BSMF Statement on MEAC’s Withdrawal from U.S. Department of Education Re-Recognition
The BIPOC Student Midwives Fund (BSMF) is concerned about the potential impacts of the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council’s (MEAC) decision to withdraw its petition for re-recognition by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE).
On June 25, 2026, MEAC withdrew its petition for USDE re-recognition. MEAC has clarified that this does not mean that MEAC has stopped functioning as an accreditor or that currently MEAC-accredited and pre-accredited programs have lost their accreditation. However, the loss of federal recognition creates other important questions for midwifery schools and students, including federal financial aid, interstate distance education through NC-SARA, state authorization, and potentially state-specific regulatory and licensure requirements.
For BSMF, this is an equity issue. The pathway to becoming a midwife is already difficult.
The BIPOC Student Midwives Fund (BSMF) is concerned about the potential impacts of the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council’s (MEAC) decision to withdraw its petition for re-recognition by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE).
On June 25, 2026, MEAC withdrew its petition for USDE re-recognition. MEAC has clarified that this does not mean that MEAC has stopped functioning as an accreditor or that currently MEAC-accredited and pre-accredited programs have lost their accreditation. However, the loss of federal recognition creates other important questions for midwifery schools and students, including federal financial aid, interstate distance education through NC-SARA, state authorization, and potentially state-specific regulatory and licensure requirements.
For BSMF, this is an equity issue. The pathway to becoming a midwife is already difficult. Additional barriers do not affect all students equally. BIPOC students, queer and trans students, low-income students, student parents, rural students, disabled students, and others already navigating systemic barriers to entering and/or completing midwifery education may have less resources to absorb unexpected changes due to MEAC's withdrawal. Current and prospective students deserve clear information about these changes. Many have already invested time, money, and labor into this educational track.
MEAC has stated that a small number of schools rely on its federal recognition as part of their eligibility for Title IV federal student aid and that affected schools have an 18-month statutory transition window. The impact of this decision cannot be reduced solely to whether a student currently receives federal financial aid or not. MEAC has acknowledged an additional concern for institutions that rely on NC-SARA to educate students across state lines. MEAC states that it is working with schools, state authorization offices, regulators, and other accrediting agencies to identify pathways forward but notes that there is only a six-month provision for institutions that are affected. As a California-based organization, we are also paying close attention to what this transition could mean within a state where MEAC-accredited education is required for licensure.
At this time, there are still questions that students deserve answers to:
What will happen to students at institutions affected by changes to Title IV eligibility after the transition period?
How will current and prospective students know whether their individual school or state is affected?
What protections will be available for students who depend on federal financial aid to complete their education?
How will changes to NC-SARA participation affect distance education and out-of-state clinical placements?
What happens if an institution cannot obtain the necessary authorization in every state where its students live or complete clinical education?
What, if any, implications could this transition have for state licensure requirements that reference MEAC or federally recognized accreditation?
What protections will exist for students who are already significantly invested in their programs if their educational pathway becomes disrupted?
How will prospective students receive this information before enrolling?
How will students (particularly those most impacted by these decisions) have a meaningful seat at the table as solutions are developed?
How does MEAC intend to ensure that its path forward advances, rather than further restricts, accessibility to midwifery education?
We recognize that not all of these questions have answers today. We also recognize that MEAC has stated its intention to pursue solutions and eventually reapply for USDE recognition. But uncertainty itself has consequences for students. Students, the people most directly affected by decisions about midwifery education, deserve a seat at the table. They deserve timely communication, transparency about risks and timelines, and opportunities to shape solutions that will determine whether they can enter, remain in, and complete midwifery education.
At BSMF, our mission is rooted in reducing barriers for BIPOC student midwives. We cannot talk about increasing the number and diversity of midwives without also protecting accessible pathways into the profession.
The journey to becoming a midwife is already difficult enough. We cannot allow additional educational and financial barriers to fall hardest on those already living and learning at the margins of the margins. BSMF will continue following these developments, sharing information and resources as they become available, and advocating for transparency, student participation, and equitable access to midwifery education.
All questions regarding MEAC’s decision may be directed to: Shirdell Mattox, EMBA, Doula | Executive Director, MEAC | shirdell@meacschools.org
Statements About the Decision: