The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality. Accreditation in the United States involves non-governmental entities as well as governmental agencies.

Accrediting agencies, which are private educational associations of regional or national scope, develop evaluation criteria and conduct peer evaluations to assess whether or not those criteria are met. Institutions and/or programs that request an agency's evaluation and that meet an agency's criteria are then "accredited" by that agency.

The U.S. Department of Education does not accredit educational institutions and/or programs. However, the Secretary of Education is required by law to publish a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies that the Secretary determines to be reliable authorities as to the quality of education or training provided by the institutions of higher education and the higher education programs they accredit. An agency seeking national recognition by the Secretary must meet the Secretary's procedures and criteria for the recognition of accrediting agencies, as published in the Federal Register. Some of the criteria for recognition, such as the criterion requiring a link to Federal programs, have no bearing on the quality of an accrediting agency; however, they do have the effect of making some agencies ineligible for recognition for reasons other than quality. The recognition process involves not only filing an application with the U. S. Department of Education but also review by the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, which makes a recommendation to the Secretary regarding recognition. The Secretary, after considering the Committee's recommendation, makes the final determination regarding recognition.

The U.S. Secretary of Education also recognizes State agencies for the approval of public postsecondary vocational education and State agencies for the approval of nurse education. These agencies must meet the Secretary's criteria and procedures for such recognition and must undergo review by the National Advisory Committee.

The U. S. Department of Education does not accredit institutions in foreign countries. However, the Secretary of Education does appoint members to the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation. The law gives that Committee the responsibility for reviewing the standards that foreign countries use to accredit medical schools to determine whether those standards are comparable to the standards used to accredit medical schools in the United States. The comparability decisions made by the Committee affect whether U.S. students attending foreign medical schools can receive loans under the Federal Family Education Loan Program.

The United States has no federal Ministry of Education or other centralized authority exercising single national control over postsecondary educational institutions in this country. The states assume varying degrees of control over education, but, in general, institutions of higher education are permitted to operate with considerable independence and autonomy. As a consequence, American educational institutions can vary widely in the character and quality of their programs.

In order to insure a basic level of quality, the practice of accreditation arose in the United States as a means of conducting nongovernmental, peer evaluation of educational institutions and programs. Private educational associations of regional or national scope have adopted criteria reflecting the qualities of a sound educational program and have developed procedures for evaluating institutions or programs to determine whether or not they are operating at basic levels of quality

Some Functions of Accreditation

1. Verifying that an institution or program meets established standards;
2. Assisting prospective students in identifying acceptable institutions;
3. Assisting institutions in determining the acceptability of transfer credits;
4. Helping to identify institutions and programs for the investment of public and private funds;
5. Protecting an institution against harmful internal and external pressure;
6. Creating goals for self-improvement of weaker programs and stimulating a general raising of standards among educational institutions;
7. Involving the faculty and staff comprehensively in institutional evaluation and planning;
8. Establishing criteria for professional certification and licensure and for upgrading courses offering such preparation; and
9. Providing one of several considerations used as a basis for determining eligibility for Federal assistance.

The Accrediting Procedure

1. Standards: The accrediting agency, in collaboration with educational institutions, establishes standards.
2. Self-study: The institution or program seeking accreditation prepares an in-depth self-evaluation study that measures its performance against the standards established by the accrediting agency.
3. On-site Evaluation: A team selected by the accrediting agency visits the institution or program to determine first-hand if the applicant meets the established standards.
4. Publication: Upon being satisfied that the applicant meets its standards, the accrediting agency grants accreditation or preaccreditation status and lists the institution or program in an official publication with other similarly accredited or preaccredited institutions or programs.
5. Monitoring: The accrediting agency monitors each accredited institution or program throughout the period of accreditation granted to verify that it continues to meet the agency's standards.
6. Reevaluation: The accrediting agency periodically reevaluates each institution or program that it lists to ascertain whether continuation of its accredited or preaccredited status is warranted.

Types of Accreditation

There are two basic types of educational accreditation, one referred to as "institutional" and the other referred to as "specialized" or "programmatic."

Institutional accreditation normally applies to an entire institution, indicating that each of an institution's parts is contributing to the achievement of the institution's objectives, although not necessarily all at the same level of quality. The various commissions of the regional accrediting agencies, for example, perform institutional accreditation, as do many national accrediting agencies.

Specialized or programmatic accreditation normally applies to programs, departments, or schools that are parts of an institution. The accredited unit may be as large as a college or school within a university or as small as a curriculum within a discipline. Most of the specialized or programmatic accrediting agencies review units within an institution of higher education that is accredited by one of the regional accrediting agencies. However, certain accrediting agencies also accredit professional schools and other specialized or vocational institutions of higher education that are freestanding in their operations. Thus, a "specialized" or "programmatic" accrediting agency may also function in the capacity of an "institutional" accrediting agency. In addition, a number of specialized accrediting agencies accredit educational programs within non-educational settings, such as hospitals.

The Department’s recognition of accrediting agencies does not extend to the accreditation an agency may grant to foreign institutions or programs.

Accreditation does not provide automatic acceptance by an institution of credit earned at another institution, nor does it give assurance of acceptance of graduates by employers. Acceptance of credit or graduates is always the prerogative of the receiving institution or employer. For these reasons, besides ascertaining the accredited status of a school or program, students should take additional measures to determine, prior to enrollment, whether their educational goals will be met through attendance at a particular institution. Those measures should include inquiries to institutions to which transfer might be desired or to prospective employers.

The U.S. Secretary of Education (Secretary) is required by statute to publish a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies that the Secretary determines to be reliable authorities as to the quality of education or training provided by the institutions of higher education and the higher education programs they accredit. The Secretary only evaluates accrediting agencies that apply for recognition, and certain criteria for recognition that are unrelated to the quality of accrediting activities limit the scope of the Secretary’s recognition activities.

Most institutions attain eligibility for federal funds by holding accredited or preaccredited status with one of the accrediting agencies recognized by the Secretary, in addition to fulfilling other eligibility requirements. For example, accreditation by a nationally recognized institutional accrediting agency enables the institutions the agency accredits to establish eligibility to participate in the federal student financial assistance programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education (Department) under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

The commissions of the institutional (both regional and national) accrediting agencies that are recognized by the Secretary have no legal control over educational institutions or programs. They promulgate standards of quality or criteria of institutional excellence and approve or renew membership of those institutions that apply for meet their accreditation standards or criteria.

Note: The U.S. Department of Education does not have the authority to accredit private or public elementary or secondary schools, and the Department does not recognize accrediting bodies for the accreditation of private or public elementary and secondary schools. However, the U.S. Department of Education does recognize accrediting bodies for the accreditation of institutions of higher (postsecondary) education. If an accrediting body which is recognized by the Department for higher education also accredits elementary and secondary schools, the Department's recognition applies only to the agency's accreditation of postsecondary institutions.

The Department’s recognition of accrediting agencies does not extend to the accreditation an agency may grant to foreign institutions or programs.

The Accrediting Agency Evaluation Unit

The Accrediting Agency Evaluation Unit has been established within the Department of Education to deal with accreditation matters. Located in the Office of Postsecondary Education, the Unit carries out the following major functions with respect to accreditation:

1. Conduct a continuous review of standards, policies, procedures, and issues in the area of the Department of Education's interests and responsibilities relative to accreditation;
2. Administer the process whereby accrediting agencies and State approval agencies secure initial and renewed recognition by the Secretary of Education;
3. Serving as the Department's liaison with accrediting agencies and State approval agencies;
4. Providing consultative services to institutions, associations, state agencies, other federal agencies, and Congress regarding accreditation;
5. Interpreting and disseminating policy relative to accreditation issues in the case of all appropriate programs administered by the Department of Education;
6. Conducting and stimulating appropriate research; and
7. Providing support for the Secretary's National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity.

The Recognition Process for Accrediting Agencies

The process for the recognition of accrediting agencies is set forth in 34 CFR Part 602 Subpart C. Other information related to an agency's application for recognition is provided below.

The Application for Recognition

Accrediting agencies desiring recognition by the Secretary of Education must apply and demonstrate their compliance with the Criteria for Secretarial Recognition (34 CFR Part 602 Subpart B). An agency's application for recognition generally consists of a statement of the agency's requested scope of recognition, evidence of the agency's compliance with the criteria for recognition set forth in part 602, and supporting documentation.

Agencies seeking initial recognition should contact the Accrediting Agency Evaluation Unit to discuss the basic eligibility requirements and the application process. If the staff believes the agency meets the basic eligibility requirements, the agency will be provided with the information needed to submit an application through the unit's electronic system.

Accreditation Division
U.S. Department of Education
1990 K Street, NW, #8065
Washington, DC 20006-8509
Telephone: (202) 219-7011

An agency's application for initial recognition or renewal of recognition consists of a narrative statement, organized on a criterion-by-criterion basis, showing how the agency complies with the Criteria for Recognition. For many recognition requirements, the narrative statement need only consist of a brief narrative demonstrating how that agency complies with a particular requirement. This statement must, however, be accompanied by clearly referenced supporting documentation demonstrating that the agency meets the requirement. For example, §602.15(a)(6) of the regulations requires an agency to have clear and effective controls against conflicts of interest or the appearance of conflicts of interest by the agency's board mem¬bers, commissioners, evaluation team members, consultants, administrative staff, and other agency representatives. The agency's narrative statement addressing this issue might simply be a statement that the agency's policies against conflicts of interest may be found in a particular policy document. The agency would have to submit a copy of that document and identify the pages on which the relevant policies were located. The agency might also choose to include a copy of the minutes of a meeting at which an agency representative abstained from voting because of a conflict of interest to demonstrate that it adheres to its written policies.

For other recognition requirements, because of their nature, the brief narrative statement, with supporting documentation, is insufficient to demonstrate compliance. In these cases, the agency's narrative statement should provide sufficient information to demonstrate that the agency's policies, standards, procedures, and practices comply with all aspects of the requirement. For example, §602.21 of the regulations requires that an agency maintain a systematic program of review that demonstrates its standards are adequate to evaluate the quality of the education or training provided and relevant to the education or training needs of students. As this requirement is fundamental to sound accreditation practices, the agency's narrative statement would have to describe in depth the processes the agency uses to review and update its criteria and standards, the tests it uses to determine their adequacy and relevance in evaluating educational quality, as well as the results of those tests, and how it determines they are relevant to the needs of affected students. The agency would also have to provide relevant supporting documentation, such as policy statements pertaining to its review program for validating and updating its standards, surveys and the results of those surveys, the constituencies involved in the review process, etc. The agency’s statement and documentation would need to establish that the program of review is comprehensive; occurs at regular, yet reasonable, intervals or on an ongoing basis; examines each of the agency’s standards and the standards as a whole; and involves all of the agency’s relevant constituencies in the review, affording them a meaningful opportunity to provide input. The agency would also need to establish that it has the requisite procedures in place for timely changing its standards in response to the results of the review.

If an agency's application for recognition does not make specific reference to the following documents and does not include them as supporting documentation for one or more of the recognition requirements, the agency must include them as additional supporting documentation:

Accreditation standards and procedures

Policies and procedures

Most recent externally audited financial statement

Published lists of accredited schools or programs

Self-study guidelines

Guidance and training materials for visiting team members

Sample completed self-study reports

Sample site visit reports

Sample institution responses to site visit reports

Sample minutes of decision meetings

A list of all complaints received by the agency against an accredited program during the six-month period immediately preceding the agency's submission of its application for recognition, together with a summary of the issues involved in each complaint, the agency's disposition of that complaint, and the current status of the complaint, if it is not resolved by the time the agency submits its application

The agency's constitution and by-laws.

Note: it would be helpful if the samples provided by an agency referred to the same institution(s) or program(s), where applicable.

Time Frame for Submission of an Application

Application for Initial Recognition

The Accrediting Agency Evaluation Unit accepts applications for initial recognition at any time. To request consideration at a particular meeting of the NACIQI, an agency seeking initial recognition must submit its application at least six months in advance of that meeting. Consideration of the agency's application at the first NACIQI meeting that occurs after the six-month time frame is not guaranteed, however, as Department staff may need more time to complete its independent evaluation of the agency and to observe at least some of the agency's site visits and decision meetings, as required by §602.32(b)(1) of the regulations.

An agency considering applying for initial recognition is encouraged to contact the Accrediting Agency Evaluation Unit as early as possible to discuss its possible application and to afford staff the opportunity to observe its site visits and decision meetings. Because observation of an agency's site visits and decision meetings by staff is a critical component of the review of the agency's application, it is imperative that an agency seeking initial recognition submit a list of scheduled site visits and decision meetings with its application for recognition. If an agency does not provide staff with an opportunity to observe an adequate number of site visits and decision meetings (typically 2-3 of each) before NACIQI meeting at which the agency requests consideration of its application, staff may recommend that the agency's application be denied.

Agencies seeking initial recognition are reminded that recognition by the Secretary is not a prerequisite for an agency to function as an accrediting body, i.e., an agency does not have to obtain recognition before it begins to accredit institutions or programs. Rather, recognition is granted by the Secretary to an agency that meets certain federal eligibility requirements and can demonstrate compliance with all of the criteria for recognition, establishing through its accrediting actions and decisions that it is a reliable authority regarding the quality of education offered by the institutions or programs it accredits. A new agency must demonstrate that its accreditation is a required element in enabling at least one of the institutions or programs it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in one or more federal programs. Beyond that basic eligibility requirement, a new accrediting agency will need to have had at least two years' experience functioning as accrediting agency - establishing standards, evaluating institutions or programs for compliance with those standards, and making accrediting decisions based on those standards - before it submits its application for recognition. In addition, a new agency will need to be mindful of the recognition criterion requiring it to establish that it has gained wide acceptance of its standards, methods of evaluation, and accreditation decisions, as required by §602.13 of the regulations. Staff will also consider whether the new agency has been organized under conditions that reasonably ensure its stability and permanence.

Application for Continued Recognition

Agencies that have been granted recognition by the Secretary are officially notified of the expiration date of their recognition period in a letter each time recognition is granted or renewed. They should plan to submit their application for renewal of recognition approximately six months in advance of the spring or fall meeting of the NACIQI that precedes that expiration date. The Accrediting Agency Evaluation Unit usually notifies agencies a year in advance of the NACIQI meeting at which their renewal application is to be considered and informs them of the date by which their application is due. The notice also requests a schedule of each agency's site visits and decision meetings for the upcoming year in order to plan staff observation of at least some of those activities, as required by §602.32(b)(1) of the regulations.

Staff Analysis of an Accrediting Agency's Application

The application review process conducted by the Department includes analysis of the application and observation of some of the agency's site visit and decision-making activities by Accrediting Agency Evaluation Unit staff. Staff members may also visit agency administrative offices to conduct interviews of agency staff and to review the agency's facilities, records and administrative operations. They may also conduct interviews or surveys of other persons, organizations, or institutions concerning the applicant agency's approval process in order to obtain further information relating to the agency's compliance with the Criteria and Procedures for Recognition. Department staff then prepares a written analysis of the agency's application for recognition, which includes a recommendation on recognition.

Hearing Before the Advisory Committee

When staff completes its evaluation of an agency's application for recognition, the agency's application is placed on the meeting agenda of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity; (NACIQI).In preparation for the meeting, the committee is provided with the accrediting agency's application and supporting documentation; the final staff analysis of the application; the staff's recommendation on recognition; all information relied upon by staff in developing the analysis; at the agency's request, any response by the agency to the draft staff analysis; and any written third-party comments the Department received about the agency and agency response.

The NACIQI meets at least twice a year to review applications for recognition submitted by accrediting agencies. The usual times for the Committee meetings are spring (May-June) and fall (November-December). Although each member of the Committee receives every staff analysis of an application for recognition and all the other materials mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the Executive Director of the NACIQI usually assigns two or more individuals to serve as principal readers for each application.

An agency that applies for recognition is invited to make an oral presentation before the Committee. The Committee also hears oral presentations from third parties who request to be heard. Department staff are available throughout NACIQI meetings to respond to questions.

The NACIQI conducts its business in public, and a transcript of the proceedings is made. After each meeting, the Committee's and Department staff's recommendations concerning recognition are forwarded to the Senior Department Official, who makes the final determination regarding recognition. Any agency that disagrees with the decision of the Senior Department Official may appeal to the Secretary. Agencies may be granted initial recognition or renewal of recognition for a period of up to five years.

Expansion of Scope

An application for expansion of an agency's scope of recognition may be included as an integral part of an application for renewal of recognition or it may be submitted separately. If an expansion of scope is sought prior to the agency's next regularly scheduled review, agency personnel should consult with the Accrediting Agency Evaluation Unit staff concerning the application format.

The Department of Education is making available a searchable database of postsecondary institutions and programs accredited by accrediting agencies or state approval agencies recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. This database includes approximately 6,900 postsecondary educational institutions and programs.

The U.S. Secretary of Education recognizes those agencies determined to be reliable authorities as to the quality of education or training provided by the institutions of higher education and the higher education programs they accredit. Accreditation of an institution or program by a recognized accrediting agency provides a reasonable assurance of quality and acceptance by employers of diplomas and degrees.

The Department believes that the list will be a helpful tool for employers evaluating education credentials and for consumers making decisions about postsecondary institutions to attend. Consumers are encouraged to do additional research on institutions before making a selection of a school, checking, for example, on the transferability of credits between institutions, the availability of financial aid, etc.

The database does not include a number of postsecondary educational institutions and programs that elect not to seek accreditation but nevertheless may provide a quality postsecondary education. The U.S. Department of Education recommends that the database be used as one source of qualitative information and that additional sources of qualitative information be consulted.

Postsecondary Educational Institutions and Programs Accredited by Accrediting Agencies and State Approval Agencies Recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education

The regional and national accrediting agencies linked to below are recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as reliable authorities concerning the quality of education or training offered by the institutions of higher education or higher education programs they accredit. The dates specified for each entry are the date of initial listing as a nationally recognized agency, the date of the Secretary's most recent grant of renewed recognition, and the date of the agency's next scheduled review for renewal of recognition by the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. Unless otherwise noted in a Title IV note after the agency's name, accreditation by an agency included on the lists linked to below may be used by an institution accredited by the agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

(Note: S = Spring meeting and F = Fall meeting)

• Regional and National Institutional Accrediting Agencies

• Specialized Accrediting Agencies

  • Arts and Humanities
  • Education Training
  • Legal
  • Community and Social Services
  • Personal Care and Services
  • Healthcare

• Accrediting Agencies Recognized for Their Preaccreditation Categories

• Accrediting Agencies Recognized for Title IV Purposes

The dates specified for each entry are the date of initial listing as a recognized agency, the date of the Secretary's most recent grant of renewed recognition, and the date of the agency's next scheduled review for renewal of recognition by the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. (Note: S = Spring meeting and F =Fall meeting and C=Compliance Report.)

Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges
1967/2011/S2016
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of postsecondary, non-degree-granting institutions and degree-granting institutions in the United States, including those granting associate , baccalaureate and master’s degrees, that are predominantly organized to educate students for occupational, trade and technical careers, and including institutions that offer programs via distance education.

Michale McComis, Executive Director
2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 302
Arlington, Virginia 22201
Tel. (703) 247-4212, Fax (703) 247-4533
E-mail address: mccomis@accsc.org
Web address: www.accsc.org

Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training
1978/2008/S2013
Scope of recognition: Scope of recognition: the accreditation throughout the United States of institutions of higher education that offer continuing education and vocational programs that confer certificates or occupational associate degrees, including those programs offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Only those institutions classified by this agency as "vocational " may use accreditation by the agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Roger J. Williams, Executive Director
1722 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 955-1113, Fax (202) 955-1118
E-mail address: rjwilliams@accet.org
Web address: www.accet.org

Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
1956/2011/S2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of private postsecondary institutions offering certificates or diplomas, and postsecondary institutions offering associate, bachelor's, or master's degrees in programs designed to educate students for professional, technical, or occupational careers, including those that offer those programs via distance education.

Albert C. Gray
Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
750 First Street, NE, Suite 980
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Tel. (202) 336-6780, Fax (202) 842-2593
E-mail address: agray@acics.org
Web address: www.acics.org

Council on Occupational Education
1969/2011/S2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation ("Candidacy Status") throughout the United States of postsecondary occupational education institutions offering non-degree and applied associate degree programs in specific career and technical education fields, including institutions that offer programs via distance education.

Gary Puckett, Executive Director
7840 Roswell Road, Building 300, Suite 325
Atlanta, Georgia 30350
Tel. (770) 396-3898, (800) 917-2081, Fax (770) 396-3790
E-mail address: puckettg@council.org
Web address: www.council.org

Distance Education and Training Council, Accrediting Commission
1959/2012/S2017
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of postsecondary institutions in the United States that offer degree programs primarily by distance education up through professional doctoral degrees, and are specifically certified by the agency as accredited for Title IV purposes; and for the accreditation of postsecondary institutions in the United States not participating in Title IV that offer programs primarily by distance education or correspondence education up through professional doctoral degrees.
Title IV Note: Only accredited institutions that are certified by the agency as accredited for Title IV purposes may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility of its degree granting programs to participate in Title IV programs.

Michael P. Lambert, Executive Director
1601 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Tel. (202) 234-5100, Fax (202) 332-1386
E-mail address: info@detc.org
Web address:www.detc.org

Middle States Commission on Higher Education
1952/2007/F2012
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation ("Candidacy status") of institutions of higher education in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including distance education programs offered at those institutions.

Elizabeth H. Sibolski, President
3624 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
Tel. (267) 284-5000, Fax (215) 662-5950
E-mail address: info@msche.org
Web address: www.msche.org

Henry Cram, President
3624 Market Street, 2 West
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-2680
Tel. (267) 284-5000, Fax (215) 662-0957
E-mail address: kkastle@cess-msa.org
Web address: www.css-msa.org

New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
1952/2008/S2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and pre-accreditation ("Candidacy status") of institutions of higher education in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont that award associate's, bachelor's, master's, and/or doctoral degrees, including the accreditation of programs offered via distance education within these institutions. This recognition extends to the Board of Trustees of the Association jointly with the Commission for decisions involving pre-accreditation, initial accreditation, and adverse actions.

Barbara E. Brittingham, Director
3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100
Burlington, Massachusetts 01803-4514
Tel. (781) 425-7700, Fax (781) 425-1001
E-mail address:bbrittingham@neasc.org
Web address: www.neasc.org

New York State Board of Regents, and the Commissioner of Education
1952/2007/F2012
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of those degree-granting institutions of higher education in New York, including distance education offered by those institutions, that designate the agency as their sole or primary nationally recognized accrediting agency for purposes of establishing eligibility to participate in HEA programs.

John B. King, Jr., Commissioner of Education
State Education Department
The University of the State of New York
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12234
Tel. (518) 474-5844 Fax (518) 473-4909
E-Mail address: jking@mail.nysed.gov
Web address: www.nysed.gov

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
1952/2008/F2012-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and pre-accreditation ("Candidate for Accreditation") of degree-granting institutions of higher education in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, including tribal institutions, and the accreditation of programs offered via distance education within these institutions. This recognition extends to the Institutional Actions Committee jointly with the Board of Trustees of the Commission for decisions on cases for continued accreditation or reaffirmation and continued candidacy. This recognition also extends to the Review Committee of the Accreditation Review Council, jointly with the Board of Trustees of the Commission, for decisions on cases for continued accreditation or candidacy and for initial candidacy or initial accreditation when there is a consensus decision by the Review Committee.

Sylvia Manning, President
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, Illinois 60604-1413
Tel. (312) 263-0456, (800) 621-7440, Fax (312) 263-7462
E-mail address: smanning@hlcommission.org
Web address: www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
1952/2008/S2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and pre-accreditation ("Candidacy status") of postsecondary degree-granting educational institutions in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington, including the accreditation of programs offered via distance education within these institutions.

Sandra E. Elman, President
8060 165th Avenue, NE, Suite 100
Redmond, Washington 98052
Tel. (425) 558-4224, Fax (425) 376-0596
E-mail address: selman@nwccu.org
Web address: www.nwccu.org

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
1952/2012/S2014-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (“Candidate for Accreditation”) of degree-granting institutions of higher education in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, including the accreditation of programs offered via distance and correspondence education within these institutions. This recognition extends to the SACSCOC Board of Trustees and the Appeals Committee of the College Delegate Assembly on cases of initial candidacy or initial accreditation and for continued accreditation or candidacy.

Belle S. Wheelan, President
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
Tel. (404) 679-4512, Fax (404) 679-4528
E-mail address: bwheelan@sacscoc.org
Web address: www.sacscoc.org

Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Accreditation Commission
1991/2011/S2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (“Candidate” status) of Christian postsecondary institutions in the United States that offer certificates, diplomas, and associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees, including institutions that offer distance education.

T. Paul Boatner, President
P.O. Box 328
Forest, Virginia 24551
Tel. (434) 525-9539, Fax (434) 525-9538
E-mail address: info@tracs.org
Web address: www.tracs.org

Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
1952/2008/F2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and pre-accreditation ("Candidate for Accreditation") of two-year, associate degree-granting institutions located in California, Hawaii, the United States territories of Guam and American Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, including the accreditation of such programs offered via distance education at these colleges.

Barbara A. Beno, President
10 Commercial Boulevard, Suite 204
Novato, California 94949
Tel. (415) 506-0234, Fax (415) 506-0238
E-mail address: accjc@accjc.org
Web address: www.wascweb.org

Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities
1952/2007/F2012
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation ("Candidate for Accreditation") of senior colleges and universities in California, Hawaii, the United States territories of Guam and American Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, including distance education programs offered at those institutions.

Ralph Wolff
President and Executive Director
985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100
Alameda, California 94501
Tel. (510) 748-9001, Fax (510) 748-9797
E-mail address: wascsr@wascsenior.org
Web address: www.wascweb.org

The dates specified for each entry are the date of initial listing as a recognized agency, the date of the Secretary's most recent grant of renewed recognition, and the date of the agency's next scheduled review for renewal of recognition by the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. (Note: S = Spring meeting and F = Fall meeting and C=Compliance Report)

ARTS AND HUMANITIES |EDUCATION TRAINING |LEGAL |COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES |PERSONAL CARE AND SERVICES| HEALTHCARE|

National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
1966/2008/S2013
Scope of recognition: for the accreditation throughout the United States of freestanding institutions and units offering art/design and art/design-related programs (both degree- and non-degree-granting), including those offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of art and design may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Samuel Hope, Executive Director
11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21
Reston, Virginia 20190
Tel. (703) 437-0700, Fax (703) 437-6312
E-mail address: info@arts-accredit.org
Web address: www.arts-accredit.org

National Association of Schools of Dance, Commission on Accreditation
1983/2008/S2013
Scope of recognition: for the accreditation throughout the United States of freestanding institutions and units offering dance and dance-related programs (both degree- and non-degree-granting), including those offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of dance may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Samuel Hope, Executive Director
11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21
Reston, Virginia 20190
Tel. (703) 437-0700, Fax (703) 437-6312
E-mail address: info@arts-accredit.org
Web address: www.arts-accredit.org

National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation,
1952/2008/S2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation throughout the United States of freestanding institutions and units offering music and music-related programs (both degree- and non-degree-granting), including those offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of music may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Samuel Hope, Executive Director
11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21
Reston, Virginia 20190
Tel. (703) 437-0700, Fax (703) 437-6312
E-mail address: info@arts-accredit.org
Web address: www.arts-accredit.org

National Association of Schools of Theatre, Commission on Accreditation
1982/2008/S2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation throughout the United States of freestanding institutions and units offering theatre and theatre-related programs (both degree- and non-degree-granting), including those offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of theatre may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Samuel Hope, Executive Director
11250 Roger Bacon Drive. Suite 21
Reston, Virginia 20190
Tel. (703) 437-0700, Fax (703) 437-6312
E-mail address: info@arts-accredit.org
Web address: www.arts-accredit.org

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EDUCATION TRAINING

Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education
1995/2010/F2012-C
Scope of recognition: The accreditation of Montessori teacher education institutions and programs throughout the United States, including those offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding Montessori teacher education schools may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Rebecca Pelton, Executive Director
Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education
313 Second Street, S.E., Suite 112
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Tel. (434) 202-7793, Fax (888) 525-8838
After Hours Tel. (434) 987-2975
E-mail address: rebecca@macte.org
Web address: www.MACTE.org

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
1952/2006/F2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation throughout the United States of professional education units providing baccalaureate and graduate degree programs for the preparation of teachers and other professional personnel for elementary and secondary schools, including programs offering distance education.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

James G. Cibulka, President
2010 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036-1023
Tel. (202) 466-7496, Fax (202) 296-6620
E-mail address:ncate@ncate.org
Web address: ncate.org

Teacher Education Accreditation Council, Accreditation Committee
2003/2005/F2013
Scope of recognition: for the accreditation and pre-accreditation throughout the United States of professional teacher education programs in institutions offering baccalaureate and graduate degrees for the preparation of K-12 teachers.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Mark LaCelle-Peterson , President
One Dupont Circle, Suite 320
Washington, DC 20036-0110
Tel. (202) 466-7236, Fax (202) 466-7238
E-mail address: mark@teac.org
Web address: www.teac.org

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LEGAL

American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar
1952/2011/S2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation throughout the United States of programs in legal education that lead to the first professional degree in law, as well as freestanding law schools offering such programs. This recognition also extends to the Accreditation Committee of the Section of Legal Education (Accreditation Committee) for decisions involving continued accreditation (referred to by the agency as "approval") of law schools.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding law schools may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Barry A. Currier
Interim Consultant on Legal Education
ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar
321 North Clark Street, 21st Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60610-4714
Tel. (312) 988-6744, Fax (312) 988-5681
E-mail address: barry.currier@americanbar.org
Web address: www.abanet.org/legaled/

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COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education
1978/2011/F2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation ("Candidacy") throughout the United States of clinical training programs in marriage and family therapy at the master's, doctoral, and postgraduate levels.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Tanya A. Tamarkin
Director of Education Affairs
112 South Alfred Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3061
Tel. (703) 253-0457, Fax (703) 253-0508
E-mail address: ttamarkin@aamft.org
Web address: www.aamft.org

Association for Biblical Higher Education, Commission on Accreditation
1952/2012/S2014-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (“Candidate for Accreditation”), at the undergraduate level, of institutions of biblical higher education in the United States offering both campus-based and distance education instructional programs.

Ronald C. Kroll
Director, Commission on Accreditation
5850 T.G. Lee Boulevard, Suite 130
Orlando, Florida 32822
Tel. (407) 207-0808, Fax (407) 207-0840
E-mail address: rron.kroll@abhe.org
Web address: abhe.gospelcom.net

Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc., Accreditation Commission
1969/2012/F2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of both clinical pastoral education (CPE) centers and CPE and Supervisory CPE programs located within the United States and territories.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Teresa E. Snorton, Executive Director
1549 Claremont Road, Suite 103
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4611
Tel. (404) 320-1472 fax (404) 320-0849
E-mail address: acpe@acpe.edu
Web address: www.acpe.edu

Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools, Accreditation Commission
1974/2007/S2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation ("Correspondent" and "Candidate") within the United States of advanced rabbinical and Talmudic schools.

Bernard Fryshman, Executive Vice-President
11 Broadway, Suite 405
New York, New York 10004
Tel. (212)363-1991, Fax (212) 533-5335
E-mail address: BFryshma@nyit.edu

Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools
1952/2011/S2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation ("Candidate for Accredited Membership") of theological schools and seminaries, as well as schools or programs that are parts of colleges or universities, in the United States, offering post baccalaureate degrees in professional and academic theological education, including delivery via distance education.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding institutions, colleges, or seminaries of theology may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Daniel O. Aleshire, Executive Director
10 Summit Park Drive
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15275-1103
Tel. (412) 788-6505, Fax (412) 788-6510
E-mail address: ats@ats.edu
Web address: www.ats.edu

Commission on English Language Program Accreditation
2003/2011/F2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of postsecondary, non-degree-granting English language programs and institutions in the United States.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Teresa D. O'Donnell, Executive Director
801 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 402A
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Tel. (703) 519-2070, Fax (703)683-8099
E-mail address: todonnell@cea-accredit.org
Web address:www.cea-accredit.org

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PERSONAL CARE AND SERVICES

American Board of Funeral Service Education, Committee on Accreditation
1972/2012/F2015
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of institutions and programs within the United States awarding diplomas, associate degrees and bachelor's degrees in funeral service or mortuary science, including the accreditation of distance learning courses and programs offered by these programs and institutions.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of funeral service or mortuary science may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Michael Smith, Executive Director
3414 Ashland Avenue, Suite G
St. Joseph, Missouri 64506
Tel. (816) 233-3747, Fax (816) 233-3793
E-mail address: exdir@abfse.org
Web address: www.abfse.org

Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation
2002/201/F2015
Scope of recognition: The accreditation of institutions and programs in the United States that award postsecondary certificates, postsecondary diplomas, academic Associate degrees and occupational Associate degrees, in the practice of massage therapy, bodywork, and aesthetics/esthetics and skin care, including components of programs which are offered through distance learning modalities.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of massage therapy, body work and aesthetics/esthetics may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Kate Zulaski
Executive Director
Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation
5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite 440
Washington, DC 20015
Tel. (202) 895-1518, Fax (202) 895-1519
E-mail address: kzulaski@comta.org
Web address: www.comta.org

National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences, Inc.
1970/2010/F2015
Scope of recognition: The accreditation throughout the United States of postsecondary schools and departments of cosmetology arts and sciences and massage therapy.

Anthony Mirando
Executive Director
4401 Ford Avenue, Suite 1300
Arlington, Virginia 22303
Tel. (703) 600-7600, Fax (703) 379-2200
E-mail address: amirando@naccas.org
Web address: www.naccas.org

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HEALTHCARE

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
1974/2007/F2012
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and pre-accreditation, within the United States, of Didactic and Coordinated Programs in Dietetics at both the undergraduate and graduate level, post-baccalaureate Dietetic Internships, and Dietetic Technician Programs at the associate degree level, and for its accreditation of such programs offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Only postbaccalaureate dietetic internship programs may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Ulric K. Chung, Executive Director
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000
Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995
Tel. (312) 899-4872, Fax (312) 899-4817
E-mail address: UChung@eatright.org
Web address: www.eatright.org/cade

Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
1988/2011/S2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation (“Candidacy” status) throughout the United States of first-professional master's degree and professional master's level certificate and diploma programs in acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and professional post-graduate doctoral programs in acupuncture and in Oriental Medicine (DAOM), as well as freestanding institutions and colleges of acupuncture or Oriental Medicine that offer such programs.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding institutions or colleges of acupuncture or Oriental medicine may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

William W. Goding, Interim Executive Director
14502 Greenview Drive, Sutie 300B
Laurel, MD 20708
Tel. (301) 313-0855, Fax (301) 313-0912
E-mail address: william.goding@acaom.org
Web address: www.acaom.org

Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
1982/2012/S2014-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and pre-accreditation of basic certificate, basic graduate nurse-midwifery, direct entry midwifery, and pre-certification nurse-midwifery education programs, including those programs that offer distance education.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding institutions of midwifery education may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Susan E. Stone
Chair, Accreditation Commission for
Midwifery Education
8403 Colesville Road, Suite 1550
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
Tel. (240) 485-1802, Fax (240) 485-1818
E-mail address: Susan.Stone@frontier.edu
Web address: www.midwife.org/accreditation

Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education
1952/2012/S2014-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation within the United States of professional degree programs in pharmacy leading to the degree of Doctor of Pharmacy, including those programs offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Peter H. Vlasses, Executive Director
135 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 4100
Chicago, Illinois 60603
Tel. (312) 664-3575, Fax (312) 664-46522
E-mail address: pvlasses@acpe-accredit.org
Web address: www.acpe-accredit.org

Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools
1969/2012/F2015
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of private, postsecondary institutions in the United States offering predominantly allied health education programs and the programmatic accreditation of medical assistant, medical laboratory technician and surgical technology programs, leading to a certificate, diploma, Associate of Applied Science, Associate of Occupational Science, Academic Associate degree, or Baccalaureate degree, including those offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding allied health education institutions and institutions that offer predominantly allied health programs may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Carol Moneymaker, Executive Director
7777 Leesburg Pike, Suite 314N
Falls Church, Virginia 22043
Tel. (703) 917-9503, Fax (703) 917-4109
E-mail address: CMoneymaker@abhes.org
Web address: www.abhes.org

American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation
1952/2012/S2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of predoctoral dental education programs (leading to the D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree), advanced dental education programs, and allied dental education programs that are fully operational or have attained "Initial Accreditation" status, including programs offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Sherin Tooks, Director
Commission on Dental Accreditation
American Dental Association
211 East Chicago Avenue, 18th Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60611
Tel. (312) 440-2712, (800) 621-8099, Fax (312) 440-2915
E-mail address: tookss@ada.orgrg
Web address: www.ada.org

American Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education
1952/2012/S2017
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of occupational therapy educational programs offering the professional master's degree, combined baccalaureate/master's degree, and occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) degree; the accreditation of occupational therapy assistant programs offering the associate degree or a certificate; and the accreditation of these programs offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Neil Harvison
Director of Accreditation
4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200
Bethesda, Maryland 20814-3449
Tel. (301) 652-2682x2202, Fax (301) 652-1417
E-mail address: nharvison@aota.org
Web address: www.aota.org

American Optometric Association, Accreditation Council on Optometric Education
1952/2008/S2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation in the United States of professional optometric degree programs, optometric technician (associate degree) programs, and optometric residency programs, and for the pre-accreditation categories of Preliminary Approval for professional optometric degree programs and Candidacy Pending for optometric residency programs in Department of Veterans Affairs facilities.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Joyce L. Urbeck, Administrative Director
243 North Lindbergh Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63141
Tel. (314) 991-4100, Fax (314) 991-4101
E-mail address: JLUrbeck@aoa.org
Web address: www.aoanet.org

American Osteopathic Association, Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation
1952/2011/S2016
Scope of recognition: : the accreditation and preaccreditation (“Provisional Accreditation”) throughout the United States of freestanding institutions of osteopathic medicine and of osteopathic medical programs leading to the degree of Doctor of Osteopathy or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine..
Title IV Note: : Only freestanding schools or colleges of osteopathic medicine may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Konrad C. Miskowicz-Retz, Director
Department of Education
American Osteopathic Association
142 East Ontario Street
Chicago, Illinois 60611
Tel. (312) 202-8048 fax (312) 202-8202
E-mail address: kretz@osteopathic.org
Web address: www.aoacoca.org

American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
1977/2007/F2012
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation ("Candidate for Accreditation") in the United States of physical therapist education programs leading to the first professional degree at the master's or doctoral level and physical therapist assistant education programs at the associate degree level and for its accreditation of such programs offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Mary Jane Harris, Director
Department of Accreditation
Trans Potomac Plaza
1111 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Tel. (703) 706-3245, Fax (703) 684-7343
E-mail address: maryjaneharris@apta.org
Web address: www.apta.org

American Podiatric Medical Association, Council on Podiatric Medical Education
1952/2011/F2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation ("Candidate Status") throughout the United States of freestanding colleges of podiatric medicine and programs of podiatric medicine, including first professional programs leading to the degree of Doctor of Podiatric Medicine.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of podiatric medicine may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Alan R. Tinkleman, Director
9312 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, Maryland 20814-1621
Tel. (301) 571-9200, Fax (301) 571-4903
E-mail address: artinkleman@apma.org
Web address: www.cpme.org

American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation
1970/2011/S2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation in the United States of doctoral programs in clinical, counseling, school and combined professional-scientific psychology; predoctoral internship programs in professional psychology; and postdoctoral residency programs in professional psychology.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Susan Zlotlow, Director
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Tel. (202) 336-5979, Fax (202) 336-5978
E-mail address: szlotlow@apa.org
Web address: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
1967/2010/F2015
Scope of recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation (Accreditation Candidate) throughout the United States of education programs in audiology and speech-language pathology leading to the first professional or clinical degree at the master's or doctoral level, and the accreditation of these programs offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Patrima L. Tice
Director of Accreditation
2200 Research Boulevard, #321
Rockville, Maryland 20850-3289
Tel. (301) 296-5700, Fax (301) 296-8570
E-mail address: ptice@asha.org
Web address: www.asha.org/academic/accreditation/

American Veterinary Medical Association, Council on Education
1952/2007/F2012
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and preaccreditation ("Provisional Accreditation") in the United States of programs leading to professional degrees (D.V.M. or D.M.D.) in veterinary medicine.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

David E. Granstrom,
Director, Education and Research
1931 North Meacham Road, Suite 100
Schaumburg, Illinois 60173
Tel. (847) 925-8070, (800) 248-2862, Fax (847) 925-9329
E-mail address: dgranstrom@avma.org
Web address: www.avma.org

Commission on Acceditation of Healthcare Management Education
1970/2007/S2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation throughout the United States of graduate programs in healthcare management.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Anthony Wisniewski, President and CEO
2111 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 700
Arlington, Virginia 22201
Tel. (703)351-5010, Fax (703) 991-5989
E-mail address: mailto:awisniewski@cahme.org
Web address: www.cahme.org

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
2000/2012/S2014-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of nursing education programs in the United States, at the baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral levels, including programs offering distance education.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Jennifer L. Butlin, Executive Director
One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 530
Washington, DC 20036-1120
Tel. (202) 887-6791, Fax (202) 887-8476
E-mail address: jbutlin@aacn.nche.edu
Web address: www.aacn.nche.edu/accreditation/index.htm

Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
1955/2007/F2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of institutions and programs of nurse anesthesia within the United States at the post master's certificate, master's, or doctoral degree levels, including programs offering distance education.
Title IV Note: Only hospital-based nurse anesthesia programs and freestanding nurse anesthesia institutions may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs

Francis Gerbasi
Director of Accreditation and Education
222 South Prospect, Suite 304
Park Ridge, Illinois 60068-4010
Tel. (847) 692-7050, Fax (847) 692-7137
E-mail address: fgerbasi@aana.com
Web address: www.aana.com

The Council on Chiropractic Education
1974/2011/F2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of programs leading to the Doctor of Chiropractic degree and single-purpose institutions offering the Doctor of Chiropractic program.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of chiropractic may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

S. Ray Bennett, Director of Accreditation Services
8049 N. 85th Way
Scottsdale, Arizona 85258-4321
Tel. (480) 443-8877, Fax (480) 483-7333
E-mail address: cce@cce-usa.org
Web address: www.cce-usa.org

Council on Education for Public Health
1974/2007/F2013
Scope of recognition: the accreditation within the United States of schools of public health and public health programs outside schools of public health, at the baccalaureate and graduate degree levels, including those offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Laura Rasar King, Executive Director
800 Eye Street, NW, Suite 202
Washington, DC 20001-3710
Tel. (202) 789-1050, Fax (202) 789-1895
E-mail address: lking@ceph.org
Web address: www.ceph.org

Council on Naturopathic Medical Education
2003/2010/F2015
Scope of recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation throughout the United States of graduate-level, four-year naturopathic medical education programs leading to the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (NMD) or Doctor of Naturopathy (ND).
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Daniel Seitz
Executive Director
P.O. Box 178
Great Barrington, Massachusetts 01230
Tel. (413) 528-8877, Fax (413) 528-8880
E-mail address: council@cnme.org
Web address: www.cnme.org

Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
1957/2011/F2013-C
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of educational programs in radiography, magnetic resonance, radiation therapy, and medical dosimetry, including those offered via distance education, at the certificate, associate, and baccalaureate levels.
Title IV Note: Only hospital-based radiologic technology programs and freestanding radiologic technology institutions may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Leslie F. Winter, Chief Executive Director
20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 2850
Chicago, Illinois 60606-3182
Tel. (312) 704-5300, Fax (312) 704-5304
E-mail address: mail@jrcert.org
Web address: www.jrcert.org

Liaison Committee on Medical Education
1952/2007/F2012
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of medical education programs within the United States leading to the M.D. degree.
Title IV Note: Accreditation by this agency does not enable the entities it accredits to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

The LCME is administered in odd-numbered years, beginning each July 1, by:

Barbara Barzanski, Interim Secretary
Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association
515 North State Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
Tel. (312) 464-1690, Fax (312) 464-5830
E-mail address: barbara_barzansk@ama-assn.org
Web address: www.ama-assn.org

The LCME is administered in even-numbered years, beginning each July 1, by:
Dan Hunt, Secretary
Association of American Medical Colleges
2450 N Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20037
Tel. (202) 828-0596, Fax (202) 828-1125
E-mail address: dhunt@aamc.org
Web address: www.lcme.org

Midwifery Education Accreditation Council
2001/2012/F2015
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and pre-accreditation throughout the United States of direct-entry midwifery educational institutions and programs conferring degrees and certificates, including the accreditation of such programs offered via distance education and correspondence education.
Title IV Note: Only freestanding direct-entry midwifery educational institutions may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Sandra Bitonti Stewart, Executive Director
1935 Pauline Blvd, Suite 100B
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Tel. (360) 466-2080
E-mail address: sandra@meacschools.org
Web address: www.meacschools.org

National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
1952/20/S2014-C
Scope of recognition: Accreditation of nursing education programs and schools, both postsecondary and higher degree, which offer a certificate, diploma, or a recognized professional degree including clinical doctorate, masters, baccalaureate, associate, diploma, and practical nursing programs in the United States and its territories, including those offered via distance education.
Title IV Note: Only diploma programs and practical nursing programs not located in a regionally accredited college or university may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Sharon J. Tanner, Executive Director
3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 500
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
Tel. (404) 975-5000, Fax (404) 975-5020
E-mail address: stanner@nlnac.org
Web address: www.nlnac.org

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Under the terms of the Higher Education Act and other Federal legislation providing funding assistance to postsecondary education, an institution or program is eligible to apply for participation in certain Federal programs if, in addition to meeting other statutory requirements, it is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or if it is an institution or program with respect to which the U.S. Secretary of Education has determined that there is satisfactory assurance the institution or program will meet the accreditation standards of such an agency or association within a reasonable time. An institution of program may establish satisfactory assurance of accreditation by acquiring preaccreditation status with a nationally recognized agency that has been recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education for the award of such status. According to the Criteria for Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies, if an accrediting agency has developed a preaccreditation status, it must demonstrate that it applies criteria and follows procedures that are appropriately related to those used to award accreditation status. The criteria for recognition also require an agency's standards for preaccreditation to permit an institution or program to hold preaccreditation no more than five years.

The following is a list of accrediting agencies recognized for their preaccreditation categories and the categories that are recognized:

Regional Institutional Accrediting Agencies

MIDDLE STATES COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION: Candidate for Accreditation

NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES:
Commission on Institution of Higher Education : Candidate for Accreditation

NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS--
The Higher Commission: Candidate for Accreditation

NORTHWEST COMMISSION ON COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: Candidate for Accreditation

SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS--
Commission on Colleges: Candidate for Accreditation

WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES--
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges: Candidate for Accreditation
Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities: Candidate for Accreditation

National Institutional and Specialized Accrediting Bodies

ACCREDITATION COMMISSION FOR ACUPUNCTURE AND ORIENTAL MEDICINE: Preaccreditation - Candidacy status

ACCREDITATION COMMISSION FOR MIDWIFERY EDUCATION: Preaccreditation

ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR PHARMACY EDUCATION: Candidate, Precandidate

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY
Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education: Candidacy

AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION—

American Commission on Education in Nutrition and Dietetics: pre-accreditation

AMERICAN OSTEOPATHIC ASSOCIATION--
Bureau of Professional Education: Provisional Accreditation

AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION--
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education: Candidate for Accreditation

AMERICAN PODIATRIC ASSOCIATION--
Council on Podiatric Medical Education: Candidate Status

AMERICAN SPEECH-LANGUAGE-HEARING ASSOCIATION--
Council on Academic Accreditation: Candidate Status

AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION--
Council on Education: Reasonable Assurance

ASSOCIATION FOR BIBLICAL HIGHER EDUCATION--
Commission on Accrediting: Candidate for Accreditation

ASSOCIATION OF ADVANCED RABBINICAL AND TALMUDIC SCHOOLS--
Accreditation Commission: Correspondent, Candidate

COMMISSION ON ACCREDITING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS: Candidate for Accredited Membership

COUNCIL ON EDUCATION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: Preaccreditation

COUNCIL ON NATUROPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION: Pre-accreditation

COUNCIL ON OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION: Candidate for Accreditation

MIDWIFERY EDUCATION ACCREDITATION COUNCIL: Preaccreditation

TEACHER EDUCATION ACCREDITATION COUNCIL
Accreditation Committee: Pre-accreditation

TRANSNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS: Candidate for Accreditation

The following is a list of accrediting agencies whose accreditation enables the institutions they accredit to establish eligibility to participate in the Federal student financial assistance programs administered by the Department under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended.

*ACCREDITATION COMMISSION FOR ACUPUNCTURE AND ORIENTAL MEDICINE (FORMERLY NACAOM)
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of acupuncture or Oriental medicine may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

ACCREDITATION COMMISSION FOR MIDWIFERY EDUCATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only freestanding institutions of midwifery education may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

ACCREDITING BUREAU OF HEALTH EDUCATION SCHOOLS
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only freestanding allied health education institutions and institutions that offer predominantly allied health programs may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

ACCREDITING COMMISSION OF CAREER SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
(recognition includes distance education)

ACCREDITING COUNCIL FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION AND TRAINING
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only those institutions classified by this agency as "vocational" may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

ACCREDITING COUNCIL FOR INDEPENDENT COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS
(recognition includes distance education)

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION, COUNCIL OF THE SECTION OF LEGAL EDUCATION AND ADMISSIONS TO THE BAR
Title IV Note: Only freestanding law schools may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

AMERICAN BOARD OF FUNERAL SERVICE EDUCATION, COMMITTEE ON ACCREDITATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of funeral service or mortuary science may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN COMMISSION ON EDUCATION IN NUTRITION AND DIETETICS EDUCATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only postbaccalaureate dietetic internship programs may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

*AMERICAN OSTEOPATHIC ASSOCIATION, COMMISSION ON OSTEOPATHIC COLLEGE ACCREDITATION
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of osteopathic medicine may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

*AMERICAN PODIATRIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, COUNCIL ON PODIATRIC MEDICAL EDUCATION
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of podiatric medicine may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

*ASSOCIATION FOR BIBlICAL HIGHER EDUCATION, COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION
(recognition includes distance education)

*ASSOCIATION OF ADVANCED RABBINICAL AND TALMUDIC SCHOOLS, ACCREDITATION COMMISSION

*COMMISSION ON ACCREDITING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only freestanding institutions, colleges, or seminaries of theology may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

COMMISSION ON MASSAGE THERAPY ACCREDITATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of massage therapy, body work and aesthetics/esthetics may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

THE COUNCIL ON CHIROPRACTIC EDUCATION, COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of chiropractic may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

COUNCIL ON ACCREDITATION OF NURSE ANESTHESIA EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only hospital-based nurse anesthesia programs and freestanding nurse anesthesia institutions may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

*COUNCIL ON OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION, COMMISSION (FORMERLY SACS-COEI)
(recognition includes distance education)

DISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING COUNCIL, ACCREDITING COMMISSION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only accredited institutions that are certified by the agency as accredited for Title IV purposes may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility of its degree granting programs to participate in Title IV programs.

JOINT REVIEW COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION IN RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only hospital-based radiologic technology programs and freestanding radiologic-technology institutions may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

*MIDDLE STATES COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION
(recognition includes distance education)

MIDDLE STATES COMMISSION ON SECONDARY SCHOOLS
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only those vocational/technical schools accredited by this agency that offer non-degree, postsecondary education may use that accreditation to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

MIDWIFERY EDUCATION ACCREDITATION COUNCIL
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only freestanding, direct-entry midwifery educational institutions may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in the Title IV programs.

MONTESSORI ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR TEACHER EDUCATION
Title IV Note: Only freestanding Montessori teacher education schools may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

NATIONAL ACCREDITING COMMISSION OF CAREER ARTS & SCIENCES, INC.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF ART AND DESIGN, COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of art and design may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF DANCE, COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of dance may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF MUSIC, COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of music may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF THEATRE, COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of theatre may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR NURSING ACCREDITING COMMISSION
Title IV Note: Only diploma programs and practical nursing programs not located in a regionally accredited college or university may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

*NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, COMMISSION ON INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
(recognition includes distance education)

NEW YORK STATE BOARD OF REGENTS, AND THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION

*NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS, THE HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION
(recognition includes distance education)

*NORTHWEST COMMISSION ON COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
(recognition includes distance education)

*SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS, COMMISSION ON COLLEGES
(recognition includes distance education)

*TRANSNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS, ACCREDITING COMMISSION
(recognition includes distance education)

*WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, ACCREDITING COMMISSION FOR COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES
(recognition includes distance education)

*WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, ACCREDITING COMMISSION FOR SENIOR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
(recognition includes distance education)

* Preaccreditation status may be used as an alternative to full accreditation by any public or private non-profit institutions accredited by this agency for the purpose of establishing eligibility to participate in Title IV programs. Please note that preaccreditation is not available as an option for establishing such eligibility by a for-profit institution accredited by this agency.

ACCREDITING AGENCIES RECOGNIZED FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION AND/OR CORRESPONDENCE EDUCATION.

Current regulations, that became effective on July 1, 2010, distinguish between “distance education” and “correspondence education.” Accrediting agencies that have been reviewed since that date have been required to state whether they wish to have distance education, correspondence education, or both in their scope of recognition. Agencies that have not yet been reviewed for renewal of their recognition, and that previously had distance education in their scope, are recognized for both distance education and correspondence education. That status may change following their next scheduled review.

The following list includes those agencies whose accreditation enables the institutions they accredit to establish eligibility to participate in the Federal Student Assistant Program. Each of these is designated as “Title IV gatekeeper”.

It also includes agencies that only accredit programs. Each of these is designated as “Not Title IV gatekeeper”.

I. Agencies that have been reviewed since July 1, 2010 that are recognized for distance education and/or correspondence education

ACCREDITATION COMMISSION FOR MIDWIFERY EDUCATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only freestanding institutions of midwifery education may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

ACCREDITING BUREAU OF HEALTH EDUCATION SCHOOLS
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only freestanding allied health education schools may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

ACCREDITING COMMISSION OF CAREER SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV gatekeeper

ACCREDITING COUNCIL FOR INDEPENDENT COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV gatekeeper

ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR PHARMACY EDUCATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Not Title IV gatekeeper

AMERICAN BOARD OF FUNERAL SERVICE EDUCATION, COMMITTEE ON ACCREDITATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of funeral service or mortuary science may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION, COMMISSION ON DENTAL ACCREDITATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Not Title IV gatekeeper

AMERICAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION, ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EDUCATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Not Title IV gatekeeper

AMERICAN SPEECH-LANGUAGE-HEARING ASSOCIATION, COUNCIL ON ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION IN AUDIOLOGY AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY
(recognition includes distance education)
Not Title IV gatekeeper

(THE) ASSOCIATION FOR BIBLICAL HIGHER EDUCATION, COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV gatekeeper

COMMISSION ON ACCREDITING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only freestanding institutions, colleges, or seminaries of theology may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

COMMISSION ON COLLEGIATE NURSING EDUCATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Not Title IV gatekeeper

COMMISSION ON MASSAGE THERAPY ACCREDITATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of massage therapy, body work and aesthetics/esthetics may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

COUNCIL ON OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV gatekeeper

DISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING COUNCIL, ACCREDITING COMMISSION
(recognition includes distance education and correspondence education)
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only accredited institutions that are certified by the agency as accredited for Title IV purposes may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility of its degree granting programs to participate in Title IV programs.

JOINT REVIEW COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION IN RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only hospital-based radiologic technology programs and freestanding radiologic technology institutions may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

MIDWIFERY EDUCATION ACCREDITATION COUNCIL
(recognition includes distance education and correspondence education)
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only freestanding, direct-entry midwifery educational institutions may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in the Title IV programs.

MONTESSORI ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR TEACHER EDUCATION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only freestanding Montessori teacher education schools may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

MIDDLE STATES COMMISSION ON SECONDARY SCHOOLS
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only those vocational/technical schools accredited by this agency that offer non-degree, postsecondary education may use that accreditation to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR NURSING ACCREDITING COMMISSION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only diploma programs and practical nursing programs not located in a regionally accredited college or university may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS, COMMISSION ON COLLEGES
(recognition includes distance education and correspondence education)
Title IV gatekeeper

TRANSNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS, ACCREDITING COMMISSION
(recognition includes distance education)
Title IV gatekeeper

II. Agencies that were recognized for distance education prior to the new definitions. Their recognition currently encompasses correspondence education.

ACCREDITING COUNCIL FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only those institutions classified by this agency as "vocational" may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

ACADEMY OF NUTRITIOIN AND DIETETICS, ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR EDUCATION IN NUTRITION AND DIETETICS
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only postbaccalaureate dietetic internship programs may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION, COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION IN PHYSICAL THERAPY EDUCATION
Not Title IV gatekeeper

COUNCIL ON ACCREDITATION OF NURSE ANESTHESIA EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only hospital-based nurse anesthesia programs and freestanding nurse anesthesia institutions may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

COUNCIL ON EDUCATION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
Not Title IV gatekeeper

MIDDLE STATES COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Title IV gatekeeper

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF ART AND DESIGN, COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of art and design may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF DANCE, COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of dance may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF MUSIC, COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of music may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF THEATRE, COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION
Title IV gatekeeper
Note: Only freestanding schools or colleges of theatre may use accreditation by this agency to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR ACCREDITATION OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Not Title IV gatekeeper

NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, COMMISSION ON INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Title IV gatekeeper

NEW YORK STATE BOARD OF REGENTS, AND THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Title IV gatekeeper

NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS, THE HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION
Title IV gatekeeper

NORTHWEST COMMISSION ON COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Title IV gatekeeper

WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, ACCREDITING COMMISSION FOR COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES
Title IV gatekeeper

WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, ACCREDITING COMMISSION FOR SENIOR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Title IV gatekeeper

The procedures and criteria for recognizing accrediting agencies are contained in Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The following procedures and criteria that went into effect July 1, 2010 were published in the Federal Register on October 27, 2009.

Guidelines have been developed to assist in the preparation and review of petitions and compliance reports. MS Word (513K) | PDF (771K)

Dear Colleague Letter: Guidance to Institutions and Accrediting Agencies Regarding a Credit Hour as Defined in the Final Regulations Published on October 29, 2010 (March 18, 2011) | PDF (includes enclosures)

PART 602--THE SECRETARY'S RECOGNITION OF ACCREDITING AGENCIES

Subpart A--General

Sec.
602.1 Why does the Secretary recognize accrediting agencies?
602.2 How do I know which agencies the Secretary recognizes?
602.3 What definitions apply to this part?

Subpart B--The Criteria for Recognition

Basic Eligibility Requirements

602.10 Link to Federal programs.
602.11 Geographic scope of accrediting activities.
602.12 Accrediting experience.
602.13 Acceptance of the agency by others.

Organizational and Administrative Requirements

602.14 Purpose and organization.
602.15 Administrative and fiscal responsibilities.

Required Standards and Their Application

602.16 Accreditation and preaccreditation standards.
602.17 Application of standards in reaching an accrediting decision.
602.18 Ensuring consistency in decision-making.
602.19 Monitoring and reevaluation of accredited institutions and programs.
602.20 Enforcement of standards.
602.21 Review of standards.

Required Operating Policies and Procedures

602.22 Substantive change.
602.23 Operating procedures all agencies must have.
602.24 Additional procedures certain institutional accreditors must have.
602.25 Due process.
602.26 Notification of accrediting decisions.
602.27 Other information an agency must provide the Department.
602.28 Regard for decisions of States and other accrediting agencies.

Subpart C--The Recognition Process

Application and Review by Department Staff

602.30 Activities covered by recognition procedures.
602.31 Agency submissions to the Department.
602.32 Procedures for Department review of applications for recognition or for change in scope, compliance reports, and increases in enrollment.
602.33 Procedures for review of agencies during the period of recognition.

Review by the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity

602.34 Advisory Committee meetings.
602.35 Responding to the Advisory Committee’s recommendation.

Review and Decision by the Senior Department Official

602.36 Senior Department official's decision

Appeal Rights and Procedures

602.37 Appealing the senior Department official’s decision to the Secretary.
602.38 Contesting the Secretary's final decision to deny, limit, suspend, or terminate an agency's recognition.

Subpart D--Department Responsibility

602.50 What information does the Department share with a recognized agency about its accredited institutions and programs?

Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b, unless otherwise noted.

Guidelines have been developed to assist in the preparation and review of petitions and compliance reports. MS Word (513K) | PDF (771K)

602.1 Why does the Secretary recognize accrediting agencies?

(a) The Secretary recognizes accrediting agencies to ensure that these agencies are, for the purposes of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), or for other Federal purposes, reliable authorities regarding the quality of education or training offered by the institutions or programs they accredit.

(b) The Secretary lists an agency as a nationally recognized accrediting agency if the agency meets the criteria for recognition listed in subpart B of this part.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.2 How do I know which agencies the Secretary recognizes?

(a) Periodically, the Secretary publishes a list of recognized agencies in the Federal Register, together with each agency's scope of recognition. You may obtain a copy of the list from the Department at any time. The list is also available on the Department's Web site.

(b) If the Secretary denies continued recognition to a previously recognized agency, or if the Secretary limits, suspends, or terminates the agency's recognition before the end of its recognition period, the Secretary publishes a notice of that action in the Federal Register. The Secretary also makes the reasons for the action available to the public, on request.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.3 What definitions apply to this part?

The following definitions apply to this part:

Accreditation means the status of public recognition that an accrediting agency grants to an educational institution or program that meets the agency's standards and requirements.

Accrediting agency or agency means a legal entity, or that part of a legal entity, that conducts accrediting activities through voluntary, non-Federal peer review and makes decisions concerning the accreditation or preaccreditation status of institutions, programs, or both.

Act means the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

Adverse accrediting action or adverse action means the denial, withdrawal, suspension, revocation, or termination of accreditation or preaccreditation, or any comparable accrediting action an agency may take against an institution or program.

Advisory Committee means the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity.

Branch campus means a location of an institution that meets the definition of branch campus in 34 CFR 600.2.

Compliance Report means a written report that the Department requires an agency to file to demonstrate that the agency has addressed deficiencies specified in a decision letter from the senior Department official or the Secretary.

Correspondence education means

(1) Education provided through one or more courses by an institution under which the institution provides instructional materials, by mail or electronic transmission, including examinations on the materials, to students who are separated from the instructor.

(2) Interaction between the instructor and the student is limited, is not regular and substantive, and is primarily initiated by the student.

(3) Correspondence courses are typically self-paced.

(4) Correspondence education is not distance education.

Designated Federal Official means the Federal officer designated under section 10(f) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. Appdx. 1.

Direct assessment program means an instructional program that, in lieu of credit hours or clock hours as a measure of student learning, utilizes direct assessment of student learning, or recognizes the direct assessment of student learning by others, and meets the conditions of 34 CFR 668.10. For title IV, HEA purposes, the institution must obtain approval for the direct assessment program from the Secretary under 34 CFR 668.10(g) or (h) as applicable. As part of that approval, the accrediting agency must--

(1) Evaluate the program(s) and include them in the institution's grant of accreditation or preaccreditation; and

(2) Review and approve the institution's claim of each direct assessment program's equivalence in terms of credit or clock hours.

Distance education means education that uses one or more of the technologies listed in paragraphs (1) through (4) to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor, either synchronously or asynchronously. The technologies may include--

(1) The internet;

(2) One-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite, or wireless communications devices;

(3) Audioconferencing; or

(4) Video cassettes, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, if the cassettes, DVDs, or CD-ROMs are used in a course in conjunction with any of the technologies listed in paragraphs (1) through (3).

Final accrediting action means a final determination by an accrediting agency regarding the accreditation or preaccreditation status of an institution or program. A final accrediting action is not appealable within the agency.

Institution of higher education or institution means an educational institution that qualifies, or may qualify, as an eligible institution under 34 CFR part 600.

Institutional accrediting agency means an agency that accredits institutions of higher education.

Nationally recognized accrediting agency, nationally recognized agency, or recognized agency means an accrediting agency that the Secretary recognizes under this part.

Preaccreditation means the status of public recognition that an accrediting agency grants to an institution or program for a limited period of time that signifies the agency has determined that the institution or program is progressing towards accreditation and is likely to attain accreditation before the expiration of that limited period of time.

Program means a postsecondary educational program offered by an institution of higher education that leads to an academic or professional degree, certificate, or other recognized educational credential.

Programmatic accrediting agency means an agency that accredits specific educational programs that prepare students for entry into a profession, occupation, or vocation.

Recognition means an unappealed determination by the senior Department official under 602.36, or a determination by the Secretary on appeal under 602.37, that an accrediting agency complies with the criteria for recognition listed in subpart B of this part and that the agency is effective in its application of those criteria. A grant of recognition to an agency as a reliable authority regarding the quality of education or training offered by institutions or programs it accredits remains in effect for the term granted except upon a determination made in accordance with subpart C of this part that the agency no longer complies with the subpart B criteria or that it has become ineffective in its application of those criteria.

Representative of the public means a person who is not--

(1) An employee, member of the governing board, owner, or shareholder of, or consultant to, an institution or program that either is accredited or preaccredited by the agency or has applied for accreditation or preaccreditation;

(2) A member of any trade association or membership organization related to, affiliated with, or associated with the agency; or

(3) A spouse, parent, child, or sibling of an individual identified in paragraph (1) or (2) of this definition.

Scope of recognition or scope means the range of accrediting activities for which the Secretary recognizes an agency. The Secretary may place a limitation on the scope of an agency's recognition for Title IV, HEA purposes. The Secretary's designation of scope defines the recognition granted according to--

(1) Geographic area of accrediting activities;

(2) Types of degrees and certificates covered;

(3) Types of institutions and programs covered;

(4) Types of preaccreditation status covered, if any; and

(5) Coverage of accrediting activities related to distance education or correspondence education, if any.

Secretary means the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education or any official or employee of the Department acting for the Secretary under a delegation of authority

Senior Department official means the senior official in the U.S. Department of Education who reports directly to the Secretary regarding accrediting agency recognition.

State means a State of the Union, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau. The latter three are also known as the Freely Associated States.

Teach-out agreement means a written agreement between institutions that provides for the equitable treatment of students and a reasonable opportunity for students to complete their program of study if an institution, or an institutional location that provides one hundred percent of at least one program offered, ceases to operate before all enrolled students have completed their program of study.

Teach-out plan means a written plan developed by an institution that provides for the equitable treatment of students if an institution, or an institutional location that provides one hundred percent of at least one program, ceases to operate before all students have completed their program of study, and may include, if required by the institution's accrediting agency, a teach-out agreement between institutions.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

BASIC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

602.10 Link to Federal programs.

The agency must demonstrate that--

(a) If the agency accredits institutions of higher education, its accreditation is a required element in enabling at least one of those institutions to establish eligibility to participate in HEA programs; or

(b) If the agency accredits institutions of higher education or higher education programs, or both, its accreditation is a required element in enabling at least one of those entities to establish eligibility to participate in non-HEA Federal programs.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.11 Geographic scope of accrediting activities.

The agency must demonstrate that its accrediting activities cover--

(a) A State, if the agency is part of a State government;

(b) A region of the United States that includes at least three States that are reasonably close to one another; or

(c) The United States.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.12 Accrediting experience.

(a) An agency seeking initial recognition must demonstrate that it has--

(1) Granted accreditation or preaccreditation--

(2) Conducted accrediting activities, including deciding whether to grant or deny accreditation or preaccreditation, for at least two years prior to seeking recognition.

(b) A recognized agency seeking an expansion of its scope of recognition must demonstrate that it has granted accreditation or preaccreditation covering the range of the specific degrees, certificates, institutions, and programs for which it seeks the expansion of scope.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.13 Acceptance of the agency by others.

The agency must demonstrate that its standards, policies, procedures, and decisions to grant or deny accreditation are widely accepted in the United States by--

(a) Educators and educational institutions; and

(b) Licensing bodies, practitioners, and employers in the professional or vocational fields for which the educational institutions or programs within the agency's jurisdiction prepare their students.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

ORGANIZATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

602.14 Purpose and organization.

(a) The Secretary recognizes only the following four categories of agencies:

(b) For purposes of this section, the term separate and independent means that--

(1) The members of the agency's decision-making body--who decide the accreditation or preaccreditation status of institutions or programs, establish the agency's accreditation policies, or both--are not elected or selected by the board or chief executive officer of any related, associated, or affiliated trade association or membership organization;

(2) At least one member of the agency's decision-making body is a representative of the public, and at least one-seventh of that body consists of representatives of the public;

(3) The agency has established and implemented guidelines for each member of the decision-making body to avoid conflicts of interest in making decisions;

(4) The agency's dues are paid separately from any dues paid to any related, associated, or affiliated trade association or membership organization; and

(5) The agency develops and determines its own budget, with no review by or consultation with any other entity or organization.

(c) The Secretary considers that any joint use of personnel, services, equipment, or facilities by an agency and a related, associated, or affiliated trade association or membership organization does not violate the "separate and independent" requirements in paragraph (b) of this section if--

(1) The agency pays the fair market value for its proportionate share of the joint use; and

(2) The joint use does not compromise the independence and confidentiality of the accreditation process.

(d) For purposes of paragraph (a)(3) of this section, the Secretary may waive the "separate and independent" requirements in paragraph (b) of this section if the agency demonstrates that--

(1) The Secretary listed the agency as a nationally recognized agency on or before October 1, 1991 and has recognized it continuously since that date;

(2) The related, associated, or affiliated trade association or membership organization plays no role in making or ratifying either the accrediting or policy decisions of the agency;

(3) The agency has sufficient budgetary and administrative autonomy to carry out its accrediting functions independently; and

(4) The agency provides to the related, associated, or affiliated trade association or membership organization only information it makes available to the public.

(e) An agency seeking a waiver of the "separate and independent" requirements under paragraph (d) of this section must apply for the waiver each time the agency seeks recognition or continued recognition.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.15 Administrative and fiscal responsibilities.

The agency must have the administrative and fiscal capability to carry out its accreditation activities in light of its requested scope of recognition. The agency meets this requirement if the agency demonstrates that--

(a) The agency has--

(1) Adequate administrative staff and financial resources to carry out its accrediting responsibilities;

(2) Competent and knowledgeable individuals, qualified by education and experience in their own right and trained by the agency on their responsibilities, as appropriate for their roles, regarding the agency's standards, policies, and procedures, to conduct its on-site evaluations, apply or establish its policies, and make its accrediting and preaccrediting decisions, including, if applicable to the agency's scope, their responsibilities regarding distance education and correspondence education;

(3) Academic and administrative personnel on its evaluation, policy, and decision-making bodies, if the agency accredits institutions;

(4) Educators and practitioners on its evaluation, policy, and decision-making bodies, if the agency accredits programs or single-purpose institutions that prepare students for a specific profession;

(5) Representatives of the public on all decision-making bodies; and

(6) Clear and effective controls against conflicts of interest, or the appearance of conflicts of interest, by the agency's-

(b) The agency maintains complete and accurate records of--

(1) Its last full accreditation or preaccreditation review of each institution or program, including on-site evaluation team reports, the institution's or program's responses to on-site reports, periodic review reports, any reports of special reviews conducted by the agency between regular reviews, and a copy of the institution's or program's most recent self-study; and

(2) All decisions made throughout an institution's or program's affiliation with the agency regarding the accreditation and preaccreditation of any institution or program and substantive changes, including all correspondence that is significantly related to those decisions.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1845-0003)

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

REQUIRED STANDARDS AND THEIR APPLICATION

602.16 Accreditation and preaccreditation standards.

(a) The agency must demonstrate that it has standards for accreditation, and preaccreditation, if offered, that are sufficiently rigorous to ensure that the agency is a reliable authority regarding the quality of the education or training provided by the institutions or programs it accredits. The agency meets this requirement if-

(1) The agency's accreditation standards effectively address the quality of the institution or program in the following areas:

(2) The agency's preaccreditation standards, if offered, are appropriately related to the agency's accreditation standards and do not permit the institution or program to hold preaccreditation status for more than five years.

(b) If the agency only accredits programs and does not serve as an institutional accrediting agency for any of those programs, its accreditation standards must address the areas in paragraph (a)(1) of this section in terms of the type and level of the program rather than in terms of the institution.

(c) If the agency has or seeks to include within its scope of recognition the evaluation of the quality of institutions or programs offering distance education or correspondence education, the agency's standards must effectively address the quality of an institution's distance education or correspondence education in the areas identified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section. The agency is not required to have separate standards, procedures, or policies for the evaluation of distance education or correspondence education;

(d) If none of the institutions an agency accredits participates in any Title IV, HEA program, or if the agency only accredits programs within institutions that are accredited by a nationally recognized institutional accrediting agency, the agency is not required to have the accreditation standards described in paragraphs (a)(1)(viii) and (a)(1)(x) of this section.

(e) An agency that has established and applies the standards in paragraph (a) of this section may establish any additional accreditation standards it deems appropriate.

(f) Nothing in paragraph (a) of this section restricts--

(1) An accrediting agency from setting, with the involvement of its members, and applying accreditation standards for or to institutions or programs that seek review by the agency; or

(2) An institution from developing and using institutional standards to show its success with respect to student achievement, which achievement may be considered as part of any accreditation review.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1845-0003)

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.17 Application of standards in reaching an accrediting decision.

The agency must have effective mechanisms for evaluating an institution's or program's compliance with the agency's standards before reaching a decision to accredit or preaccredit the institution or program. The agency meets this requirement if the agency demonstrates that it--

(a) Evaluates whether an institution or program--

(1) Maintains clearly specified educational objectives that are consistent with its mission and appropriate in light of the degrees or certificates awarded;

(2) Is successful in achieving its stated objectives; and

(3) Maintains degree and certificate requirements that at least conform to commonly accepted standards;

(b) Requires the institution or program to prepare, following guidance provided by the agency, an in-depth self-study that includes the assessment of educational quality and the institution's or program's continuing efforts to improve educational quality;

(c) Conducts at least one on-site review of the institution or program during which it obtains sufficient information to determine if the institution or program complies with the agency's standards;

(d) Allows the institution or program the opportunity to respond in writing to the report of the on-site review;

(e) Conducts its own analysis of the self-study and supporting documentation furnished by the institution or program, the report of the on-site review, the institution's or program's response to the report, and any other appropriate information from other sources to determine whether the institution or program complies with the agency's standards;

(f) Provides the institution or program with a detailed written report that assesses--

(1) The institution's or program's compliance with the agency's standards, including areas needing improvement; and

(2) The institution's or program's performance with respect to student achievement; and

(g) Requires institutions that offer distance education or correspondence education to have processes in place through which the institution establishes that the student who registers in a distance education or correspondence education course or program is the same student who participates in and completes the course or program and receives the academic credit. The agency meets this requirement if it--

(1) Requires institutions to verify the identity of a student who participates in class or coursework by using, at the option of the institution, methods such as--

(2) Makes clear in writing that institutions must use processes that protect student privacy and notify students of any projected additional student charges associated with the verification of student identity at the time of registration or enrollment.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.18 Ensuring consistency in decision-making.

The agency must consistently apply and enforce standards that respect the stated mission of the institution, including religious mission, and that ensure that the education or training offered by an institution or program, including any offered through distance education or correspondence education, is of sufficient quality to achieve its stated objective for the duration of any accreditation or preaccreditation period granted by the agency. The agency meets this requirement if the agency--

(a) Has written specification of the requirements for accreditation and preaccreditation that include clear standards for an institution or program to be accredited;

(b) Has effective controls against the inconsistent application of the agency's standards;

(c) Bases decisions regarding accreditation and preaccreditation on the agency's published standards;

(d) Has a reasonable basis for determining that the information the agency relies on for making accrediting decisions is accurate; and

(e) Provides the institution or program with a detailed written report that clearly identifies any deficiencies in the institution's or program's compliance with the agency's standards.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.19 Monitoring and reevaluation of accredited institutions and programs.

(a) The agency must reevaluate, at regularly established intervals, the institutions or programs it has accredited or preaccredited.

(b) The agency must demonstrate it has, and effectively applies, a set of monitoring and evaluation approaches that enables the agency to identify problems with an institution's or program's continued compliance with agency standards and that takes into account institutional or program strengths and stability. These approaches must include periodic reports, and collection and analysis of key data and indicators, identified by the agency, including, but not limited to, fiscal information and measures of student achievement, consistent with the provisions of 602.16(f). This provision does not require institutions or programs to provide annual reports on each specific accreditation criterion.

(c) Each agency must monitor overall growth of the institutions or programs it accredits and, at least annually, collect headcount enrollment data from those institutions or programs.

(d) Institutional accrediting agencies must monitor the growth of programs at institutions experiencing significant enrollment growth, as reasonably defined by the agency.

(e) Any agency that has notified the Secretary of a change in its scope in accordance with 602.27(a)(5) must monitor the headcount enrollment of each institution it has accredited that offers distance education or correspondence education. If any such institution has experienced an increase in headcount enrollment of 50 percent or more within one institutional fiscal year, the agency must report that information to the Secretary within 30 days of acquiring such data.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.20 Enforcement of standards.

(a) If the agency's review of an institution or program under any standard indicates that the institution or program is not in compliance with that standard, the agency must--

(1) Immediately initiate adverse action against the institution or program; or

(2) Require the institution or program to take appropriate action to bring itself into compliance with the agency's standards within a time period that must not exceed--

(b) If the institution or program does not bring itself into compliance within the specified period, the agency must take immediate adverse action unless the agency, for good cause, extends the period for achieving compliance.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.21 Review of standards.

(a) The agency must maintain a systematic program of review that demonstrates that its standards are adequate to evaluate the quality of the education or training provided by the institutions and programs it accredits and relevant to the educational or training needs of students.

(b) The agency determines the specific procedures it follows in evaluating its standards, but the agency must ensure that its program of review--

(1) Is comprehensive;

(2) Occurs at regular, yet reasonable, intervals or on an ongoing basis;

(3) Examines each of the agency's standards and the standards as a whole; and

(4) Involves all of the agency's relevant constituencies in the review and affords them a meaningful opportunity to provide input into the review.

(c) If the agency determines, at any point during its systematic program of review, that it needs to make changes to its standards, the agency must initiate action within 12 months to make the changes and must complete that action within a reasonable period of time. Before finalizing any changes to its standards, the agency must--

(1) Provide notice to all of the agency's relevant constituencies, and other parties who have made their interest known to the agency, of the changes the agency proposes to make;

(2) Give the constituencies and other interested parties adequate opportunity to comment on the proposed changes; and

(3) Take into account any comments on the proposed changes submitted timely by the relevant constituencies and by other interested parties.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

REQUIRED OPERATING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

602.22 Substantive change.

(a) If the agency accredits institutions, it must maintain adequate substantive change policies that ensure that any substantive change to the educational mission, program, or programs of an institution after the agency has accredited or preaccredited the institution does not adversely affect the capacity of the institution to continue to meet the agency's standards. The agency meets this requirement if--

(1) The agency requires the institution to obtain the agency's approval of the substantive change before the agency includes the change in the scope of accreditation or preaccreditation it previously granted to the institution; and

(2) The agency's definition of substantive change includes at least the following types of change:

(3) The agency's substantive change policy must define when the changes made or proposed by an institution are or would be sufficiently extensive to require the agency to conduct a new comprehensive evaluation of that institution.

(b) The agency may determine the procedures it uses to grant prior approval of the substantive change. However, these procedures must specify an effective date, which is not retroactive, on which the change is included in the program's or institution's accreditation. An agency may designate the date of a change in ownership as the effective date of its approval of that substantive change if the accreditation decision is made within 30 days of the change in ownership. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, these procedures may, but need not, require a visit by the agency.

(c) Except as provided in (a)(2)(viii)(A) of this section, if the agency's accreditation of an institution enables the institution to seek eligibility to participate in Title IV, HEA programs, the agency's procedures for the approval of an additional location where at least 50 percent of an educational program is offered must provide for a determination of the institution's fiscal and administrative capacity to operate the additional location. In addition, the agency's procedures must include--

(1) A visit, within six months, to each additional location the institution establishes, if the institution--

(2) An effective mechanism for conducting, at reasonable intervals, visits to a representative sample of additional locations of institutions that operate more than three additional locations; and

(3) An effective mechanism, which may, at the agency's discretion, include visits to additional locations, for ensuring that accredited and preaccredited institutions that experience rapid growth in the number of additional locations maintain educational quality.

(d) The purpose of the visits described in paragraph (c) of this section is to verify that the additional location has the personnel, facilities, and resources it claimed to have in its application to the agency for approval of the additional location.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.23 Operating procedures all agencies must have.

(a) The agency must maintain and make available to the public, upon request, written materials describing--

(1) Each type of accreditation and preaccreditation it grants;

(2) The procedures that institutions or programs must follow in applying for accreditation or preaccreditation;

(3) The standards and procedures it uses to determine whether to grant, reaffirm, reinstate, restrict, deny, revoke, terminate, or take any other action related to each type of accreditation and preaccreditation that the agency grants;

(4) The institutions and programs that the agency currently accredits or preaccredits and, for each institution and program, the year the agency will next review or reconsider it for accreditation or preaccreditation; and

(5) The names, academic and professional qualifications, and relevant employment and organizational affiliations of--

(b) In providing public notice that an institution or program subject to its jurisdiction is being considered for accreditation or preaccreditation, the agency must provide an opportunity for third-party comment concerning the institution's or program's qualifications for accreditation or preaccreditation. At the agency's discretion, third-party comment may be received either in writing or at a public hearing, or both.

(c) The accrediting agency must--

(1) Review in a timely, fair, and equitable manner any complaint it receives against an accredited institution or program that is related to the agency's standards or procedures. The agency may not complete its review and make a decision regarding a complaint unless, in accordance with published procedures, it ensures that the institution or program has sufficient opportunity to provide a response to the complaint;

(2) Take follow-up action, as necessary, including enforcement action, if necessary, based on the results of its review; and

(3) Review in a timely, fair, and equitable manner, and apply unbiased judgment to, any complaints against itself and take follow-up action, as appropriate, based on the results of its review.

(d) If an institution or program elects to make a public disclosure of its accreditation or preaccreditation status, the agency must ensure that the institution or program discloses that status accurately, including the specific academic or instructional programs covered by that status and the name, address, and telephone number of the agency.

(e) The accrediting agency must provide for the public correction of incorrect or misleading information an accredited or preaccredited institution or program releases about--

(1) The accreditation or preaccreditation status of the institution or program;

(2) The contents of reports of on-site reviews; and

(3) The agency's accrediting or preaccrediting actions with respect to the institution or program.

(f) The agency may establish any additional operating procedures it deems appropriate. At the agency's discretion, these may include unannounced inspections.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1845-0003)

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.24 Additional procedures certain institutional accreditors must have.

If the agency is an institutional accrediting agency and its accreditation or preaccreditation enables those institutions to obtain eligibility to participate in Title IV, HEA programs, the agency must demonstrate that it has established and uses all of the following procedures:

(a) Branch campus.

(1) The agency must require the institution to notify the agency if it plans to establish a branch campus and to submit a business plan for the branch campus that describes--

(2) The agency may extend accreditation to the branch campus only after it evaluates the business plan and takes whatever other actions it deems necessary to determine that the branch campus has sufficient educational, financial, operational, management, and physical resources to meet the agency's standards.

(3) The agency must undertake a site visit to the branch campus as soon as practicable, but no later than six months after the establishment of that campus.

(b) Change in ownership.

The agency must undertake a site visit to an institution that has undergone a change of ownership that resulted in a change of control as soon as practicable, but no later than six months after the change of ownership.

(c) Teach-out plans and agreements.

(1) The agency must require an institution it accredits or preaccredits to submit a teach-out plan to the agency for approval upon the occurrence of any of the following events:

(2) The agency must evaluate the teach-out plan to ensure it provides for the equitable treatment of students under criteria established by the agency, specifies additional charges, if any, and provides for notification to the students of any additional charges.

(3) If the agency approves a teach-out plan that includes a program that is accredited by another recognized accrediting agency, it must notify that accrediting agency of its approval.

(4) The agency may require an institution it accredits or preaccredits to enter into a teach-out agreement as part of its teach-out plan.

(5) The agency must require an institution it accredits or preaccredits that enters into a teach-out agreement, either on its own or at the request of the agency, with another institution to submit that teach-out agreement to the agency for approval. The agency may approve the teach-out agreement only if the agreement is between institutions that are accredited or preaccredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency, is consistent with applicable standards and regulations, and provides for the equitable treatment of students by ensuring that--

(d) Closed Institution. If an institution the agency accredits or preaccredits closes without a teach-out plan or agreement, the agency must work with the Department and the appropriate State agency, to the extent feasible, to assist students in finding reasonable opportunities to complete their education without additional charges.

(e) Transfer of credit policies. The accrediting agency must confirm, as part of its review for initial accreditation or preaccreditation, or renewal of accreditation, that the institution has transfer of credit policies that--

(1) Are publicly disclosed in accordance with 668.43(a)(11); and

(2) Include a statement of the criteria established by the institution regarding the transfer of credit earned at another institution of higher education.

*Effective July 1, 2011

*(f) Credit-hour policies. The accrediting agency, as part of its review of an institution for initial accreditation or preaccreditation or renewal of accreditation, must conduct an effective review and evaluation of the reliability and accuracy of the institution's assignment of credit hours.

(1) The accrediting agency meets this requirement if-

(2) In reviewing and evaluating an institution's policies and procedures for determining credit hour assignments, an accrediting agency may use sampling or other methods in the evaluation, sufficient to comply with paragraph (f)(1)(i)(B) of this section.

(3) The accrediting agency must take such actions that it deems appropriate to address any deficiencies that it identifies at an institution as part of its reviews and evaluations under paragraph (f)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, as it does in relation to other deficiencies it may identify, subject to the requirements of this part.

(4) If, following the institutional review process under this paragraph (f), the agency finds systemic noncompliance with the agency's policies or significant noncompliance regarding one or more programs at the institution, the agency must promptly notify the Secretary.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1845-0003)

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.25 Due process.

The agency must demonstrate that the procedures it uses throughout the accrediting process satisfy due process. The agency meets this requirement if the agency does the following:

(a) Provides adequate written specification of its requirements, including clear standards, for an institution or program to be accredited or preaccredited.

(b) Uses procedures that afford an institution or program a reasonable period of time to comply with the agency's requests for information and documents.

(c) Provides written specification of any deficiencies identified at the institution or program examined.

(d) Provides sufficient opportunity for a written response by an institution or program regarding any deficiencies identified by the agency, to be considered by the agency within a timeframe determined by the agency, and before any adverse action is taken.

(e) Notifies the institution or program in writing of any adverse accrediting action or an action to place the institution or program on probation or show cause. The notice describes the basis for the action.

(f) Provides an opportunity, upon written request of an institution or program, for the institution or program to appeal any adverse action prior to the action becoming final.

(1) The appeal must take place at a hearing before an appeals panel that--

(2) The agency must recognize the right of the institution or program to employ counsel to represent the institution or program during its appeal, including to make any presentation that the agency permits the institution or program to make on its own during the appeal.

(g) The agency notifies the institution or program in writing of the result of its appeal and the basis for that result.

(h) (1) The agency must provide for a process, in accordance with written procedures, through which an institution or program may, before the agency reaches a final adverse action decision, seek review of new financial information if all of the following conditions are met:

(i) The financial information was unavailable to the institution or program until after the decision subject to appeal was made.

(ii) The financial information is significant and bears materially on the financial deficiencies identified by the agency. The criteria of significance and materiality are determined by the agency.

(iii) The only remaining deficiency cited by the agency in support of a final adverse action decision is the institution's or program's failure to meet an agency standard pertaining to finances.

(2) An institution or program may seek the review of new financial information described in paragraph (h)(1) of this section only once and any determination by the agency made with respect to that review does not provide a basis for an appeal.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.26 Notification of accrediting decisions.

The agency must demonstrate that it has established and follows written procedures requiring it to provide written notice of its accrediting decisions to the Secretary, the appropriate State licensing or authorizing agency, the appropriate accrediting agencies, and the public. The agency meets this requirement if the agency, following its written procedures--

(a) Provides written notice of the following types of decisions to the Secretary, the appropriate State licensing or authorizing agency, the appropriate accrediting agencies, and the public no later than 30 days after it makes the decision:

(1) A decision to award initial accreditation or preaccreditation to an institution or program.

(2) A decision to renew an institution's or program's accreditation or preaccreditation;

(b) Provides written notice of the following types of decisions to the Secretary, the appropriate State licensing or authorizing agency, and the appropriate accrediting agencies at the same time it notifies the institution or program of the decision, but no later than 30 days after it reaches the decision:

(1) A final decision to place an institution or program on probation or an equivalent status.

(2) A final decision to deny, withdraw, suspend, revoke, or terminate the accreditation or preaccreditation of an institution or program.

(3) ) A final decision to take any other adverse action, as defined by the agency, not listed in paragraph (b)(2) of this section;

(c) Provides written notice to the public of the decisions listed in paragraphs (b)(1), (b)(2), and (b)(3) of this section within 24 hours of its notice to the institution or program;

(d) For any decision listed in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, makes available to the Secretary, the appropriate State licensing or authorizing agency, and the public, no later than 60 days after the decision, a brief statement summarizing the reasons for the agency's decision and the official comments that the affected institution or program may wish to make with regard to that decision, or evidence that the affected institution has been offered the opportunity to provide official comment; and

(e) Notifies the Secretary, the appropriate State licensing or authorizing agency, the appropriate accrediting agencies, and, upon request, the public if an accredited or preaccredited institution or program--

(1) Decides to withdraw voluntarily from accreditation or preaccreditation, within 30 days of receiving notification from the institution or program that it is withdrawing voluntarily from accreditation or preaccreditation; or

(2) Lets its accreditation or preaccreditation lapse, within 30 days of the date on which accreditation or preaccreditation lapses.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1845-0003)

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.27 Other information an agency must provide the Department.

(a) The agency must submit to the Department--

(1) A copy of any annual report it prepares;

(2) A copy, updated annually, of its directory of accredited and preaccredited institutions and programs;

(3) A summary of the agency's major accrediting activities during the previous year (an annual data summary), if requested by the Secretary to carry out the Secretary's responsibilities related to this part;

(4) Any proposed change in the agency's policies, procedures, or accreditation or preaccreditation standards that might alter its--

(5) Notification that the agency has expanded its scope of recognition to include distance education or correspondence education as provided in section 496(a)(4)(B)(i)(I) of the HEA. Such an expansion of scope is effective on the date the Department receives the notification;

(6) The name of any institution or program it accredits that the agency has reason to believe is failing to meet its Title IV, HEA program responsibilities or is engaged in fraud or abuse, along with the agency's reasons for concern about the institution or program; and

(7) If the Secretary requests, information that may bear upon an accredited or preaccredited institution's compliance with its Title IV, HEA program responsibilities, including the eligibility of the institution or program to participate in Title IV, HEA programs.

(b) If an agency has a policy regarding notification to an institution or program of contact with the Department in accordance with paragraph (a)(6) or (a)(7) of this section, it must provide for a case by case review of the circumstances surrounding the contact, and the need for the confidentiality of that contact. Upon a specific request by the Department, the agency must consider that contact confidential.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1845-0003)

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.28 Regard for decisions of States and other accrediting agencies.

(a) If the agency is an institutional accrediting agency, it may not accredit or preaccredit institutions that lack legal authorization under applicable State law to provide a program of education beyond the secondary level.

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, the agency may not grant initial or renewed accreditation or preaccreditation to an institution, or a program offered by an institution, if the agency knows, or has reasonable cause to know, that the institution is the subject of--

(1) A pending or final action brought by a State agency to suspend, revoke, withdraw, or terminate the institution's legal authority to provide postsecondary education in the State;

(2) A decision by a recognized agency to deny accreditation or preaccreditation;

(3) A pending or final action brought by a recognized accrediting agency to suspend, revoke, withdraw, or terminate the institution's accreditation or preaccreditation; or

(4) Probation or an equivalent status imposed by a recognized agency.

(c) The agency may grant accreditation or preaccreditation to an institution or program described in paragraph (b) of this section only if it provides to the Secretary, within 30 days of its action, a thorough and reasonable explanation, consistent with its standards, why the action of the other body does not preclude the agency's grant of accreditation or preaccreditation.

(d) If the agency learns that an institution it accredits or preaccredits, or an institution that offers a program it accredits or preaccredits, is the subject of an adverse action by another recognized accrediting agency or has been placed on probation or an equivalent status by another recognized agency, the agency must promptly review its accreditation or preaccreditation of the institution or program to determine if it should also take adverse action or place the institution or program on probation or show cause.

(e) The agency must, upon request, share with other appropriate recognized accrediting agencies and recognized State approval agencies information about the accreditation or preaccreditation status of an institution or program and any adverse actions it has taken against an accredited or preaccredited institution or program.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1845-0003)

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

APPLICATION AND REVIEW BY DEPARTMENT STAFF

602.30 Activities covered by recognition procedures.
Recognition proceedings are administrative actions taken on any of the following matters:

(a) Applications for initial or continued recognition submitted under §602.31(a).

(b) Applications for an expansion of scope submitted under §602.31(b).

(c) Compliance reports submitted under §602.31(c).

(d) Reviews of agencies that have expanded their scope of recognition by notice, following receipt by the Department of information of an increase in headcount enrollment described in §602.19(e).

