DeSantis and officials from the other states announced the plan last week. The Commission for Public Higher Education, which will need federal approval. Credit: Photo via Joseph Hendrickson/Shutterstock

The state university system’s Board of Governors next week could move forward with a plan to create an accrediting organization for universities in Florida and other states.

The Board of Governors on July 11 will consider creating a non-profit corporation that would be the Commission for Public Higher Education. The organization would be incorporated in Florida, with higher-education systems in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Tennessee having representation on its board of directors, according to a summary of the proposal posted online in advance of next week’s meeting.

“This corporation will serve as a higher education accreditor with the mission to advance the quality and improvement of higher education by accrediting state public colleges and universities that are incorporated, chartered, licensed, or authorized in the United States,” the proposal said.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and officials from the other states announced the plan last week. The Commission for Public Higher Education, which will need federal approval, would be an alternative to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, a longtime accrediting agency that has clashed with Florida education leaders in recent years.

Accreditation plays a critical role in making schools eligible for students to receive federal financial aid. But Florida has taken steps to move away from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which is often known as SACS, and battled in federal court with the Biden administration about accreditation.

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This article appears in Jul 3-9, 2025.