Acreditación de la educación superior en Estados Unidos: el juicio de los tribunales

Abstract

Accreditation of higher education in the United States dates a long way back, in comparison to the rest of the world. Since the approval of the G.I. Bill in 1952, accreditation has played a major role in regulating higher education. It has had a direct impact on the possibilities of obtaining public funding for educational institutions. The purpose, scope, methodology and result of accreditation processes have not always been understood and have given rise to conflicts that have ended up in court. This study reviews United States jurisprudence in a series of cases –mainly brought before federal courts– between accreditation agencies and higher education institutions. The paper aims to examine the principles to be drawn from the experience of United States courts which, under their laws and regulations, contribute to a fair relationship among agencies and educational institutions in matters involving accreditation.