(e) Staff analyses identifying areas of non-compliance based on a review conducted under §602.33.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.31 Agency submissions to the Department

(a) Applications for recognition or renewal of recognition. An accrediting agency seeking initial or continued recognition must submit a written application to the Secretary. Each accrediting agency must submit an application for continued recognition at least once every five years, or within a shorter time period specified in the final recognition decision. The application must consist of--

(1) A statement of the agency’s requested scope of recognition;

(2) Evidence, including documentation, that the agency complies with the criteria for recognition listed in subpart B of this part and effectively applies those criteria; and

(3) Evidence, including documentation, of how an agency that includes or seeks to include distance education or correspondence education in its scope of recognition applies its standards in evaluating programs and institutions it accredits that offer distance education or correspondence education.

(b) Applications for expansions of scope. An agency seeking an expansion of scope by application must submit a written application to the Secretary. The application must--

(1) Specify the scope requested;

(2) Include documentation of experience in accordance with §602.12(b); and

(3) Provide copies of any relevant standards, policies, or procedures developed and applied by the agency and documentation of the application of these standards, policies, or procedures.

(c) Compliance reports. If an agency is required to submit a compliance report, it must do so within 30 days following the end of the period for achieving compliance as specified in the decision of the senior Department official or Secretary, as applicable.

(d) Review following an increase in headcount enrollment. If an agency that has notified the Secretary in writing of its change in scope to include distance education or correspondence education in accordance with §602.27(a)(5) reports an increase in headcount enrollment in accordance with §602.19(e) for an institution it accredits, or if the Department notifies the agency of such an increase at one of the agency’s accredited institutions, the agency must, within 45 days of reporting the increase or receiving notice of the increase from the Department, as applicable, submit a report explaining--

(1) How the agency evaluates the capacity of the institutions or programs it accredits to accommodate significant growth in enrollment and to maintain educational quality;

(2) The specific circumstances regarding the growth at the institution(s) or programs(s) that triggered the review and the results of any evaluation conducted by the agency; and

(3) Any other information that the agency deems appropriate to demonstrate the effective application of the criteria for recognition or that the Department may require.

(e) Consent to sharing of information. By submitting an application for recognition, the agency authorizes Department staff throughout the application process and during any period of recognition--

(1) To observe its site visits to one or more of the institutions or programs it accredits or preaccredits, on an announced or unannounced basis;

(2) To visit locations where agency activities such as training, review and evaluation panel meetings, and decision meetings take place, on an announced or unannounced basis;

(3) To obtain copies of all documents the staff deems necessary to complete its review of the agency; and

(4) To gain access to agency records, personnel, and facilities.

(f) Public availability of agency records obtained by the Department. (1) The Secretary’s processing and decision making on requests for public disclosure of agency materials reviewed under this part are governed by the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. §552; the Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. §1905; the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C §552a; the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. Appdx. 1; and all other applicable laws. In recognition proceedings, agencies may--

(2) The Secretary processes FOIA requests in accordance with 34 CFR part 5 and makes all documents provided to the Advisory Committee available to the public.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.32 Procedures for Department review of applications for recognition or for change in scope, compliance reports, and increases in enrollment.

(a) After receipt of an agency’s application for initial or continued recognition, or change in scope, or an agency’s compliance report, or an agency’s report submitted under §602.31(d), Department staff publishes a notice of the agency’s application or report in the Federal Register inviting the public to comment on the agency’s compliance with the criteria for recognition and establishing a deadline for receipt of public comment.

(b) The Department staff analyzes the agency’s application for initial or renewal of recognition, compliance report, or report submitted under §602.31(d) to determine whether the agency satisfies the criteria for recognition, taking into account all available relevant information concerning the compliance of the agency with those criteria and in the agency’s effectiveness in applying the criteria. The analysis of an application for recognition and, as appropriate, of a compliance report, or of a report required under §602.31(d), includes--

(1)Observations from site visit(s), on an announced or unannounced basis, to the agency or to a location where agency activities such as training, review and evaluation panel meetings, and decision meetings take place and to one or more of the institutions or programs it accredits or preaccredits;

(2) Review of the public comments and other third-party information the Department staff receives by the established deadline, and the agency’s responses to the third-party comments, as appropriate, as well as any other information Department staff assembles for purposes of evaluating the agency under this part; and

(3) Review of complaints or legal actions involving the agency.

(c) The Department staff analyzes the materials submitted in support of an application for expansion of scope to ensure that the agency has the requisite experience, policies that comply with subpart B of this part, capacity, and performance record to support the request.

(d) Department staff’s evaluation of an agency may also include a review of information directly related to institutions or programs accredited or preaccredited by the agency relative to their compliance with the agency’s standards, the effectiveness of the standards, and the agency’s application of those standards.

(e) If, at any point in its evaluation of an agency seeking initial recognition, Department staff determines that the agency fails to demonstrate compliance with the basic eligibility requirements in §§602.10 through 602.13, the staff--

(1) Returns the agency’s application and provides the agency with an explanation of the deficiencies that caused staff to take that action; and

(2) Recommends that the agency withdraw its application and reapply when the agency can demonstrate compliance.

(f) Except with respect to an application that has been returned or is withdrawn under paragraph (e) of this section, when Department staff completes its evaluation of the agency, the staff--

(1) Prepares a written draft analysis of the agency;

(2) Sends the draft analysis including any identified areas of non-compliance and a proposed recognition recommendation, and all supporting documentation, including all third-party comments the Department received by the established deadline, to the agency;

(3) Invites the agency to provide a written response to the draft analysis and proposed recognition recommendation and third-party comments, specifying a deadline that provides at least 30 days for the agency’s response;

(4) Reviews the response to the draft analysis the agency submits, if any, and prepares the written final analysis. The final analysis includes a recognition recommendation to the senior Department official, as the Department staff deems appropriate, including, but not limited to, a recommendation to approve, deny, limit, suspend, or terminate recognition, require the submission of a compliance report and continue recognition pending a final decision on compliance, approve or deny a request for expansion of scope, or revise or affirm the scope of the agency; and

(5) Provides to the agency, no later than seven days before the Advisory Committee meeting, the final staff analysis and any other available information provided to the Advisory Committee under §602.34(c).

(g) The agency may request that the Advisory Committee defer acting on an application at that Advisory Committee meeting if Department staff fails to provide the agency with the materials described, and within the timeframes provided, in paragraphs (f)(3) and (f)(5) of this section. If the Department staff’s failure to send the materials in accordance with the timeframe described in paragraph (f)(3) or (f)(5) of this section is due to the failure of the agency to submit reports to the Department, other information the Secretary requested, or its response to the draft analysis, by the deadline established by the Secretary, the agency forfeits its right to request a deferral of its application.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.33 Procedures for review of agencies during the period of recognition.

(a) Department staff may review the compliance of a recognized agency with the criteria for recognition at any time--

(1) At the request of the Advisory Committee; or

(2) Based on any information that, as determined by Department staff, appears credible and raises issues relevant to recognition.

(b) The review may include, but need not be limited to, any of the activities described in §602.32(b) and (d).

(c) If, in the course of the review, and after provision to the agency of the documentation concerning the inquiry and consultation with the agency, Department staff notes that one or more deficiencies may exist in the agency’s compliance with the criteria for recognition or in the agency’s effective application of those criteria, it--

(1) Prepares a written draft analysis of the agency’s compliance with the criteria of concern. The draft analysis reflects the results of the review, and includes a recommendation regarding what action to take with respect to recognition. Possible recommendations include, but are not limited to, a recommendation to limit, suspend, or terminate recognition, or require the submission of a compliance report and to continue recognition pending a final decision on compliance;

(2) Sends the draft analysis including any identified areas of non-compliance, and a proposed recognition recommendation, and all supporting documentation to the agency; and

(3) Invites the agency to provide a written response to the draft analysis and proposed recognition recommendation, specifying a deadline that provides at least 30 days for the agency’s response.

(d) If, after review of the agency’s response to the draft analysis, Department staff concludes that the agency has demonstrated compliance with the criteria for recognition, the staff notifies the agency in writing of the results of the review. If the review was requested by the Advisory Committee, staff also provides the Advisory Committee with the results of the review.

(e) If, after review of the agency’s response to the draft analysis, Department staff concludes that the agency has not demonstrated compliance, the staff--

(1) Notifies the agency that the draft analysis will be finalized for presentation to the Advisory Committee;

(2) Publishes a notice in the Federal Register including, if practicable, an invitation to the public to comment on the agency’s compliance with the criteria in question and establishing a deadline for receipt of public comment;

(3) Provides the agency with a copy of all public comments received and, if practicable, invites a written response from the agency;

(4) Finalizes the staff analysis as necessary to reflect its review of any agency response and any public comment received; and

(5) Provides to the agency, no later than seven days before the Advisory Committee meeting, the final staff analysis and a recognition recommendation and any other information provided to the Advisory Committee under §602.34(c).

(f) The Advisory Committee reviews the matter in accordance with §602.34.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

REVIEW BY THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON INSTITUTIONAL QUALITY AND INTEGRITY

602.34 Advisory Committee meetings

(a) Department staff submits a proposed schedule to the Chairperson of the Advisory Committee based on anticipated completion of staff analyses.

(b) The Chairperson of the Advisory Committee establishes an agenda for the next meeting and, in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, presents it to the Designated Federal Official for approval.

(c) Before the Advisory Committee meeting, Department staff provides the Advisory Committee with--

(1) The agency’s application for recognition or for expansion of scope, the agency’s compliance report, or the agency’s report submitted under §602.31(d), and supporting documentation;

(2) The final Department staff analysis of the agency developed in accordance with §602.32 or §602.33, and any supporting documentation;

(3) At the request of the agency, the agency’s response to the draft analysis;

(4) Any written third-party comments the Department received about the agency on or before the established deadline;

(5) Any agency response to third-party comments; and

(6) Any other information Department staff relied upon in developing its analysis.

(d) At least 30 days before the Advisory Committee meeting, the Department publishes a notice of the meeting in the Federal Register inviting interested parties, including those who submitted third-party comments concerning the agency’s compliance with the criteria for recognition, to make oral presentations before the Advisory Committee.

(e) The Advisory Committee considers the materials provided under paragraph (c) of this section in a public meeting and invites Department staff, the agency, and other interested parties to make oral presentations during the meeting. A transcript is made of all Advisory Committee meetings.

(f) The written motion adopted by the Advisory Committee regarding each agency’s recognition will be made available during the Advisory Committee meeting. The Department will provide each agency, upon request, with a copy of the motion on recognition at the meeting. Each agency that was reviewed will be sent an electronic copy of the motion relative to that agency as soon as practicable after the meeting.

(g) After each meeting of the Advisory Committee at which a review of agencies occurs, the Advisory Committee forwards to the senior Department official its recommendation with respect to each agency, which may include, but is not limited to, a recommendation to approve, deny, limit, suspend, or terminate recognition, to grant or deny a request for expansion of scope, to revise or affirm the scope of the agency, or to require the agency to submit a compliance report and to continue recognition pending a final decision on compliance.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.35 Responding to the Advisory Committee’s recommendation

(a) Within ten days following the Advisory Committee meeting, the agency and Department staff may submit written comments to the senior Department official on the Advisory Committee’s recommendation. The agency must simultaneously submit a copy of its written comments, if any, to Department staff. Department staff must simultaneously submit a copy of its written comments, if any, to the agency.

(b) Comments must be limited to--

(1) Any Advisory Committee recommendation that the agency or Department staff believes is not supported by the record;

(2) Any incomplete Advisory Committee recommendation based on the agency’s application; and

(3) The inclusion of any recommendation or draft proposed decision for the senior Department official’s consideration.

(c)(1) Neither the Department staff nor the agency may submit additional documentary evidence with its comments unless the Advisory Committee’s recognition recommendation proposes finding the agency noncompliant with, or ineffective in its application of, a criterion or criteria for recognition not identified in the final Department staff analysis provided to the Advisory Committee.

(2) Within ten days of receipt by the Department staff of an agency’s comments or new evidence, if applicable, or of receipt by the agency of the Department staff’s comments, Department staff, the agency, or both, as applicable, may submit a response to the senior Department official. Simultaneously with submission, the agency must provide a copy of any response to the Department staff. Simultaneously with submission, Department staff must provide a copy of any response to the agency.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

REVIEW AND DECISION BY THE SENIOR DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL

602.36 Senior Department official’s decision

(a) The senior Department official makes a decision regarding recognition of an agency based on the record compiled under §§602.32, 602.33, 602.34, and 602.35 including, as applicable, the following:

(1) The materials provided to the Advisory Committee under §602.34(c).

(2) The transcript of the Advisory Committee meeting.

(3) The recommendation of the Advisory Committee.

(4) Written comments and responses submitted under §602.35.

(5) New evidence submitted in accordance with §602.35(c)(1).

(6) A communication from the Secretary referring an issue to the senior Department official’s consideration under §602.37(e).

(b) In the event that statutory authority or appropriations for the Advisory Committee ends, or there are fewer duly appointed Advisory Committee members than needed to constitute a quorum, and under extraordinary circumstances when there are serious concerns about an agency’s compliance with subpart B of this part that require prompt attention, the senior Department official may make a decision in a recognition proceeding based on the record compiled under §602.32 or §602.33 after providing the agency with an opportunity to respond to the final staff analysis. Any decision made by the senior Department official absent a recommendation from the Advisory Committee may be appealed to the Secretary as provided in §602.37.

(c) Following consideration of an agency’s recognition under this section, the senior Department official issues a recognition decision.

(d) Except with respect to decisions made under paragraph (f) or (g) of this section and matters referred to the senior Department official under §602.37(e) or (f), the senior Department official notifies the agency in writing of the senior Department official’s decision regarding the agency’s recognition within 90 days of the Advisory Committee meeting or conclusion of the review under paragraph (b) of this section.

(e) The senior Department official’s decision may include, but is not limited to, approving, denying, limiting, suspending, or terminating recognition, granting or denying an application for an expansion of scope, revising or affirming the scope of the agency, or continuing recognition pending submission and review of a compliance report under §§602.32 and 602.34 and review of the report by the senior Department official under this section.

(1)(i) The senior Department official approves recognition if the agency complies with the criteria for recognition listed in subpart B of this part and if the agency effectively applies those criteria.

(2)(i) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(3) of this section, if the agency either fails to comply with the criteria for recognition listed in subpart B of this part, or to apply those criteria effectively, the senior Department official denies, limits, suspends, or terminates recognition.

(3)(i) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section, if a recognized agency fails to demonstrate compliance with or effective application of a criterion or criteria, but the senior Department official concludes that the agency will demonstrate or achieve compliance with the criteria for recognition and effective application of those criteria within 12 months or less, the senior Department official may continue the agency’s recognition, pending submission by the agency of a compliance report, review of the report under §§602.32 and 602.34, and review of the report by the senior Department official under this section. In such a case, the senior Department official specifies the criteria the compliance report must address, and a time period, not longer than 12 months, during which the agency must achieve compliance and effectively apply the criteria. The compliance report documenting compliance and effective application of criteria is due not later than 30 days after the end of the period specified in the senior Department official’s decision.

(f) If the senior Department official determines, based on the record, that a decision to deny, limit, suspend, or terminate an agency’s recognition may be warranted based on a finding that the agency is noncompliant with, or ineffective in its application of, a criterion or criteria of recognition not identified earlier in the proceedings as an area of noncompliance, the senior Department official provides--

(1) The agency with an opportunity to submit a written response and documentary evidence addressing the finding; and

(2) The staff with an opportunity to present its analysis in writing.

