EDUCATIONAL ACCREDITATION IN THE UNITED STATES IS VOLUNTARY AND NONGOVERNMENTAL. THE MAJOR CONCERNS OF ACCREDITATION ARE EDUCATIONAL QUALITY, DEFINED AND INTERPRETED BOTH WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF AN INSTITUTION'S OWN STATEMENT OF ITS SCOPE AND PURPOSE AND IN COMPARISON WITH SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS, AND INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRITY, AS REFLECTED IN EVIDENCE THAT AN INSTITUTION IS WHAT IT SAYS IT IS AND DOES WHAT IT SAYS IT DOES. THE TWO PROCESSES BASIC TO ACCREDITATION ARE INSTITUTIONAL SELF-STUDY AND PEER EVALUATION. ADVOCATES OF STUDENT CONSUMER PROTECTION WHO DEMAND THAT ACCREDITORS CERTIFY THAT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOLLOW SPECIFIC FEDERAL REGULATIONS OR WHO EXPECT ACCREDITATION TO ENFORCE CERTAIN STANDARDS DEFINED AS PROTECTIVE OF STUDENT CONSUMERS FAIL TO RECOGNIZE THE CORRECT ROLE AND PAST EXPERIENCE OF ACCREDITATION. ACCREDITATION PROVIDES ASSURANCE THAT INSTITUTIONS MEET OR EXCEED CERTAIN CRITERIA RELATED TO EDUCATIONAL QUALITY. HOWEVER, ACCREDITATION SHOULD NOT AND CANNOT BE USED TO MONITOR INSTITUTIONAL COMPLIANCE WITH STATE OR FEDERAL LAWS OR WITH THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF VARIOUS STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDING PROGRAMS. DEVELOPMENTS IN EDUCATIONAL ACCREDITATION ARE NOTED, WEAKNESSES OF THE STUDENT CONSUMER PROTECTION MOVEMENT ARE POINTED OUT, AND THE BENEFITS OF A PRIVATE, VOLUNTARY ACCREDITATION PROCESS ARE EMPHASIZED. (LKM)