U.S. Department of Education moves to revoke ABA law school accreditation power

The U.S. Department of Education has issued a report recommending the revocation of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) authority to accredit law schools. This move represents an escalation in the ongoing conflict between the Trump administration and the ABA.

Department officials argue that the ABA fails to maintain a necessary separation between its role as a professional advocacy group and its role as an accrediting body. The administration contends that this lack of independence allows the organization to inject political preferences and progressive ideologies into the accreditation process. Specifically, the government has criticized the ABA for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within law schools.

David Barker, Assistant Secretary of Education, compared the current accreditation system to a “cartel,” suggesting that a lack of competition allows accreditors to pursue ideological agendas. The ABA accredits nearly 200 law schools, a status that is critical for determining whether non-university-affiliated schools can receive federal student aid and whether graduates are eligible to sit for bar exams in many states.

Melissa Hart, chair of the ABA’s accreditation council, stated that the council is confident it meets all federal legal requirements and continues its accreditation work while the review process is ongoing.