March 10-11, 2014 Arlington, Virginia - ACCSC

Initial Accreditation Workshop

March 10-11, 2014 Arlington, Virginia

Monday, March 10, 2014

9:00 a.m. –9:15 a.m. Registration for New Applicants

9:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Session A: Welcome from the Commission

Introduce speakers and participants

Review workshop objectives

Overview of the Commission

10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Session B: Introduction to the Standards /Eligibility Criteria

Orientation to the Standards of Accreditation

Review of eligibility criteria

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Lunch (provided by ACCSC)

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Session C: Application Process/Forms

Accreditation Process Timelines

Applications

Self-Evaluation Report

2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Energy Break with ACCSC Staff

Meet the ACCSC Staff and enjoy some afternoon snacks

3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Session D: Standards of Accreditation

Management Standards

Leadership/Transformation

Institutional improvement & assessment planning

4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Session D: Standards of Accreditation (continued)

Program Standards

Design and Development

Equipment

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Tuesday, March 11, 2014

8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Session D: Standards of Accreditation (continued)

Program Standards

Program Advisory Committee

Learning resource system

9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Session D: Standards of Accreditation (continued)

Faculty Standards

Educational Administration

Faculty qualifications

Faculty improvement planning

10: 30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Session D: Standards of Accreditation (continued)

Recruitment

Catalog

Enrollment Agreement

Advertising

11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Session D: Standards of Accreditation (continued)

Admissions Standards

Setting the standard

Documentation

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch (provided by ACCSC)

1:00 pm. – 1:45 p.m. Session D: Standards of Accreditation (continued)

Student Services

Written policies and procedures

Advising/counseling

Records

1:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Session D: Standards of Accreditation (continued)

Student Achievement Standards

Student Learning/Assessment

Satisfactory academic progress

Graduation and Employment Chart

3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Session E: The Big Finish

Review of Process/Electronic submission

Key concepts

Parting Thoughts and Shots

Initial Accreditation Workshop Session A


ACCSC Accreditation Workshop – Session A 1

ACCSC Workshop Team

Lisa J. Miles Manager of Accreditation Courtney Moraites Volunteer Coordinator Jaye Bishop Senior Accreditation Coordinator


Review of Agenda and Materials

Agenda

March 10th Sessions A - D March 11th Sessions D - E Workbook Appendices

I. Instructions for the Preparation and Submission of Financial Statements and

Related Information II. Instructions for Electronic Submission Training Materials Complete set of the Standards of Accreditation


Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges

Accreditation Workshop

Table of Contents PRESENTATIONS: BOOKMARK Session A Welcome from the Commission A Session B Introduction to the Standards / Eligibility Criteria B Session C Application Process / Forms C Session D Standards of Accreditation: A Blueprint for Success D Session E The Big Finish E


Workshop Objectives The Accreditation Workshop is designed to provide an opportunity for participants to develop an understanding of: • The ACCSC organization, its mission, values, and purpose • The Standards of Accreditation as a set of best practices • The importance of strong leadership in institutional effectiveness • The role of institutional assessment and improvement planning in institutional success • Measuring institutional effectiveness based on outcomes • Eligibility criteria for initial applicants for accreditation • The steps of the ACCSC accreditation process

The Accreditation Workshop is designed to provide an opportunity for participants to answer the following questions: • What changes will I need to make? • Do I have the resources to be successful? • Is this a good fit?


ACCSC on the Internet

www.accsc.org

• Provides critical information on the latest ACCSC initiatives;

• Includes an automated on-line registration system for all ACCSC sponsored events,

including workshops and the PDC;

• Provides access to all required forms and reports to be utilized in the accreditation process;

• Provides a portal to the ACCSC Annual Report; and

• Provides access to ACCSC’s publications, including:

• Blueprint for Success • Monograph Series Brochures • Newsletters • Position Papers • Research Projects

Email Access All ACCSC staff have electronic mail boxes (e-mail). ACCSC e-mail addresses consist of the individual’s name (first name initial and last name, up to a total of eight characters) followed by @accsc.org. Example:

[email protected] [email protected]

[email protected]

http://www.accsc.org/

mailto:[email protected]




2013-14 Accrediting Commission

Joel English, Ph.D.* Chair of the Commission

School Commissioner Ohio Center for Broadcasting

P. Michael Lanouette, Ph.D.* Treasurer of the Commission School Commissioner

Remington Colleges, Inc.

Jim Heideman* Vice Chair of the Commission

Public Commissioner

William Buchanan* Secretary of the Commission

School Commissioner Corinthian Colleges, Inc.

Rachel Wise, Ph.D. Chair of the Commission

Public Commissioner

Michael Pugliese School Commissioner

Platt College

Melvin Williams Public Commissioner

John Carreon School Commissioner

Kaplan Higher Education

Valerie Njie School Commissioner

Bidwell Training Center

Betty Sundberg, Ed.D. Public Commissioner

Duane Kramer School Commissioner

Universal Technical Institute

Sherry Bomberger School Commissioner YTI Career Institute

Elizabeth Hawthorne Public Commissioner

*ACCSC Executive Committee


ACCSC: A Values Driven Organization

ACCSC’s Mission and Vision Statement ACCSC’s mission is to serve as a reliable authority on educational quality and to promote enhanced opportunities for students by establishing, sustaining, and enforcing valid standards and practices, which contribute to the development of a highly trained and competitive workforce through quality career oriented education.

ACCSC Core Values Integrity Accountability Continuous Improvement Community As an organization, we dedicate ourselves to: Integrity Accomplishing our mission with a commitment to ethics, honesty, trust, consistency, and fairness. Accountability Fulfilling our responsibilities to one another, the higher education community, and the public.


Continuous Improvement Cultivating personal and professional growth through learning, goal setting, innovation, commitment, and participation. Community Fostering a free and timely exchange of ideas and information in a collegial environment through the establishment of strong partnerships that emphasize respect and mutual support.


Value of ACCSC Accreditation • For the regulatory community, ACCSC accreditation is often relied upon for

the purpose of establishing eligibility for licensure, professional certification, and employment for graduates from our community of schools.

• Prospective students know that by attending an ACCSC-accredited institution

they are afforded an opportunity to engage in an intensive training program in their chosen field in less time than traditional institutions, enabling them to enter the workforce more quickly.

o This focused training gives students a competitive edge in a demanding job market.

• For employers, ACCSC’s accreditation framework is responsive to their needs

in developing and enhancing the skills of the next generation of workers. • For institutions seeking accreditation, ACCSC accreditation means belonging

to a community of schools with a shared focus: developing a highly trained and competitive workforce through quality career-oriented education.


Member Benefits of ACCSC Accreditation Leadership

• ACCSC provides leadership by assisting our institutions in keeping abreast of employment trends, technological advances, and educational innovations.

• ACCSC’s goal is to support and enhance the programs and services offered by our member institutions, and to ensure sustained institutional success over the long-term.

• ACCSC offers a robust professional development program that is designed

to support and enhance the operation and performance of our accredited community of schools, including: the PDC, webinars, the Accreditation Workshops, and much more.

Reputation

• ACCSC has a reputation among the various regulatory communities for being rigorous in our assessment of institutional performance, emphasizing quality by focusing on student achievement, including rates of student graduation and graduate employment.

• This unique approach to accreditation has not only enhanced the performance of member institutions, but has elevated the stature of the ACCSC accreditation within higher education.


Member Benefits of ACCSC Accreditation

Advocacy

• As part of our advocacy efforts, ACCSC actively partners with various organizations at the state and federal level regarding issues of quality assurance at our accredited member institutions.

• ACCSC makes a concerted effort to participate in the dialogue regarding the oversight and performance of our member institutions, and strives to be informed of policy decisions that impact our sector of education.

Service

• A fundamental benefit of ACCSC accreditation is the availability and accessibility of our professional staff.

• ACCSC believes that it is critical for our member institutions to have ready access to the expertise offered by our professional staff, and employs a communication strategy to ensure our members’ needs are continually met.


School Characteristics and Student Achievement Outcomes

Based on the 2012 Annual Report

• 69% of the schools had 300 or fewer students as of June 30, 2012. Average enrollment as of June 30, 2012 was 303 students.

• The majority of institutions are in metropolitan areas with

populations of at least 250,000. • 48% of the students are under the age 25 and 33% of the students

are in the age group 25-34. • Student population distributes evenly with regard to gender,

although, the percentage of male students enrolled has increased slightly.

• 59% of classified students represent ethnic minority groups. • 94% of enrolled students have a high school diploma or

equivalent and/or some postsecondary education while 6% of enrolled students have no high school diploma or equivalent.

Initial Accreditation Workshop Session B


ACCSC Accreditation Workshop - Session B 1

Introduction to the Standards of Accreditation/Eligibility Criteria

Introduction

• Chapter 1 – Rules of Process and Procedure

• Chapter 2 – Substantive Standards

• Appendices

• Bylaws

• Promulgation of Standards

Eligibility Criteria

• Scope

• Limitations of Scope

• Education Objectives

• Legal and Disclosure Requirements

• Eligibility


Introduction to the Standards of Accreditation

Introduction – Preamble

• Includes key concepts about accreditation

• The primary purpose of the Commission is to establish and maintain high educational standards and ethical business practices among its accredited institutions.

• Accreditation serves as an indication of institutional quality by setting standards against which all private career schools and colleges can be measured.

• Participation in the process of accreditation is voluntary

• A high level of reliance is placed upon information, data, and statements provided by the school.

• The integrity and honesty of a school are fundamental and critical to the process.

• Accredited schools agree to, and must meet or exceed the Standards of Accreditation throughout the accreditation period.

• The burden rests with the school to establish it is meeting the standards.

• The Commission’s deliberations and decisions are made on the basis of the written record of an accreditation review.

• Accordingly, a school must supply the Commission with complete documentation of the school’s compliance with all accrediting standards if it is to be granted and maintain accreditation.

• A fundamental component is self-evaluation.

• Self-evaluation is an assessment of the complete school, conducted by faculty and students, as well as by the school administration.

• The process of s elf-evaluation is expected to be a significant and ongoing experience.


Introduction - Standards

• Each school determines its own educational objectives - keeping in mind that such objectives must be appropriate for a postsecondary-educational institution.

• The school is evaluated based on accomplishing its announced objectives, in accordance with the Commission’s standards.

• The standards and accreditation process emphasize educational quality by focusing on outcomes.

• Two important outcomes that the Commission uses in its assessment process are student graduation rates and graduate employment rates.

Chapter 1 – Rules of Process and Procedure

Section I Definitions, Accreditation Eligibility and Process, General Instructions

Section II Application for Accreditation and Self-Evaluation

Section III The On-Site Evaluation

Section IV Non-substantive & Substantive Changes Notification & Application Requirements

Section V Annual Reporting and Other Reporting

Section VI Complaint Procedures

Section VII Commission Actions

Section VIII Appeal of Commission Decisions

Section IX Revisions and Waivers to the Standards of Accreditation

Section X Notification and Information Sharing

Section XI Pilot Projects



Chapter 2 – Substantive Standards

Section I Management and Administrative Operations

Section II Program Requirements

Section III Educational Administration and Faculty Requirements

Section IV Student Recruitment

Section V Admissions Policies and Practices

Section VI Student Services

Section VII Student Progress

Section VIII Separate Facilities

Section IX Distance Education

Appendices

Appendix I Accreditation Fees

Appendix II Applications, Reports, and Forms

Appendix III Definition of a Credit Hour

Appendix IV Faculty Qualification Provisions

Appendix V Recruitment and Admissions Personnel Code of Conduct

Appendix VI Admissions

Appendix VII Student Achievement Rates

Appendix VIII Guidelines for Employment Classification

Appendix IX Statement for Working with External Consultants in the Accreditation Process


Bylaws

Accreditation Alliance of Career Schools and Colleges Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws

Article I Board of Directors

Article II Members

Article III Dues and Fees

Article IV Miscellaneous



Promulgate

• To make known by open declaration; publish; proclaim formally or put into operation (a law, decree of a court, etc.)

• The Commission has the authority and responsibility to establish and promulgate criteria for the evaluation and accreditation of private career schools and colleges.

• These criteria take the form of the Standards of Accreditation, which are under continuing review.

• Revisions to the Standards of Accreditation are made by the Commission as appropriate and required.

Promulgation of Standards

Call for Comment

• Persons, institutions, and organizations affected by, or with an interest in, the Commission’s standards and policies are advised of proposed standards and of the date they will be given consideration by the Commission.

• After distribution of proposed standards, interested persons, institutions and organizations are given a minimum of 30 days to file written comments with the Commission

• Representatives of ACCSC accredited institutions are encouraged to read carefully any proposed revisions and to submit comments and recommendations for consideration by the Commission.

• After considering the written comments, the Commission may adopt the standard as proposed, adopt the standard with revisions, defer action for further study and consideration, or reject the proposed standard.

• When new standards are adopted, the Commission sets the date the standards will become effective, providing a reasonable time for school compliance, announces adopted standards and takes the action necessary for their implementation.

• The effective date and procedures for implementation, if required, are included in the announcement.



Accreditation Alert!

Provides guidance to accredited schools regarding the adoption of additions and revisions to the Standards of Accreditation and reflects the Commission’s final adoption of additions and revisions to the Standards of Accreditation.

Application of Standards

Key Concept - Scalable Standards

• Adequate - as much or as good as necessary for some requirement or purpose

• Sufficient - adequate for the purpose; enough

• Appropriate - suitable or fitting for a particular purpose

• Reasonable - agreeable to reason or sound judgment; logical




Section I - Definitions, Accreditation Eligibility and Process, and General Instructions

B. Institutional Eligibility Requirements

1. Basic Information

Scope

ACCSC accredits private, postsecondary, non-degree-granting institutions and degree-granting institutions, including those granting associate, baccalaureate, and master’s degrees that are predominantly organized to educate students in career-oriented areas of study to include institutions that offer distance education.

Limitation of Scope

The Commission may decline to consider for accreditation otherwise eligible schools if it determines that the program offered by an applicant fall outside of the Commission’s primary scope and competence or there is a lack of standards necessary for meaningful review. Schools primarily directed toward avocational or general education objectives are ineligible for accreditation by the Commission.



Educational Objectives

The school’s primary educational objective must be to prepare students for entrance or advancement in one or more occupations requiring technical or career oriented competencies and skills.

A school may have educational objectives other than those described above (e.g., GED preparation, refresher training, avocational courses, continuing education, etc.); however any such educational objectives may not have greater priority within the school’s mission and operations than its career-oriented educational objective.

A school may not advertise these educational objectives in a manner that would represent them as within the scope of the Commission’s accreditation.

A school may enter into contractual arrangements with business, industry, or government agencies for group training purposes. The school may represent these training programs as within the scope of the Commission’s accreditation only if the programs have been recognized or approved in accordance with accrediting requirements.

Legal and Disclosure Requirements

A school must describe itself consistently to each accrediting agency, state agency, and federal agency with regard to identity (i.e., main school, branch, or equivalent), purpose, governance, programs, credentials awarded, personnel, finances, and constituents served, and must keep each agency apprised of any change in its status.

A school must be in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local government requirements. In cases where accrediting standards and federal or state government requirements differ, the more stringent will apply. If conflicts exist between federal or state requirements and accrediting standards, the federal or state requirements will take precedence.






2. Institutional Eligibility Requirements – Initial Applicant

Institutional Eligibility Requirements - Initial Applicant

Before the Commission will accept a school’s Application for Initial Accreditation, the school must demonstrate that it meets the following eligibility criteria:

i. The school must fall within the Commission’s scope

ii. The school must have all necessary authorizations from the state(s) in which it operates and be in compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal requirements

iii. At the time of application, the school must have been appropriately licensed by the state(s) in which it operates and training students continuously for the preceding two consecutive years (except for regularly scheduled breaks and vacation periods) and must commit to operating continuously thereafter.

iv. The school must have graduated at least one class of students from the longest program(s) offered during the two-year period preceding its application for accreditation.

Prior to a grant of initial accreditation, the school must be able to provide student achievement outcomes for its programs prepared in accordance with the Commission’s student achievement reporting requirements.

v. The school must be financially sound with sufficient resources for its proper operation and discharge of its obligations to students.

The school must demonstrate two years of operating history through the submission of financial statements that are prepared in accordance with the Instructions for the Preparation and Submission of Financial Statements and Related Information and that show that the school has met the financial tests for initial applicants included in those instructions.



Chapter 2 – Substantive Standards

Section I – Management and Administrative Operations

C. Financial Stability and Responsibility

The financial structure of the school is sound, with resources sufficient for the proper operation of the school and the discharge of obligations to its students. Financial statements must be prepared in accordance with generally acceptable accounting principles, the ACCSC Instructions for the Submission of Financial Statements and Financial Reporting, and all applicable federal, state, and local requirements.

Instructions for the Preparation and Submission of Financial Statements and Related Information

• Provide specific requirements that institutions must meet in preparing financial statement submissions. An institution that is unable to provide financial statements in accordance with these requirements cannot provide assurance that it can fulfill its obligations to students and may cause the Commission to question the administrative capability of the institution.

• Required to submit AUDITED financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) by an independent certified public accountant licensed by the state to perform such services.

• The financial statements must be prepared using the accrual basis of accounting. Financial Statements prepared using the income tax or cash basis will not be accepted.

An Application for Initial Accreditation will not be accepted from an institution when the financial statements show any of the following:

a. Net loss for the two most recent fiscal years;

b. Negative net worth for the two most recent fiscal years; or

c. Negative cash flow from operations for the most recent fiscal year.






2. Institutional Eligibility Requirements – Initial Applicant

Institutional Eligibility Requirements - Initial Applicant (cont’d)

vi. The school must, at a minimum, offer at least one program that is 300 clock hours or longer in length.

vii. Within the six months prior to submitting an Application for Initial Accreditation, the school’s full-time on-site director or appropriate management team representative must attend an ACCSC Accreditation Workshop.

viii. The school’s Application for Initial Accreditation must be complete.

Initial Accreditation Workshop Session C


ACCSC Accreditation Workshop – Session C 1

After the Workshop - Initial Application I. Attend Accreditation Workshop – March 10-11, 2014 II. Submit Application for Initial Accreditation - Part I no later than September 11, 2014 - Must be electronically

submitted within six (6) months of workshop and must be accepted no later than six (6) months after submission.

A. School electronically submits two (2) copies of Application for Initial Accreditation - Part I with

bookmarks.

B. Processing fee ($500) submitted with Application for Initial Accreditation - Part I

C. The ACCSC Financial Review Committee will evaluate the year-end financial statements (audited statements) submitted with the Application for Initial Accreditation - Part I prior to the acceptance of this application. Statements must be submitted in compliance with ACCSC’s Instructions for the Preparation and Submission of Financial Statements. • Should the financial statements indicate that the institution may not be able to achieve financial

viability, the Committee will instruct staff to advise the institution that pursuit of accreditation will rely upon a demonstration of financial viability in accordance with Section I (C)(1), Substantive Standards, Standards of Accreditation.

Workshop Application for Accreditation Part I

Due Date Maximum Time Frame Due Date for

Application for Accreditation Part II, and Self Evaluation Report

March 10-11, 2014 September 11, 2014 Six (6) months from the date that the Application for Accreditation – Part I is

accepted. In order to facilitate the Financial Review Committee analysis of the year-end financial statements, ACCSC has identified above, a distinct deadline for submission of the Application for Initial Accreditation - Part I. The school must submit the Application for Initial Accreditation - Part I on or before the designated deadline in order to move forward with the accreditation process:

D. Application reviewed for compliance by staff.

1. If Application for Initial Accreditation - Part I is not in compliance, the school is sent letter requesting corrections.

2. If school application is not accepted within six (6) months of submission, the school must

begin the process from the beginning (attend accreditation workshop). 3. Upon acceptance, the school is sent an Application Acceptance Letter.


After the Workshop - Initial Application

III. Electronic submission of Application for Initial Accreditation - Part II and Initial Self Evaluation Report (SER)

within six (6) months of acceptance of application.

A. School electronically submits two (2) copies of Self Evaluation Report with appropriate exhibits. B. School electronically submits two (2) copies of Application for Initial Accreditation - Part II with

appropriate exhibits and non-refundable processing fee of $2000* C. School submits Orientation On-Site Evaluation Fee ($1400) D. Team Evaluation scheduled, usually within 2-3 months after SER, Application and fees are received. IV. Orientation On-Site Evaluation

A. ACCSC staff Contacts the school and schedules the date for Orientation On-Site Evaluation. B. SER and Application for Initial Accreditation - Part II are reviewed and needed corrections/revisions

noted. C. School is sent a copy of the Orientation On-Site Evaluation Report with 45-60 days following the On-

Site Evaluation.

V. After the Orientation On-Site Evaluation A. School electronically submits four (4) updated copies each of the accepted Application for Initial

Accreditation - Part II, with appropriate attachments, and its revised SER, with exhibits. B. On-Site Evaluation Team Fee ($6,000 {estimated}) must be submitted with copies of SER/Application,

Part II C. ACCSC staff schedules the full team On-Site Evaluation within 2-3 months after SER/Application Part II

and fee are received. VI. Preparations for the Site On-Site Evaluation A. ACCSC staff schedules date for the full team on-site evaluation. B. ACCSC staff assembles the On-Site Evaluation Team, including: 1. Team Leader\Management Specialist 2. Education Specialist 3. ACCSC Staff Member 4. Occupation/Subject Specialist(s) 5. Distance Education Specialist (if required) 6. State Observer (invited) C. Team members are approved by the school. D. ACCSC staff survey graduates and employers. E. School coordinates phone conference with program advisory committee (to occur during full team On-

Site Evaluation).


After the Workshop - Initial Application VII. On-Site Evaluation Activities A. ACCSC On-Site Evaluation team conducts breakfast meeting. B. On-Site Evaluation Team tours school facility. C. ACCSC conducts school evaluation (Two Days) D. Team Summary Report (TSR) is drafted on-.site E. Exit Interview is conducted with school. VIII. Commission Meeting Timetable

A. Four (4) regular Commission Meetings are scheduled each year: February, May, August, and November

B. Commission reviews school documents. 1. Application for Accreditation, Parts I and II 2. SER 3. TSR 4. School’s response(s) to TSR 5. Team leader/school’s response(s) IX. Commission Actions A. Possible actions that the Accrediting Commission can take: 1. Accreditation 2. Accreditation with Stipulations 3. Deferral 4. Fail to Grant Accreditation (The following actions are only for accredited institutions upon renewal.) 5. Probation 6. Show Cause 7. Removal 8. Fail to approve transfer of accreditation B. Appeal process for Adverse Actions only.** * On-Site Evaluation Team fee is determined by the size of On-Site Evaluation team. The amount of $5250 assumes one Occupation Specialist. Each additional local Occupation Specialist incurs an additional $250 processing fee. **Adverse Actions are: Removal, Fail to Grant, or Fail to Approve Transfer of Accreditation.


Appendix II Applications, Reports, and Forms

The reports, forms, and exhibits that schools must submit to inform the Commission of any changes that affect the educational purposes, programs, administrative functions, or management of the school

• These reports are critical to the Commission’s ability to determine compliance with accrediting standards

• The school is responsible for monitoring when appropriate reports need to be filed

• The Commission is no longer able to accept information presented in any language other

than English.

• Obtain Forms from the ACCSC Website: http://www.accsc.org/ Application for Initial Accreditation – Part I Collects information about the school and its programs, and determines compliance with ACCSC eligibility criteria Application for Initial Accreditation – Part II Provides information about the school and its programs, and documentation regarding state/federal agency approvals, advertising, catalog, enrollment agreement, facilities, insurance, financials Self-Evaluation Report

• Reflective document, narrative responses to a series of questions about the school in all areas of the standards

• Provides an assessment of compliance with accrediting standards • Can used as the basis for an institutional assessment and improvement plan

http://www.accsc.org/

http://www.accsct.org/Content/FormsAndReports/FormsAndReports.asp




Submitting Your Application for Accreditation

Initially, two (2) copies of the Application for Initial Accreditation - Part I, with attachments,

must be submitted in accordance with ACCSC’s Instructions for Electronic Submission.

The report should be appropriately bookmarked (Instructions for Electronic Submission).

Two (2) copies of the school’s two (2) most recent year-end financial statements must be sent

under separate cover. (Audited Statements prepared according to the Instructions for the

Preparation and Submission of Financial Statements and Related Information).

All copies of CDs should be sent to the Commission office by Certified Mail, Return Receipt

Requested, or other means by which shipment can be traced, if necessary.


How Do I Bookmark The Application For Initial Accreditation – Part I?

The Application for Initial Accreditation – Part I consists of seven (7) individual sections. In order to facilitate the timely review of the application, ACCSC encourages the implementation of the following headings on the bookmarks of the Application for Initial Accreditation – Part I:

1. Application Processing Fee 2. Accreditation Workshop Participation 3. Program Chart 4. Current State License 5. Satellite Location Report 6. Audited Financial Statements 7. Other Relevant Information


Fees Incurred During the Accreditation Process

Initial Accreditation Workshop $550 Initial Application - Part I Fee: $500 Initial Application - Part II Fee: $2,000 Orientation Evaluation Fee $1,400 On-site Evaluation Fee $6,000* Total: $10,450 *Fee based upon the inclusion of one local occupation specialist;


Chapter 1 - Rules of Process and Procedure

Section VII - Commission Actions Accreditation Initial Accreditation: Applicants for initial accreditation that are found to be in compliance with accreditation standards and requirements of the Commission will be granted accreditation status. The term of accreditation for schools seeking an initial grant of accreditation is a maximum of three years, but may be less at the discretion of the Commission. Maximum Grant of Initial Accreditation The Commission has found that that granting shorter periods for the first term of accreditation allows for an opportunity to identify and correct accreditation problem areas sooner as schools will have the benefit of the Commission’s Accreditation Workshop and the self-evaluation process which prepares the school for accreditation review. Accordingly, the Commission has revised the Process and Procedures section of the Standards of Accreditation to state that, “[t]he term of accreditation for schools seeking an initial grant of accreditation is a maximum of three years, but may be less at the discretion of the Commission.” Stipulations The Commission may require a school to submit a response to one or more stipulations when there is evidence that there are deficiencies in the school’s compliance with accreditation standards or requirements. Stipulations are generally those items that can be corrected within a relatively short period of time.

• All stipulations must be met before a Commission decision to grant initial or renewal of accreditation becomes effective.

Reporting The Commission may require a school to submit a report (e.g., financial, refund, graduation, employment, etc.) when interim monitoring is necessary or required in conjunction with any accrediting process, procedure, or substantive standard included in the Standards of Accreditation.


Chapter 1 - Rules of Process and Procedure Section VII - Commission Actions

Deferral of Action The Commission may defer action if additional information is required for the school to demonstrate compliance with the Standards of Accreditation or other accreditation requirements. The Commission will consider:

• The extent to which the school can make significant progress toward accreditation within a short period of time;

• Whether there is insufficient information about the school; and • Whether the necessary information for the Commission to render a decision is

lacking. Denial of Accreditation A denial of accreditation will apply when the Commission determines from the record of an applicant for initial accreditation that the school does not meet the requirements specified in the Standards of Accreditation or other accreditation requirements and therefore addition to the list of accredited schools is not warranted. Appeals • Described in Chapter 1 – Rules of Process and Procedure, Section VIII, Standards of

Accreditation • The appeal procedure is the exclusive remedy for a school that believes that an adverse

accreditation decision by the Commission is unwarranted

• A school affected by an adverse accreditation action taken by the Commission may appeal that decision if it has reason to believe the Commission’s decision was arbitrary, capricious, or otherwise in substantial disregard of the criteria or procedures of the Commission, or not supported by substantial evidence in the record on which the Commission took action.

• Fee for Application for Appeal of a Commission Decision: $5,000

• Fee for returning to a workshop: $550

Initial Accreditation Workshop Session D


ACCSC Accreditation Workbook – Session D 1

The Standards of Accreditation

For Session D

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Reflection on Institutional Assessment and Improvement Key Concepts

Key Concepts - Ongoing A process that is an integral part of the culture of the institution, rather than a perfunctory compliance task Why is it important to plan?

• Planning is essential to achieving sustained excellence.

• Ongoing assessment enables an institution to evaluate its own objectives and internal processes as well as external factors and to use that assessment to set effective and efficient goals for maximizing the school’s success in achieving its objectives.

Key Concepts –Appropriate to the Size and Scale of School Operations Assessment • Assessment is foundation to developing an effective improvement plan.

• A thorough assessment analyzes the effectiveness of each area of current school

operations.

• This can be accomplished by responding to a series of questions that encourage reflection about the school’s performance, such as “what is our current process, why are we doing it this way, has it been successful, and what would make this better?”

Assessment

• ACCSC’s Self-Evaluation Report is a tool that can be used to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the school.

• This analysis provides the school with a comprehensive understanding that serves as a basis for decision-making relative to future improvements.

Key Concepts – Goals Goal Setting With the understanding that results from a thorough assessment, the school can then move forward to setting meaningful goals in each area that are appropriate of the size and scale of the school’s operations.



• For example, if by examining its annual report outcomes data, the school finds that its graduation rates for this year are lower than last year, this year’s institutional assessment and improvement plan can include a goal to improve retention rates.

• The school will include short-range goals that address immediate needs and also long-

range goals relative to future development. • There should be a logical relationship between the goals of the plan, and the

assessment of the school operations. Goal Development – Get Specific

• Once a goal is established, the school develops a detailed course of action for achieving the goal.

• This step is critical to ensuring the school’s strategy for implementing its plan will be

successful.

• Establishing a complete and realistic set of activities and timelines required to achieve the goal enables the school to delegate work and assign resources effectively and determine timelines appropriately.

• Describing the activities, assignments and timelines in detail shows that completion of

the process will result in attainment of the goal. Key Concepts – Measurable Benchmarks Evaluate Achievement of the Goal with Benchmarks

• Having established a set of goals and an improvement process, the school can now develop its method for measuring success in achieving those goals.

• For example, if the school has a goal to increase student retention through a more

rigorous admission process, success could be measured through evaluating the academic progress of students who were admitted under the new criteria to find out if the new strategies are effective in achieving the stated goals.



o How else could we measure progress toward this goal?

• Evaluating the successful implementation of each goal allows the school to make the necessary adjustments to ensure that its resources are expended on the most effective strategies.

Key Concepts – Implementation Documented Results

• Maintaining documentation of the overall institutional assessment and improvement planning process creates a historic record of the success of this process.

• This record provides valuable insight for future managers that will enhance the effectiveness of future planning efforts.

Key Concepts – Comprehensive At a minimum, do you have a goal in each area set forth in the standard?

Resource! ACCSC Monograph Series

Institutional Assessment and Improvement Planning and Implementation


Section I Management and Administrative Operations

Key Concepts from Section I

Challenges

Strategies Resources


Section II Program Requirements

Key Concepts from Section II

Challenges


ACCSC Accreditation Workshop – Session D 7

PROGRAM CHART

School Name: ABC Technical Institute School Number: 123456 Date: December 1, 2011

Address: 1234 Main Street City: Indiana State: PA Zip Code: 15701

Program Title

Cloc

k Ho

urs

Cred

it Ho

urs

Cred

it Ho

ur

Type

Cred

entia

l Aw

arde

d

Exte

rnsh

ip %

Prog

ram

Le

ngth

in

Mon

ths

Date

of

1st

Grad

uatin

g Cl

ass

Enro

llmen

t Ca

paci

ty

Pres

ent

Enro

llmen

t

Num

ber o

f In

stru

ctor

s

Days of Attendance Hours of Attendance

% o

f Pro

gram

at

this

Loca

tion*

FT PT M T W T F S S From To

Electrical Technician 1872 72 Sem. AST 10% 16 1979 40 30 3 2 X X X X X 8:00 3:00 100%

Drafting 1872 72 Sem. AST 10% 16 1983 40 22 3 1 X X X X X 8:00 3:00 100%

Building Maintenance 936 36 Sem. Diploma 10% 12 1991 40 18 2 1 X X X X X 5:00 10:00 100%

Welding 936 36 Sem. Diploma 10% 8 2002 40 33 3 2 X X X X X 8:00 3:00 100%

* If less than 100% of the program is offered at this location, complete page 2 of the Program Chart.

Revised 3/15/2007


IF A PORTION (LESS THAN 100%) OF ANY PROGRAM INDICATED ON PAGE 1 IS OFFERED AT ANOTHER FACILITY, COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING CHART FOR THAT FACILITY.

Program Title Percentage of Program Offered at the Main School

ACCSC School #:________________

Percentage of Program Offered at an Approved Branch Campus

ACCSC School #:________________

Percentage of Program Offered at an Approved Satellite Location

ACCSC School #:________________ N/a


Section III Educational Administration &

Faculty Qualifications Key Concepts from Section III

Challenges



Section IV Student Recruitment

Key Concepts from Section IV

Challenges



CATALOG CHECKLIST

Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges

This checklist must be cross-referenced to and accompanied by the school's catalog. Name of School: School Number: City: State: Zip Code: This exhibit serves as a detailed index to aid reviewers in finding specified portions in the catalog. A copy of this checklist is to accompany each catalog copy sent to the Commission. The checklist is marked to show page numbers (or references to specific covers or supplements) on which each required item is included. The catalog is marked to correspond to the item numbers on the checklist. The catalog of an accredited school must include the following items. If any item is not included, the catalog must refer to the supplement/addendum which contains the item and the supplement/addendum must refer to the catalog. The supplement/addendum must contain the school’s name and location and the effective date of the supplement/addendum. As per the Standards of Accreditation, the catalog must be designed, written, printed, and bound to convey an accurate and dignified impression of the school. The catalog’s illustrations, photos and narrative must pertain directly to the school and sources of illustrations and photos must be clearly identified.

Item Number Catalog Checklist Item Page

Number(s)

1. The title of the publication (i.e., “catalog”).

2. The name and address of the school.

3. The date of publication (month/year).

4. The school’s mission statement.

5. A statement of the school’s history.

6. A description of the school’s general physical facilities and equipment.

7. The maximum number of students in typical classroom or laboratory/shop settings of instruction.

8. The educational objectives of each program, including the name, nature and level of occupations (e.g., entry-level) for which training is provided.

9. The admission requirements for each program.

10. The admission procedures.

11. The transfer-of-credit policy to include the criteria and process for evaluating and accepting credit earned at other institutions for transfer.

12. The total number of clock hours or credit hours as applicable for each course and program.

13. As applicable, the type of credit hour awarded, semester or quarter.

14. The length of time in weeks or months normally required for completion of each program.


CATALOG CHECKLIST Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges

This checklist must be cross-referenced to and accompanied by the school's catalog. Name of School: School Number:

Item Number

Catalog Checklist Item Page Number(s)

15. A clear description of each program offered by the school to include the title, educational objectives, scope and sequence, course descriptions, and the name, nature and level of occupations (e.g., entry-level) for which training is provided.

16. The policy relating to attendance.

17. The policy relating to make-up work.

18. The policy relating to conduct.

19. The policy relating to probation and termination.

20. The grading / assessment system(s) used.

21. The satisfactory progress policy.

22. The required levels of performance for graduation.

23. The academic credential (certificate, diploma, or degree) awarded upon graduation for each program.

24.

The tuition and other student charges related to the enrollment, such as deposits, fees, books, supplies, tools, equipment, transportation, and any other "extras" e.g., make-up work, special testing, equipment, late charges, or other school services for which a student may be responsible.

25.

The refund policy and a statement indicating where information regarding any applicable third party funding agency refund or return of funds policies (e.g., Title IV, Veterans Administration, WIA, etc.) may be obtained. (Please note that the refund policy in the school’s catalog must be consistently disclosed in the school’s enrollment agreement – see Section I (D) (5) & (6), Substantive Standards, Standards of Accreditation).

26. A detailed and explicit description of the extent and nature of employment assistance available to students and/or graduates.

27. A detailed description of the nature and extent of all available student services and how students go about obtaining such services.

28. A calendar for the school year including vacation periods, breaks, holidays, etc.

29. A list all separate facilities. If a separate catalog is used for a separate facility, it must include the name and location of the main school or branch.*

30. The complaint policy and procedures which includes, at a minimum, all items required in the Student Complaint Procedures of the ACCSC Complaint Review Process Form .**


CATALOG CHECKLIST Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges

31.

If the school offers a course with secondary objectives,*** a designation and disclosure that clearly shows the course(s) are not within the school’s scope of accredited programs, except those that fall under item #32 of this checklist.

32.

If the school offers a course with secondary objectives that have been approved by ACCSC to be included as within the school’s scope of institutional accreditation, the school’s catalog must include: • A statement making clear the course is not vocational in nature and does not lead to

initial employment; • A course description that clearly shows the clock hour length, length in days or weeks,

and educational scope of the course; • Whether the course is a prerequisite or provides credit toward any vocational

program offered within the school; • The type of completion document provided by the school upon completion; • The refund policy; and • The complaint policy in accordance with #30 of this checklist.

* Item #29 – Section VIII (D)(3), Substantive Standards, Standards of Accreditation indicates that a branch may advertise and disclose its relationship to the main school only after the approval of the Application for a Branch – Part I. A satellite location may disclose its recognized status and relationship to the main school only after it has been granted recognition by the Commission. Schools submitting a proposed branch catalog should not include the proposed branch’s affiliation to the main school until the Commission has approved the Application for a Branch – Part I. ** Item #30 – Section IV(D)(1), Substantive Standards, Standards of Accreditation requires that institutions avoid the use of ACCSC accredited status in a false or misleading manner. Therefore, applicant schools and proposed branches should not publish Catalog Checklist Item #30 in the applicant school’s catalog or proposed branch’s catalog. Rather, applicant schools and proposed branches should submit - with each copy of the school’s catalog submitted for Commission review - a draft copy of Checklist Item #30 for inclusion in the school’s catalog upon a grant of accreditation. *** Item #31 – See Section I (B)(1)(d)(ii) Rules of Process and Procedure, Standards of Accreditation.

that a branch may advertise and disclose its relationship to the main school only after the approval of the Application for a Branch – Part I. A satellite location may disclose its recognized status and relationship to the main school only after it has been granted recognition by the Commission. Schools submitting a proposed branch catalog should not include the proposed branch’s affiliation to


ENROLLMENT AGREEMENT CHECKLIST

This checklist must be cross-referenced to and accompanied by the school's catalog. Name of School: School Number: City: State: Zip Code: This exhibit serves as a detailed index to aid reviewers in finding specified portions of the enrollment agreement. A copy of this checklist is to accompany each enrollment agreement copy sent to the Commission. The checklist is marked to show the page numbers on which each item is included. The enrollment agreement is marked to correspond to the item numbers on the Checklist. The enrollment agreement of an accredited school must include all required items (Items 1 through 19). The school’s enrollment agreement may also include conditional items (Items 20 through 28) which disclose and outline any other conditions, circumstances, or qualifications imposed by the school, or otherwise applicable. REQUIRED ITEMS:

Item Number

Enrollment Agreement Checklist Item Page Number(s)

1. Title of agreement.

2. Name and address of school.

3. Program title.

4. Number of clock hours (or credit units, if applicable), including the number of weeks or months required for graduation.