(g) If relevant and material information pertaining to an agency’s compliance with recognition criteria, but not contained in the record, comes to the senior Department official’s attention while a decision regarding the agency’s recognition is pending before the senior Department official, and if the senior Department official concludes the recognition decision should not be made without consideration of the information, the senior Department official either--

(1)(i) Does not make a decision regarding recognition of the agency; and

(2)(i) Provides the information to the agency and Department staff;

(h) No agency may submit information to the senior Department official, or ask others to submit information on its behalf, for purposes of invoking paragraph (g) of this section. Before invoking paragraph (g) of this section, the senior Department official will take into account whether the information, if submitted by a third party, could have been submitted in accordance with §602.32(a) or §602.33(e)(2).

(i) If the senior Department official does not reach a final decision to approve, deny, limit, suspend, or terminate an agency’s recognition before the expiration of its recognition period, the senior Department official automatically extends the recognition period until a final decision is reached.

(j) Unless appealed in accordance with §602.37, the senior Department official’s decision is the final decision of the Secretary.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

APPEAL RIGHTS AND PROCEDURES

§602.37 Appealing the senior Department official’s decision to the Secretary.

(a) The agency may appeal the senior Department official’s decision to the Secretary. Such appeal stays the decision of the senior Department official until final disposition of the appeal. If an agency wishes to appeal, the agency must-

(1) Notify the Secretary and the senior Department official in writing of its intent to appeal the decision of the senior Department official, no later than ten days after receipt of the decision;

(2) Submit its appeal to the Secretary in writing no later than 30 days after receipt of the decision; and

(3) Provide the senior Department official with a copy of the appeal at the same time it submits the appeal to the Secretary.

(b) The senior Department official may file a written response to the appeal. To do so, the senior Department official must--

(1) Submit a response to the Secretary no later than 30 days after receipt of a copy of the appeal; and

(2) Provide the agency with a copy of the senior Department official’s response at the same time it is submitted to the Secretary.

(c) Neither the agency nor the senior Department official may include in its submission any new evidence it did not submit previously in the proceeding.

(d) On appeal, the Secretary makes a recognition decision, as described in §602.36(e). If the decision requires a compliance report, the report is due within 30 days after the end of the period specified in the Secretary’s decision. The Secretary renders a final decision after taking into account the senior Department official’s decision, the agency’s written submissions on appeal, the senior Department official’s response to the appeal, if any, and the entire record before the senior Department official. The Secretary notifies the agency in writing of the Secretary’s decision regarding the agency’s recognition.

(e) The Secretary may determine, based on the record, that a decision to deny, limit, suspend, or terminate an agency’s recognition may be warranted based on a finding that the agency is noncompliant with, or ineffective in its application with respect to, a criterion or criteria for recognition not identified as an area of noncompliance earlier in the proceedings. In that case, the Secretary, without further consideration of the appeal, refers the matter to the senior Department official for consideration of the issue under §602.36(f). After the senior Department official makes a decision, the agency may, if desired, appeal that decision to the Secretary.

(f) If relevant and material information pertaining to an agency’s compliance with recognition criteria, but not contained in the record, comes to the Secretary’s attention while a decision regarding the agency’s recognition is pending before the Secretary, and if the Secretary concludes the recognition decision should not be made without consideration of the information, the Secretary either--

(1)(i) Does not make a decision regarding recognition of the agency; and

(2)(i) Provides the information to the agency and the senior Department official;

(g) No agency may submit information to the Secretary, or ask others to submit information on its behalf, for purposes of invoking paragraph (f) of this section. Before invoking paragraph(f) of this section, the Secretary will take into account whether the information, if submitted by a third party, could have been submitted in accordance with §602.32(a) or §602.33(e)(2).

(h) If the Secretary does not reach a final decision on appeal to approve, deny, limit, suspend, or terminate an agency’s recognition before the expiration of its recognition period, the Secretary automatically extends the recognition period until a final decision is reached.

§602.38 Contesting the Secretary’s final decision to deny, limit, suspend, or terminate an agency’s recognition.
An agency may contest the Secretary’s decision under this part in the Federal courts as a final decision in accordance with applicable Federal law. Unless otherwise directed by the court, a decision of the Secretary to deny, limit, suspend, or terminate the agency’s recognition is not stayed during an appeal in the Federal courts.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

602.50 What information does the Department share with a recognized agency about its accredited institutions and programs?

(a) If the Department takes an action against an institution or program accredited by the agency, it notifies the agency no later than 10 days after taking that action.

(b) If another Federal agency or a State agency notifies the Department that it has taken an action against an institution or program accredited by the agency, the Department notifies the agency as soon as possible but no later than 10 days after receiving the written notice from the other Government agency.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b)

The U.S. Secretary of Education also recognizes two categories of State agencies:

• State agencies for the approval of public postsecondary vocational education, and
• State agencies for the approval of nurse education.

Public Postsecondary Vocation Education

The criteria and procedures used by the Secretary in designating a State agency as a reliable authority concerning the quality of public postsecondary vocational education in a State are contained in Part 603 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Those State agencies that have requested recognition and have been determined to meet the established criteria are granted recognition for a period not to exceed four years. The Secretary publishes a list of those State agencies that he recognizes as reliable authorities.

The criteria and procedures used by the Secretary in designating a State agency as a reliable authority concerning the quality of training offered by schools of nursing in a State are contained in regulations published in the January 16, 1969 FEDERAL REGISTER. Those State agencies that have requested recognition and have been determined to meet the established criteria are granted recognition for a period not to exceed four years. The Secretary publishes a list of those State agencies that he recognizes as reliable authorities.

The Recognition Process for State Agencies

The recognition procedures following by the Secretary in reviewing State approval agencies are the same as those for accrediting agencies seeking recognition by the Secretary. These procedures are set forth in detail in subpart B of part 602. Other information related to a State agency's application for recognition is provided below.

The Application for Recognition

State approval agencies desiring to be recognized by the Secretary of Education must apply for recognition and must demonstrate their compliance with the Criteria for Secretarial Recognition. An agency's application for recognition generally consists of evidence of the agency's compliance with the criteria for recognition and supporting documentation.

There is no standard application form to be used by agencies applying for recognition. Rather, an agency's application for initial recognition or renewal of recognition consists of a narrative statement, organized on a criterion-by- criterion basis, showing how the agency complies with the Criteria for Secretarial Recognition. The narrative statement must be accompanied by clearly referenced supporting documentation, including the agency's standards and procedures, published lists of approved schools or programs, self-evaluation guidelines, guidance materials for visiting team members, and sample completed self-evaluations and site visit reports, as appropriate to the criteria used.

Copies of the Application

An agency's application plus three copies should be submitted to the Accrediting Agency Evaluation unit (AAE) at the address below. Only the original of bulkier exhibit items, such as self-study reports or team reports, need be submitted with the petition; there is no need for three copies of these items.

Accrediting Agency Evaluation
Accreditation Division
U.S. Department of Education
1990 K Street, NW, #7126
Washington, DC 20006-8509
Telephone: (202) 219-7011

Time Frame for Submission of an Application

AAE accepts applications for initial recognition at any time. To receive consideration at a particular meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, an agency seeking initial recognition must submit its petition at least six months in advance of that meeting. Consideration of the agency's petition at the first Advisory Committee meeting that occurs after the six-month time frame is not guaranteed, however, as AAE staff may need more to complete its independent evaluation of the agency.

Agencies considering applying for initial recognition are encouraged to contact AAE as early as possible to discuss their possible application and to afford Department staff the opportunity to observe several agency site visits and decision meetings.

Agencies that have been granted recognition by the Secretary are notified by the Secretary, each time recognition is granted or renewed, of the expiration date of their recognition period. They should plan to submit their application for renewal of recognition approximately six months in advance of the spring or fall meeting of the Advisory Committee meeting that precedes that expiration date. AAE usually notifies agencies a year in advance of the Advisory Committee at which their renewal application is to be considered and informs them of the date by which their application is due to AAE. In the same notice, AAE also requests a schedule of the agencies' site visits and decision meetings for the upcoming year in order to plan its observation of at least some of those activities.

Staff Analysis of an Agency's Application

The application review process conducted by the Department of Education includes analysis of the application and observation of some of the agency's site visit and decision-making activities by Department staff. Staff members may also visit agency administrative offices to conduct interviews of agency staff and to review the agency's facilities, records and administrative operations. They may also conduct interviews or surveys of other persons, organizations, or institutions concerning the applicant agency's approval process in order to obtain further information relating to the agency's compliance with the Criteria. Department staff then prepares a written analysis of the agency's application for recognition.

Hearing Before the Advisory Committee

When Department staff completes its evaluation of an agency's application for recognition, the agency's application is placed on the agenda of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. Department staff also provides the Advisory Committee with the agency's application and supporting documentation, its analysis of the application, all information it relied upon in developing the analysis, any response by the agency to the analysis or third-party comment, any Department concurrence with or rebuttal to the agency's response, and any third-party information the Secretary receives regarding the agency.

The Advisory Committee meets at least twice a year to review petitions from accrediting and State approval agencies. The usual times for the Committee meetings are spring (May-June) and fall (November-December). Although each member of the Advisory Committee receives every Department staff analysis of an application for recognition and all the other materials mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the Executive Director of the Advisory Committee usually assigns two or more Committee members to serve as principal readers for each application.

An agency that applies for recognition is invited to make an oral presentation before the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee also hears oral presentations from Department staff and from third parties who request to be heard.

The Advisory Committee conducts its business in public, and a transcript of the proceedings is made.

The Secretary's Decision

The Secretary of Education makes the final decision regarding recognition or renewal of recognition of a State agency. Agencies may be granted initial recognition or renewal of recognition for a period of up to four years.

The Secretary's list of recognized State agencies is published periodically in the FEDERAL REGISTER.

The following are the criteria used by the Secretary in designating a State agency as a reliable authority concerning the quality of public postsecondary vocational education in its State.

The criteria and procedures for listing State agencies are contained in Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Dear Colleague Letter: Guidance to Institutions and Accrediting Agencies Regarding a Credit Hour as Defined in the Final Regulations Published on October 29, 2010 (March 18, 2011) | PDF (includes enclosures)

PART 603--SECRETARY'S RECOGNITION PROCEDURES FOR STATE AGENCIES

Subpart A--(reserved)

Subpart B--Criteria for State Agencies

Sec.
603.20 Scope.
603.21 Publication of list.
603.22 Inclusion on list.
603.23 Initial recognition; reevaluation.
603.24 Criteria.

Authority: Sec. 438(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, Public Law 89-329 as amended by Public Law 92-318, 86 Stat. 235, 264 (20 U.S.C. 1094(b) (3)).

Subpart B - Criteria for State Agencies

Section 603.20 Scope.

(a) Pursuant to section 438(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended by the Public Law 92-318, the United States Secretary of Education is required to publish a list of State agencies which he determines to be reliable authorities as to the quality of public postsecondary vocational education in their respective States for the purpose of determining eligibility for Federal student assistance programs administered by the Department of Education.

(b) Approval by a State agency included on the list will provide an alternative means of satisfying statutory standards as to the quality of public postsecondary vocational education to be undertaken by students receiving assistance under such programs.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1094(b)(3))

Section 603.21 Publication of list.

Periodically the U.S. Secretary of Education will publish a list in the FEDERAL REGISTER of the State agencies which he determines to be reliable authorities as to the quality of public postsecondary vocational education in their respective States.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1094 (b)(3))

Section 603.22 Inclusion on list.

Any State agency which desires to be listed by the Secretary as meeting the criteria set forth in the Section 603.24 should apply in writing to the Accrediting Agency Evaluation, Accreditation Division, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW, #8065, Washington, D.C. 20006-8509.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1094(b)(3))

Section 603.23 Initial recognition and reevaluation.

For initial recognition and for renewal of recognition, the State agency will furnish information establishing its compliance with the criteria set forth in Section 603.24. This information may be supplemented by personal interviews or by review of the agency's facilities, records, personnel qualifications, and administrative management. Each agency listed will be reevaluated by the Secretary at his discretion, but at least once every four years. No adverse decision will become final without affording an opportunity for a hearing.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1094(b)(3))

Section 603.24 Criteria for State agencies.

The following are the criteria which the Secretary of Education will utilize in designating a State agency as a reliable authority to assess the quality of public postsecondary vocational education in its respective State.

(a) Functional aspects.The functional aspects of the State agency must be shown by:

(1) Its scope of operations. The agency:

(2) Its organization. The State agency:

(3 ) Its procedures. The State agency:

(b) Responsibility and reliability. The responsibility and reliability of the State agency will be demonstrated by:

(1) Its responsiveness to the public interest. The State agency:

(2) It assurances that due process is accorded to institutions or programs seeking approval. The State agency:

*Effective July 1, 2011

*(c) Credit-hour policies. The State agency, as part of its review of an institution for initial approval or renewal of approval, must conduct an effective review and evaluation of the reliability and accuracy of the institution's assignment of credit hours.

(1)The State agency meets this requirement if—

(2) In reviewing and evaluating an institution's policies and procedures for determining credit hour assignments, a State agency may use sampling or other methods in the evaluation, sufficient to comply with paragraph (c)(1)(i)(B) of this section.

(3) The State agency must take such actions that it deems appropriate to address any deficiencies that it identifies at an institution as part of its reviews and evaluations under paragraph (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, as it does in relation to other deficiencies it may identify, subject to the requirements of this part.

(4) If, following the institutional review process under this paragraph (c), the agency finds systemic noncompliance with the agency's policies or significant noncompliance regarding one or more programs at the institution, the agency must promptly notify the Secretary.

(d) Capacity to foster ethical practices. The State agency must demonstrate its capability and willingness to foster ethical practices by showing that it:

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1094(b)(3))

For the purpose of determining eligibility for Federal assistance, pursuant to the Nurse Training Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. 298b(6)), the U.S. Secretary of Education is required to publish a list of recognized accrediting bodies, and of State agencies, which he determines to be reliable authorities as to the quality of training offered by schools and programs for diplomas, and associate, baccalaureate and graduate degrees in nursing. The following criteria for recognition of State agencies were published in the January 16, 1969 FEDERAL REGISTER. The Secretary will use these criteria in determining whether a State agency is a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered by schools of nursing.

Criteria for State Agencies

The State agency:

1. Is statewide in the scope of its operations and is legally authorized to accredit schools of nursing.

2. Makes publicly available:

a. Current information covering its criteria or standards for accreditation;

b. Reports of its operations;

c. Lists of schools of nursing which it has accredited.

3. Has an adequate organization and effective procedures, administered by a qualified board and staff, to maintain its operation on a professional basis. Among the factors to be considered in this connection are that the agency:

a. Uses experienced and qualified examiners to visit schools of nursing to examine educational objectives, programs, administrative practices, services and facilities and to prepare written reports and recommendations for the use of the reviewing body - and causes such examinations to be conducted under conditions that assure an impartial and objective judgment;

b. Secures sufficient and pertinent data concerning the qualitative aspects of the school's educational program;

c. Requires each school of nursing accredited to follow clearly defined refund policies governing all fees and tuition paid by students;

d. Enforces a well defined set of standards regarding a school's ethical practices, including recruitment and advertising;

e. Requires each school of nursing accredited to submit a comprehensive annual report, including current data on:

f. Regularly, but at least every 2 years, obtains from each accredited school of nursing:

g. Makes initial and periodic on-site inspections of each school of nursing accredited.

4. Has clear, written procedures for (a) the accreditation of a school of nursing or institution, (b) placing it on a probationary status, (c) revoking the accreditation, and (d) reinstating accreditation.

The list of recognized accrediting agencies and State agencies that have been determined by the Secretary of Education to be reliable authorities as to the quality of training offered by schools of nursing will be published periodically in the FEDERAL REGISTER. For purposes of institutional and program accreditation, as provided for in the Nurse Training Act, the appropriate accrediting associations designated by the Secretary as "Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies and Associations " (the six regional accrediting associations and the National League of Nursing, Inc.) will be included on the list.

The maximum period of recognition that may be granted to a State agency for the approval of nurse education is four years. Recognition of an agency will not denied or withdrawn without affording the agency an opportunity for a hearing by the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity.