
containing personalized participation links for the meeting no later
than 8:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on July 22, 2026.
Registration Link
<a href="https://cvent.me/wVzY2o">https://cvent.me/wVzY2o</a>.
Public Comment
Submission of requests to make an oral comment regarding a specific
accrediting agency under review, or to make an oral comment or written
statement regarding other issues within the scope of NACIQI's
authority:
Opportunity to submit a written statement regarding a specific
accrediting agency under review was solicited by previous Federal
Register notices published on November 06, 2024 (89 FR 88046; Document
Number 2024-25785), April 04, 2025 (90 FR 14815; Document Number 2025-
05853) and September 29, 2025 (90 FR 46583; Document Number 2025-
18865). The period for submission of such statements is now closed.
Additional written statements regarding a specific accrediting agency
or State approval agency under review will not be accepted at this
time. However, members of the public may submit written statements
regarding other issues within the scope of NACIQI's authority, as
outlined under Section 114 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1011c).
Members of the public may make oral comments regarding a specific
accrediting agency under review or other issues within the scope of
NACIQI's authority. Oral comments may not exceed three minutes. Oral
comments about an agency's recognition when a compliance report has
been required by the senior Department official or the Secretary must
relate to the criteria for recognition cited in the senior Department
official's letter that requested the report, or in the Secretary's
appeal decision, if any. Oral comments about an agency seeking
expansion of scope must be directed to the agency's ability to serve as
a recognized accrediting agency with respect to the kinds of
institutions or programs requested to be added. Oral comments about the
renewal of an
[[Page 34815]]
agency's recognition must relate to its compliance with the criteria
for the Recognition of Accrediting Agencies, which are available at
<a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-B/chapter-VI/part-602?toc=1">https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-B/chapter-VI/part-602?toc=1</a>.
Instructions on Requesting To Make Public Comment
To request to make oral comments of three minutes or less or to
submit a written statement to NACIQI concerning its work outside of a
specific accrediting agency under review during the July 22 & 23, 2026,
meeting, please follow the instructions below.
Submit an email to the <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7125191803152110030508321e1c1c141f05023114155f161e07"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="287c40415a4c78495a5c516b4745454d465c5b684d4c064f475e">[email protected]</span></a> mailbox. Please do
not send material directly to NACIQI members. To be considered for the
current cycle review, written statements and requests to make oral
comment must be received by July 15, 2026, and include the subject line
``Oral Comment Request: (agency name),'' ``Oral Comment Request:
(subject)'' or ``Written Statement: (subject).'' The email must include
the name(s), title, organization/affiliation, mailing address, email
address, and telephone number, of the person(s) submitting a written
statement or requesting to speak. All individuals submitting an advance
request in accordance with this notice will be afforded an opportunity
to speak.
Access to Records of the Meeting: The Department will post the
official report of the meeting on the NACIQI website <a href="https://sites.ed.gov/naciqi/archive-of-meetings/">https://sites.ed.gov/naciqi/archive-of-meetings/</a> within 90 days after the
meeting. In addition, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 1009, the public may request
to inspect records of the meeting at 400 Maryland Avenue SW,
Washington, DC, by emailing <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8decfee1ffe8eee2ffe9fee0ece3eceae8ffcde8e9a3eae2fb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4021332c3225232f3224332d212e212725320025246e272f36">[email protected]</span></a> or by calling
(202) 453-7415 to schedule an appointment. The senior Department
official's (as defined in 34 CFR 602.3 at <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-B/chapter-VI/part-602/subpart-A/section-602.3">https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-B/chapter-VI/part-602/subpart-A/section-602.3</a>)
decisions, pursuant to 34 CFR 602.36 (<a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-B/chapter-VI/part-602/subpart-C/subject-group-ECFR21f0283b12d15ca/section-602.36">https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-B/chapter-VI/part-602/subpart-C/subject-group-ECFR21f0283b12d15ca/section-602.36</a>), associated with all NACIQI
meetings can be found at the following website: <a href="https://surveys.ope.ed.gov/erecognition/#/public-documents">https://surveys.ope.ed.gov/erecognition/#/public-documents</a>.
Reasonable Accommodations: The dial-in information and weblink
access to the meeting are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
If you will need an auxiliary aid or service to participate in the
meeting (e.g., interpreting service, assistive listening device, or
materials in an alternate format), notify the contact person listed in
this notice at least two weeks before the scheduled meeting date.
Although we will attempt to meet a request received after that date, we
may not be able to make available the requested auxiliary aid or
service because of insufficient time to arrange it.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free
internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System
at: <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys">www.gpo.gov/fdsys</a>. At this site you can view this document, as well
as all other documents of the Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF,
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site. You also may access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
<a href="http://www.federalregister.gov">www.federalregister.gov</a>. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Authority: Section 114 of the HEA of 1964, as amended (20 U.S.C.
1011c).
David Barker,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2026-11520 Filed 6-8-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
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