PARITY Act

The PARITY Act modifies the Higher Education Act to remove specific federal regulations that currently govern the classification of independent study programs and the requirements for accrediting certain educational entities. By repealing two existing sections, the bill eliminates rules that previously mandated these programs be treated as traditional degree-granting institutions and altered how accreditation standards are applied. This change directly affects colleges and universities offering independent study or online degrees, as well as the accrediting agencies that evaluate them. The legislation aims to provide regulatory relief by simplifying the compliance framework for these educational models without introducing new mandates.