5. Type of document (certificate, diploma, or degree) awarded upon graduation.

6. The tuition period which the agreement covers (e.g., quarter, semester, etc.) and the number and length of such periods required for graduation must be clearly disclosed.

7.

Tuition and other student charges related to the enrollment, such as deposits, fees, books, supplies, tools, equipment, transportation, and any other “extras” e.g., make-up work, special testing, equipment, late charges, or other school services for which a student may be responsible.

8. Payment method and terms of payment.

9. Starting date of program.

10. Specific times of class attendance.

11. Grounds for cancellation / termination by the school.

12. Procedures for cancellation / termination by the student (see also Section IV (A)(14)(a-b), Substantive Standards, Standards of Accreditation).

13. The school’s refund policy as disclosed in the school’s catalog (see also Section I (D)(5) & (6), Substantive Standards, Standards of Accreditation).

14. Disclaimer of employment guarantee.


ENROLLMENT AGREEMENT CHECKLIST This checklist must be cross-referenced to and accompanied by the school's enrollment agreement. Name of School: School Number:

Item Number

Enrollment Agreement Checklist Item Page Number(s)

15. Acknowledgment that student has read and received a copy of the agreement. The statement must be in large and conspicuous print.

16. Signature of applicant and date signed (parent or other sponsor may sign, if applicable).

17. Signature of appropriate school official (excluding those involved in recruiting) and acceptance date.

18. Other items required by various governmental bodies (such as state licensing and approval agencies).

19. If the agreement is presented on more than one page, it must clearly and conspicuously refer the student to succeeding pages.

CONDITIONAL ITEMS:

20. Reasons and maximum period for possible delay of scheduled starting date with list of alternatives and effect on the refund policy.

21. Nature and extent of possible changes in program content, materials, or schedule and extra expenses to the student.

22. Special graduation conditions or requirements must be listed.

23.

Compliance with appropriate state and local retail installment requirements (e.g., type size, notice to buyer, computation box, etc.), as well as compliance with Federal Truth-In-Lending requirements (Regulation Z) if more than four payments are scheduled (e.g., mention of interest rates) must be outlined. The school’s enrollment agreement must contain a statement if there is a separate retail sales contract and, at a minimum, incorporate that document in the enrollment agreement by reference.

24. If the school reserves the right to adjust tuition rates before completion of the program, specific points in the program at which tuition changes may occur (school year, quarter, etc.) and the amount of reasonable advance notice to students must be outlined.

25. Requirements that student (and financial sponsors, if any) authorize the sale, discount or transfer of agreement or promissory notes and statement that the refund policy continues to apply must be outlined.

26. Name of the field representative and compliance with Federal Trade Commission door-to-door sales rule must be disclosed for any contacts made away from the school premises.

27.

If a parent company, headquarters, or other organization or agency, separate from the school, is involved in the student contact or relations, name and address of the company or agency, nature of the anticipated contact or relations, role of the school in arranging the contact and in settlement of possible disputes must be outlined.

28. Additional disclosures of rights, obligations, requirements, and conditions created by the enrollment agreement not specifically identified herein must be outlined.

29.

If the school offers a course with secondary objectives* that have been approved by ACCSC to be included as within the school’s scope of institutional accreditation, the school must use an Enrollment Agreement in conformance with will all items of the Enrollment Agreement Checklist (replace “program” with “course” in the requirements).

* See Section I (B)(1)(d)(ii) Rules of Process and Procedure, Standards of Accreditation.


Section V Admission Policies and Practices

Key Concepts from Section V

Challenges



Section VI Student Services Key Concepts from Section VI

Challenges



Section VII Student Progress Key Concepts from Section VII

Challenges


ACCSC Accreditation Workshop – Session D

19


Glossary of Terms Used on the Graduation and Employment Chart All Data Included in the Graduation and Employment Chart Must Be Verifiable Through Appropriate Documentation

1. Class Start Date: The month and year each student cohort, or groups of student cohorts students started (a group of student cohorts occurs when there are multiple class starts within a single month). 2. Number Started: The number of students who started in the program for each start date in the period, including students entering with advanced placement. Start: Students are considered to have been in attendance for reporting purposes (Start) if, as a result of their attendance, they incur a tuition/fee or other financial obligation as specified by the institution’s refund policy. Fees or other obligations (i.e., uniforms, tools, etc.) are only those associated with actual attendance; not those considered part of the application for admission or enrollment process. In any event, any student enrolled 15 days from the scheduled start date of the program must be classified as a “start” for the purpose of reporting students on the Graduation and Employment Chart.

3. Transfers to Another Program: The total number of students who transferred out of this program and into another program at the school.

4. Transfers from Another Program: The total number of students who transferred into this program from another program at the school, and whose progress in the program is concurrent with the students in this class start date. 5. Total Starts plus/minus Transfers (Line 5 = 2-3+4): The total number of students who started, minus those who transferred out, plus those who transferred in. This is the total number of students on which graduation will be based.

6. Unavailable for Graduation: This category removes from the graduation rate calculation students who fall into one of the following classifications: death, incarceration, active military service deployment, or the onset of a medical condition that prevents continued enrollment.

7. Available for Graduation (Line 7=5-6): The total number of student available for graduation from the program.

8. Withdrawn / Terminated Students: The number of students who withdrew or were terminated, within 150% of the program length, from the program. This number does not include the student classified as "Unavailable for Graduation" (Line 6).

9. Graduates within 150% of Program Length: The number of students who graduated from the program within 150% of the stated program length.

10. GRADUATION RATE: The school's official graduation rate for each cohort and for the program for the reporting period (Line 10 = 9/7).

11. Graduates - Further Education: The number of graduates that continue on with education in an accredited institution of higher education (postsecondary) on at least a half-time basis.

12. Graduates - Unavailable for Employment (formerly "other unavailable"): This category removes from the employment rate calculation graduates who fall into one of the following categories: death, incarceration, active military service deployment, the onset of a medical condition that prevents employment, or international students who have returned to their country of origin.

13. Available for Employment (Line 13 = 9-11-12): The total number of students available for employment.

14. Graduates - Employed in Field: The number of graduates employed in jobs for which the program trained them. NOTE: Graduates classified as employed must be supported by documentation showing position obtained, date employed, employer, and employer contact person, address, and phone.

15. EMPLOYMENT RATE: The school's official rate of graduate job attainment for each cohort and for the program for the reporting period (Line 15=14/13). The school's official rate of employment is that which is used to determine compliance with accreditation requirements.

16. Graduates in Unrelated Occupations: The number of graduates employed in jobs not related to the training obtained from the school’s program.

17. Graduates Unemployed: The number of unemployed graduates.

18. Graduates Unknown: The number of graduates for which no information about employment or unemployment is available.

19. Non-Graduated Students Who Obtained Training Related Employment: The number of withdrawn/terminated students from Line 8 who obtain employment in a field related to the program in which the student was enrolled and based upon the training provided by the school.

20. Employment Rate with Non-Graduated Students Who Obtained Training Related Employment: The school's supplemental employment rate which calculates the total number or graduated and non-graduated students who obtained training related employment.

ACCSC Accreditation Workshop – Session D

21


How to Determine Reporting Periods for the Graduation and Employment Chart

REMEMBER: You must submit a Graduation and Employment Chart for each educational program offered at your school. If a program is offered both full time and part time, a separate chart will be required for each. The reporting periods will differ among individual programs with different program length(s). To determine the reporting period that you will use for graduation and employment data, complete the following for each educational program: 1. Length of the program in months. ________ months 2. Multiply that number by 1.5. ________ months 3. Add three (3) months (to allow for placement of graduates). ________ months 4. Count back the number of months in item 3 from the current date. This date will be the end date of the reporting period. End Date = _____________ month/day/year 5. Now, count back an additional 12 months to determine the start date of the reporting period for this program. Start Date = __________ month/day/year WHY DO WE USE THESE FIGURES? All students must graduate from their programs within 1.5 times the normal program length, so all students who start a 12-month program must finish within an 18-month period. To be fair to the school, we allow an additional three (3) months for employment, so in this case 21 months is allowed. Therefore, in the determination of graduation and employment rates, the formula allows up to 21 months for graduation and employment of students in one-year programs.


How to Determine Reporting Periods for the Graduation and Employment Chart

Example:

Assumption: 12-month program Report Date: March 2012 (03/12)

Length of Program = 12 months Multiply Length by 1.5 times = 18 months Add Three Months for Placement = 21 months

End of Reporting Period: March 2012 minus 21 months

May 2010

Start of Reporting Period: May 2010 minus 12 months

June 2009 In this example, the school should report only those students who started the program between April 2006 and March 2007


ACCSC Established Benchmark Graduation and Employment Rates

Effective July 1, 2012 The Commission determines the established benchmark rates of student graduation and graduate employment for its accredited schools from information collected in Annual Report submissions (see Section VII (C), Substantive Standards, Standards of Accreditation). The following student achievement rates are in effect for all Graduation and Employment Charts that use a Report Date of July 1, 2012 and later. These rates remain in effect until further notice.

ESTABLISHED BENCHMARK GRADUATION RATES

Program Length in Months

Average Rates of Graduation Demonstrates Acceptable Student

Achievement

Standard Deviation

Established Benchmark Graduation Rates*

1-3 92% 8% 84%

4-6 82% 13% 69%

7-9 69% 14% 55%

10-12 69% 15% 54%

13-15 61% 16% 45%

16-18 59% 17% 42%

19-24 56% 20% 36%

25-35 55% 22% 33%

36+ 47% 15% 32% *If a school reports a lower graduation rate for a program, that program will be subject to additional monitoring or reporting as deemed appropriate.

ESTABLISHED BENCHMARK EMPLOYMENT RATE

Average Rate of Employment Demonstrates Acceptable Student

Achievement

Standard Deviation

Established Benchmark Employment Rate*

All Programs 78% 12% 66% *If a school reports a lower employment rate for a program, that program will be subject to additional monitoring or reporting as deemed appropriate.

Please note that if a school reports a graduation or employment rate that is less than the established benchmark rates set forth above, the school will have an opportunity to demonstrate, with supporting documentation, the successful achievement of its students by taking into account additional factors the school relates to measuring academic success. These factors may include internal improvements made to a school, other reliable indicators of successful student learning, as well as external factors (e.g., market conditions) reasonably related to student achievement (See Section VII (B)(1)(b)(iii), Substantive Standards, Standards of Accreditation).

Initial Accreditation Workshop Session E


ACCSC Accreditation Workbook – Session E 1

The BIG Finish

Toolkit Website

Brochures ACCSC Staff


Key Concepts

Standards = Best Practices Ongoing Assessment

Comprehensive Planning Strong Infrastructure/Resources

Continuous Improvement

From Challenges to Plan of Action Assessment – where are we?

Goal - where do we want to be? How are we going to get there?

Benchmarks – how are we going to measure success? Timelines – when?

Parting Thoughts

If you could say one thing to a school considering ACCSC accreditation, what would it be?


Key Concepts

Ask yourself – why do we want to be accredited?

Be prepared to constantly use the system

Focus on Excellence Rather than just barely meeting the standard, understand

the “spirit” of the standard

Transformation Understand that accreditation involves a transformation from the business model to the accredited school model

Use the Tools

Set up infrastructure, management, cross train


Key Concepts

Don’t Guess! Pick up the phone… or keyboard

Read the Standards

Everyone at the school needs to be knowledgeable about the standards

Assessment/Comparison

Look to external sources for information and guidance

Don’t Focus on the Passing Grade Learn how to grow through the process of accreditation


SLOW DOWN !

It is not about US; it is about YOU

QUESTIONS FROM DAY ONE

What changes will I need to make? Do I have the resources to be successful?

Is this a good fit?

Initial Accreditation Workshop Workbook Appendices


INSTRUCTIONS FOR ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION

Page 1 of 7 Revised 100109

The electronic submission of applications and reports to ACCSC enhances the use of technology within the accreditation process. In order to facilitate more efficient collection and dissemination of school information, the Commission permits the submission of electronic documents when the requirements set forth in these instructions are met. The following applications, reports and responses as specified in these Instructions for Electronic Submission may be submitted to ACCSC electronically:

• Application for Renewal of Accreditation • Application for Initial Accreditation, Parts I and II • Self Evaluation Report (not to include Occupation Specialist Information Packages) • Response to a Team Summary Report • Response to a Deferral, Show Cause, or Probation Action • Response to Stipulations as part of a Commission Action • Interim Reports • Applications for Substantive Changes and Non-substantive Changes • Fiscal Year-End Financial Statements • Application for Appeal of a Commission Decision • Other Responses and Reports

1. Electronic Submissions

ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION FORMAT REQUIREMENTS:

may not

2. All electronic documents must be submitted to ACCSC as one Portable Document Format (.pdf) file that has been prepared using Adobe Acrobat 6.0 Standard (or higher version) software. A “Portable Document Format (.pdf) file” means that the electronic document has been assembled into one file, not a series of separate files.

be transmitted to the Commission via e-mail.

3. All electronic documents must be submitted to ACCSC on compact disk (CD).

4. All electronic documents must include electronic bookmarks placed within the document in a manner that facilitate an easy and institutive navigation and review of the file.

5. All files, to include Applications for Renewal of Accreditation, Applications for Initial Accreditation ~ Parts I and II, the Self Evaluation Report, Responses to Team Summary Reports, substantive change applications, and other documents are to be submitted as one continuous PDF document

6. Any security features in the PDF document must be disabled.

using the Adobe Acrobat software and book-marking function in order to identify all of the attachments and exhibits contained within the file.

7. Only Portable Document Format (.pdf) files will be accepted. Do not submit files in other formats such as Microsoft Word or Excel, Word Perfect, TIFF, JPEG, etc.

8. Electronic submissions must be prepared in accordance with the checklist requirements listed within this document.

9. All CDs must be clearly labeled with the school name, address, ACCSC school number1

1 For initial applicants: Upon receipt of the Application for Initial Accreditation, Part I, ACCSC will assign the school a six-digit school number to be included on all future submissions to be considered by the Commission

and the title of the document(s) included on the CDs.



10. If the submission contains documentation that includes personal or confidential student or staff information that is not required for the Commission’s review (e.g., social security numbers, dates of birth, etc.), please remove or redact that information.

11. Failure to adhere to these instructions will result in the return of the electronic submission to the school and the assessment of a $500.00 late fee.

If an institution elects to send the Commission its submission on paper, the Commission has authorized the assessment of a $500 processing fee to convert the paper submission to an electronic format at the ACCSC office.

The submission of the CD must include the following:

Electronic Application for Renewal of Accreditation - Submission Checklist

A cover letter identifying the institution by name, address and six-digit school number and payment of the processing fee. Please also include a point of contact (name, phone number, and e-mail address) for the electronic submission.

The Application for Renewal of Accreditation must be formatted as one Portable Document Format (.pdf) file with electronic bookmarks that correspond to the application and each application attachment.

A bookmarked Table of Contents. Completed and signed Application for Renewal of Accreditation with a corresponding electronic

bookmark to indicate the location of the application. Documentation to support each Application Attachment using electronic bookmarks to indicate

the location of each attachment. If the school elect to submit additional exhibits, then include an electronic bookmark to indicate

the location of these documents.

Submit two CDs, each containing one PDF copy of the Application for Renewal of Accreditation within 45 days of attendance at the Accreditation Workshop. All

CDs must be clearly labeled with the school name, address, ACCSC school number and the title of the document(s) included on the CDs.


Electronic Application for Initial Accreditation, Part I Submission Checklist

A cover letter identifying the institution by name, address and payment of the processing fee. Please also include a point of contact (name, phone number, and e-mail address) for the electronic submission.

The Application for Initial Accreditation, Part I must be formatted as one Portable Document Format (.pdf) file with electronic bookmarks.

A bookmarked Table of Contents. Completed and signed Application for Initial Accreditation, Part I with a corresponding electronic

bookmark to indicate the location of the application. Documentation to support each Application Attachment using electronic bookmarks to indicate





Submit two CDs, each containing one PDF copy of the Application for Initial Accreditation, Part I within 6 months of attendance at the Accreditation Workshop. All


The Application for Initial Accreditation, Part II is due within 6 months of the acceptance of the Application for Initial Accreditation, Part I.


Electronic Application for Initial Accreditation, Part II - Submission Checklist

A cover letter identifying the institution by name, address and six-digit school number and payment of the processing fee. Please also include a point of contact (name, phone number, and e-mail address) for the electronic submission.

The Application for Initial Accreditation, Part II must be formatted as one Portable Document Format (.pdf) file with electronic bookmarks.

A bookmarked Table of Contents. Completed and signed Application for Initial Accreditation, Part II with a corresponding

electronic bookmark to indicate the location of the application. Documentation to support each Application Attachment using electronic bookmarks to indicate



Submit two CDs, each containing two PDF files: one for the Application for Initial Accreditation, Part II and one for the initial SER and exhibits. After the Orientation On-Site Evaluation, the school will submit four CDs, each containing two PDF files: one for the revise Application for Initial Accreditation, Part II and one for the revised SER and exhibits. (SEE Electronic Self-Evaluation Report for Initial Accreditation – Submission Checklist). All


The CD submission must include the following:

Electronic Self Evaluation Report (SER) for Renewal of Accreditation - Submission Checklist

A cover letter identifying the institution by name, address and six-digit school number and payment of the on-site evaluation team fee. Please also include a point of contact (name, phone number, and e-mail address) for the electronic submission.

The SER must be formatted as one Portable Document Format (.pdf) file. A bookmarked Table of Contents. The school’s revised Application for Renewal of Accreditation or the Application for Initial

Accreditation Part II with electronic bookmarks to indicate the location of the application and the attachments to the application.

Signed Certification Statement attesting to the accuracy of the data contained in the SER. Introduction Statement and instructions on how to navigate the document. Self Evaluation Report Question and School Narrative Response with electronic bookmarks to

indicate the location of the question and response as well as all pertinent information and documentation.



Documentation to support the narrative response with electronic bookmarks to indicate the location of this information.

Submit four CDs, each containing two PDF files: one for the Application for Renewal of Accreditation (revised) and one for the SER and exhibits. All


Each Occupation Specialist Information Package (as described in detail in the application acceptance letter) must be submitted as a bound package in hard copy form.


Electronic Self Evaluation Report (SER) for Initial Accreditation - Submission Checklist

A cover letter identifying the institution by name, address and six-digit school number and payment of the Orientation On-Site Evaluation Fee. Please also include a point of contact (name, phone number, and e-mail address) for the electronic submission.

The SER must be formatted as one Portable Document Format (.pdf) file. A bookmarked Table of Contents. The school’s Application for Initial Accreditation Part II with electronic bookmarks to indicate

the location of the application and the attachments to the application. Signed Certification Statement attesting to the accuracy of the data contained in the SER. Introduction Statement and instructions on how to navigate the document. Each Self-Evaluation Report Question and school narrative response with electronic bookmarks

to indicate the location of the question and response as well as all pertinent information and documentation.

Documentation to support the narrative response with electronic bookmarks to indicate the location of this information.

Submit two CDs, each containing two PDF files: one for the Application for Initial Accreditation, Part II and one for the initial SER and exhibits. All


After the Orientation On-Site Evaluation, the school will receive a copy of the Orientation On-Site Evaluation Report which will direct the school to submit four CDs, each containing two PDF files: one for the revised Application for Initial Accreditation, Part II and one for the revised SER and exhibits. This report will also direct the school to submit the on-site evaluation fee for the full-team on-site evaluation, and will direct the school to submit the required number of Occupation Specialist Information Packages. Each Occupation Specialist Information Package (as described in detail in the Orientation On-Site Evaluation Report) must be submitted as a bound package in hard copy form.


Response to a Team Summary Report - Submission Checklist:

A cover letter identifying the title of the submission. Please also include a point of contact (name, phone number, and e-mail address) for the electronic submission.

A bookmarked Table of Contents.



A copy of the Team Summary Report (.pdf). The response to the Team Summary Report must be formatted as one Portable Document Format

(.pdf) file. Signed Certification Statement attesting to the accuracy of the data contained in the response. Introduction Statement and instructions on how to navigate the document. Restatement of the Team Summary Report Concern and school narrative response with electronic

bookmarks to indicate the location of the response and all pertinent information and documentation.

Documentation to support the response, including any exhibits, with electronic bookmarks to indicate the location of the documentation.

Submit four CDs, each containing a PDF copy of the school’s response. All



Response to a Deferral, Show Cause Order, or Probation Order – Submission Checklist:


A bookmarked Table of Contents. A copy of the Commission letter (,pdf). The response to the Commission letter must be formatted as one Portable Document Format

(.pdf) file. Signed Certification Statement attesting to the accuracy of the data contained in the response. Introduction Statement and instructions on how to navigate the document. Restatement of the Commission concern and school response with electronic bookmarks to

indicate the location of the response and all pertinent information and documentation. Documentation to support the response, including any exhibits, with electronic bookmarks to

indicate the location of the documentation.

Submit four CDs, each containing a PDF copy of the school’s response. All



Response to Stipulations as Part of a Commission Action – Submission Checklist:


A bookmarked Table of Contents. A copy of the Commission letter (.pdf). The response to the Commission letter must be formatted as one Portable Document Format

(.pdf) file. Signed Certification Statement attesting to the accuracy of the data contained in the response. Introduction Statement and instructions on how to navigate the document.



Restatement of the Commission letter stipulation and school narrative response with electronic bookmarks to indicate the location of the response and all pertinent information and documentation.


Submit two CDs, each containing a PDF copy of the school’s response. All



Interim Reports (i.e., Outcomes, Refund, Institutional Enhancement Implementation) – Submission Checklist:

A cover letter identifying the title of the submission. Please also include a point of contact for the electronic submission.

A bookmarked Table of Contents. A copy of the Interim Reporting Enclosure to the Commission Letter (.pdf). The Interim Report must be formatted as one Portable Document Format (.pdf) file. .Signed Certification Statement attesting to the accuracy of the data contained in the response. Introduction Statement and instructions on how to navigate the document. Restatement of the reporting requirement and school narrative response with electronic

bookmarks to indicate the location of the response and all pertinent information and documentation.


Submit two CDs, each containing a PDF copy of the school’s report. All



Applications for Substantive Changes and Non-substantive Changes – Submission Checklist:

A cover letter identifying the title of the application and the processing fee. Please also include a point of contact for the electronic submission.

A completed application form that has been converted to one Portable Document Format (.pdf) file.

A bookmarked Table of Contents. Introduction Statement and instructions on how to navigate the document. Electronic bookmarks to identify the location of documentation required for each attachment to

the application.

Submit two CDs, each containing a PDF copy of the school’s application. All





Fiscal Year End Financial Statements – Submission Checklist:

A cover letter identifying the institution for which the financial statement is submitted. Please also include a point of contact for the electronic submission.

Sustaining Fee Calculation Worksheet. Fiscal Year End Financial Statements in one Portable Document Format (.pdf) file. Sustaining Fee Payment.

Submit two CDs, each containing a PDF copy of the school’s financial statement. All



Application for Appeal of a Commission Decision – Submission Checklist:


The completed Application for Appeal of a Commission Decision. A copy of the Commission letter (.pdf). A Signed Certification Statement attesting to the accuracy of the data contained in the response Formatted into one Portable Document Format (.pdf) file. Documentation to support the school’s appeal, including any exhibits, with electronic bookmarks

to indicate the location of the documentation

Submit five CDs, each containing a PDF copy of the school’s appeal. All



Other Responses – Submission Checklist:


A copy of the Commission letter (.pdf). The school’s response. Signed Certification Statement attesting to the accuracy of the data contained in the response Ensure the submission is formatted into one Portable Document Format (.pdf) file. Documentation to support the school’s response, including any exhibits, with electronic

bookmarks to indicate the location of the documentation.

Submit one CD that is clearly labeled with the school name, address, ACCSC school number and the title of the document(s) included on the CDs.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND RELATED INFORMATION

Page 1 of 5 Revised 10/01/09

APPLICABLE STANDARD OF ACCREDITATION

Section I (C)(1), Substantive Standards, Standards of Accreditation sets forth the Commission’s requirement that institutions must maintain a financial structure that is sound, with resources sufficient for proper operation of the institution and discharge of obligations to students. The annual submission of financial statements enables the Commission to monitor the compliance of accredited institutions with this requirement. These Instructions for the Preparation and Submission of Financial Statements and Related Information are intended to provide institutions and their independent accountants, advisors, or consultants who are engaged to assist in the preparation of financial statements to the Commission, with specific requirements that institutions must meet in preparing financial statement submissions. Compliance with these instructions is the responsibility of the institution. An institution that is unable to provide financial statements in accordance with these requirements cannot provide assurance that it can fulfill its obligations to students (Section I, Statement of Purpose, Substantive Standards, Standards of Accreditation) and may cause the Commission to question the administrative capability of the institution. BASIS OF PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND REQUIRED DISCLOSURES Accredited institutions are required to submit audited financial statements that are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) by an independent certified public accountant licensed by the state to perform such services. Method of Accounting

The financial statements must be prepared using the accrual basis of accounting. Financial Statements prepared using the income tax or cash basis will not be accepted. Financial statements must be presented using a comparative format showing side-by-side information for the two most recently concluded fiscal years ended. The audited financial statements submitted must include, at a minimum, a balance sheet, an income statement, a statement of cash flows, and all appropriate notes to the financial statements and must include additional disclosures as are specified in these instructions. Specific requirements for the presentation of financial statements are the following: The Balance Sheet

Unless otherwise indicated below, the balance sheet must, at a minimum, disclose totals for the following categories:

a. Accounts receivable;

(Note - Student receivables must be disclosed separately from other receivables (unless such other receivables are de minimis) and must provide an allowance for doubtful accounts. The segregation of student receivables from other receivables and the disclosure of the allowance for doubtful accounts may be presented on the face of the Balance Sheet or in the notes to the financial statements. Without regard to materiality, any accounts or notes receivable from related parties, whether classified as current or non-current, must be segregated and to the extent that the related party receivable is secured, in whole or in part, the security must be disclosed in the notes to the financial statements. If the security for the receivable is not disclosed, the Commission will assume the related party receivable is unsecured.)

b. Total current assets;



c. Fixed assets (net of depreciation);

d. Other assets (if any);

e. Unearned/deferred tuition;

(Note - Unearned tuition is that portion of tuition income recognized but not yet earned by the institution. These amounts are payments made for educational services to be rendered in the future to presently enrolled students and must be shown as a current liability of the school. The method of calculating unearned tuition must be disclosed in the footnotes. The method must be applied consistently from year to year.)

f. Total current liabilities;

g. Total long-term liabilities;

h. Each category of equity (such as common stock, preferred stock, additional paid-in-capital, retained earnings (deficit), or appropriate corresponding categories for non-corporate entities); and

i. Total shareholders equity (or appropriate corresponding designation for non-corporate entities).

The Statement of Income (or Operations), Notes to the Financial Statements, and Supplemental Information

The income statement, notes to the financial statements or supplemental information as appropriate, must, at a minimum, be prepared in accordance with the following guidelines when disclosing gross tuition revenue and the revenue recognition method. a. Gross Tuition Revenue

Tuition revenue must be identified as a line item on the income statement or in the notes to the financial statements. Gross tuition revenue is defined as revenues from all tuition and fees assessed against students (net of refunds and discounts and allowances) for all educational purposes provided by an ACCSC accredited institution. If gross tuition revenue is not identified as a line item on the income statement, then it must be disclosed in the notes to the financial statements, otherwise the Commission will use tuition revenue to calculate the institution’s annual sustaining fee obligation.

When an income statement includes any material operations that are not related to the delivery of education and training services, the financial statements must provide “segment information” in adequate detail to allow the educational operations to be viewed separately from the non-education operations. Such “segment information” may be provided in the notes to the financial statements or in supplemental information attached to and incorporated in the financial statements. (For example, a trucking company that operates a small truck driving school must segregate the results of the operations and the tuition income earned by the school to facilitate an evaluation of the educational operations from the income earned by the non-educational operations. Conversely, revenues from a salon operated for the purpose of supporting a cosmetology program would not be considered segment information, but rather ancillary to the educational program and included with tuition revenue.)

b. Revenue Recognition Method

Revenue from educational services is to be recognized ratably as educational services are delivered over the period of enrollment (i.e., the period of time for which the student is obligated financially for educational services to be received). Other terms such as a “period of obligation” or other appropriately descriptive terms of comparable meaning may be substituted for “period of enrollment.”



CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE REQUIRED Institutions and/or the legal entities that own or operate one or more schools, and are members of a multi-entity group under common control and/or ownership, must submit consolidated financial statements prepared in compliance with these instructions. This must include a consolidation of the holding company that beneficially owns the stock of the institutions and where any debt, as it relates to acquisitions or operations of the institutions, is recorded. Consolidated statements of operating subsidiaries or such other groupings of affiliated companies that do not contain the holding company’s financial statements will not be deemed to satisfy the Commission’s requirements. Notwithstanding the preceding, the institution is free to submit any such financial statements as additional information for the Commission’s consideration. ADDITIONAL SUBMISSIONS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COMMISSION Management’s Discussion and Analysis of the Financial Statements

The Commission may, at its discretion, require the management or owner(s) of an institution to submit a Management’s Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) narrative examining and explaining the financial condition of the school.1

Nothing in the above specification of the form of the submission shall be deemed to limit or otherwise restrict management’s right to include other data or narrative discussion related to an institution’s financial position, results of operations, liquidity, or future expectations. Such additional management comments, if any, must be clearly marked as such and be provided immediately following the MD&A portion of the submission.

The Commission may, in its notice requiring submission of the MD&A, specify that certain items be discussed in addition to items that would typically be found therein.

Interim Financial Statements

Additionally, the Commission may require the submission of interim financial statements (i.e., financial statements for specified dates and accounting periods other than the entire fiscal year). In the event that interim financial statements are required, the Commission will specify whether such interim financial statements may be prepared internally, or whether the interim financial statements should be compiled, reviewed or audited by independent accountants. The Commission may also require the submission of additional financial information, disclosures, and supporting documentation in conjunction with any interim financial statements that are required and specify the timeline for submission.

Circumstances Requiring Additional Submissions

The Commission may, at its discretion, require the submission of any additional information it deems necessary or desirable in making a determination as to whether an institution is in compliance with the Standards of Accreditation. Examples of circumstances that may require the submission of additional information include, but are not limited to, situations where:

a. The Commission has a question or concern that a school’s previously submitted financial statements may contain materially misleading information, intentionally misleading information, or may not contain all required information;

1 When such a submission is required by the Commission, the institution must prepare the narrative in a form consistent with that typically found in the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis” section of the form 10-K which publicly-traded educational companies are required to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.



b. The Commission has information which raises concern that a school may have experienced a material adverse change in its financial position subsequent to the date of its most recently submitted fiscal year-end statements;

c. The Commission has received information that school’s auditors have resigned following a dispute over the Company’s financial statements;

d. The school’s previously submitted financial statements indicate that the school may not have resources sufficient for the operation of the school and discharge of obligations to students (Section I(C)1, Substantive Standards, Standards of Accreditation);

e. The Commission has placed an institution on Financial Reporting; and

f. Any other circumstances in which the Commission reasonably believes that additional or more current financial information is necessary to monitor the school’s compliance with the Standards of Accreditation.

OTHER REQUIRED SUBMISSIONS In addition to the financial statements required to be submitted as described above, schools are also required to submit a copy of any of the following correspondences from the U.S. Department of Education, within 10 days of receipt:

a. The school’s financial position (for example, any correspondence regarding a low composite score and/or a requirement to post additional financial assurances, such as letters of credit);

b. The school’s actual or potential loss of eligibility to continue to participate in the Title IV Federal Student Aid program;

c. Notice that the school will be, or may be, placed on heightened cash monitoring or otherwise be subject to a change in its Title IV status;

d. A demand for the reimbursement or repayment of Title IV funds received by the school (unless such amounts are de minimis); or

e. The assessment of a fine or penalty in an amount that is equal to or greater than the lesser of: 5% or more of:

1. Shareholders’ equity (or other corresponding equity accounts for non-corporate entities), or

2. Net income, as such amounts are reflected on the most recent fiscal year end financial statements. SUBMISSION DEADLINES FOR FISCAL YEAR END FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Accredited institutions must submit their audited fiscal year-end financial statements no later than the earlier of:

a. The date of the submission of such audited fiscal year-end financial statements to any State or Federal regulatory agency (such as the United States Department of Education or the Securities and Exchange Commission);

b. Any state agency to whom the school is required to make annual reports that include fiscal year-end financial statements or the inclusion of information/data extracted from fiscal year-end financial statements);

c. The date of the submission of audited fiscal year-end financial statements to any other regulator agency other than ACCSC; or

d. In any event not later than 180 days following the end of the fiscal year.



If the Commission directs the school to submit interim financial statements or other additional information or submissions the due date for submission, along with any specific instructions relative to the information to be provided, will be contained in the communication from the Commission directing the submission of any such interim financial statements or other financial information. INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTITUTIONS APPLYING FOR INITIAL ACCREDITATION Institutions making application for initial accreditation shall be subject to the exact same requirements as set forth above in these instructions. An Application for Initial Accreditation will not be accepted from an institution when the financial statements show any of the following:

a. Net loss for the two most recent fiscal years;

b. Negative net worth for the two most recent fiscal years; or

c. Negative cash flow from operations for the most recent fiscal year. CONFIDENTIALITY ACCSC treats financial data and reports submitted to the Commission as confidential. Notwithstanding the preceding, ACCSC may release such data or reports as required by government regulation, legal or administrative process, or other applicable legal requirements.

ACCSC Staff Listing EXECUTIVE OFFICE Michale S. McComis, Ed.D. Executive Director

(703) 247-4520

Christopher D. Lambert Associate Executive Director

External Affairs; Public Relations; Policy and Research Initiatives

(703) 247-4516

Karen Marcinski Director of Member Services

Workshops and Conferences; Teach-Outs; Publications; Webinars

(703) 247-4531

Emily Rabbitt Executive Office Coordinator

Executive Office / External Affairs

(703) 247-4524

Michelle Ragnetti Conference and Events Coordinator

Executive Office / External Affairs

Workshops; Meetings; Professional Development Conference

(703) 247-4527

mailto:[email protected]?subject=email




mailto:[email protected]?subject=web%20inquiry







ACCREDITATION DEPARTMENT Corey Rosso

Director of Accreditation

Departmental Oversight; Volunteer Recruitment; Onsite Evaluations; Commission Meetings

(703) 247-4507

Bettina Falwell Manager of Accreditation Operations

Operational Oversight; Appeals; Onsite Evaluations; Commission Meetings; Stipulations; Certificates

of Accreditation

(703) 247-4538

Lisa Miles Manager of Accreditation

Initial Applicants/Workshops; Team Leader Workshops; On-Site Evaluations; Team Summary

Reports

(703) 625-4393 Jaye Bishop

Senior Accreditation Coordinator

On-Site Evaluations; Initial Applicants/Workshops; Team Leader/Education Specialist Workshops;

Commission Meetings

(703) 247-4506

Erik Embrey

Accreditation Coordinator

Applications for Accreditation; On-Site Evaluations

(703) 247-4212

Mollie Hager Accreditation Coordinator


(405) 474-5994





mailto:[email protected]?subject=website%20inquiry



Mary Jolliffe-Henry

Senior Accreditation Specialist


(703) 625-8725

Courtney Moraites

Volunteer Coordinator

Volunteer Recruitment; Recognition; Scheduling and Training; Commission Meetings; Accreditation

Workshops

(703) 247-4519

Allison Price



(703) 247-4521

Kristopher Pritchard

Senior Accreditation Coordinator

Applications for Accreditation; On-Site Evaluations; Renewal Accreditation Workshops;

Stipulations; Commission Meetings

(703) 247-4529

Jason Sandlin

Accreditation Operations Assistant

Operational Support; Visit Schedule; Volunteer Mailings; Team Summary Reports

(703) 247-4513

Mamoon Wahab



(703) 247-4526







OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT

Anne Santalla Director of Operations

Human Resources; Budget; Office Administration

(703) 247-4532

Aillen King

Manager for Institutional Records

Institutional Files and Archives; Changes to School Information; Records Management; Voluntary

Withdrawals and School Closures

(703) 247-4517

Mohammad Arif Finance and Operations Coordinator

Accounts Payables; Status of Travel Reimbursement Requests

(703) 247-4535

Mayumi Brewster

Senior Records Coordinator

Record Maintenance; School Files

(703) 247-4514

Maurice Gatewood Information Coordinator & IT Assistant

Record Maintenance; School Files; Electronic Submission Information

(703) 247-4525

Elleni Kassa

Staff Accountant

Accounts Receivable/Payable; Dues; Billing

(703) 247-4504

Glenda Ward Operations Coordinator

General Information; Office Administration

(703) 247-4212







INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW AND DEVELOPMENT

Juanita Gurubatham, Ph.D. Director of Institutional Review and Development Departmental Oversight; Distance Education Approvals; Separate Facilities; Degree Programs (703) 247-4500

Alanna Marx

Manager of Institutional Development

Substantive Change Reports; Non-Degree and Degree Program Approvals

(703) 247-4508

Ellen Podgorski Manager of Institutional Development

Agency Notices; Progress Reporting; Complaints; Annual Report; Agency Recognition

(703) 247-4536

Nora Delgado

Senior Analyst

Progress Reports; Complaints; Substantive Change Reports

(703) 247-4511

Alicia DeMartini Analyst

Degree Applications; Distance Education Applications; Substantive Changes

(703) 247-4515

Lakisha Dillingham IRD Administrative Assistant File Management; Departmental Administrative Support (703) 247-4512 Sean Forman Senior Analyst Annual Report; Progress Reports (703) 247-4505 Jose Godoy Analyst Complaints; Progress Reports; Substantive Change Reports (703) 247-4501









Nakisha Nichols Financial Review Analyst Financial Review Committee; Financial Statement Analysis (703) 247-4528

Jessi Savioli Analyst Complaints; Progress Reports; Substantive Change Reports (703) 247-4518

Rebecca Viands Analyst Complaints; Progress Reports; Substantive Change Reports; On-Site Evaluations (703) 489-2489




March 10-11, 2014 Arlington, Virginia - ACCSC

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Transcript of March 10-11, 2014 Arlington, Virginia - ACCSC