Friday, June 10, 2011

National Advisory Committee criticizes ABA, Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools

June 9, 2011
American Bar Association Takes Heat From Advisory Panel on Accreditation
By Eric Kelderman
Alexandria, Va.
The American Bar Association drew intense scrutiny on Thursday from a federal panel that reviews accrediting agencies.

The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, which advises the U.S. education secretary on accreditation issues, used a meeting here to review the applications of 10 accrediting agencies to be recognized by the federal government....
The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, which assesses more than 850 career-oriented colleges, was another agency that felt the sting of the committee's judgment.
More: http://chronicle.com/article/American-Bar-Association-Takes/127869/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

The role of the US Department of Education in accrediting colleges:

The U.S. Department of Education does not accredit educational institutions and/or programs. However, the Secretary of Education is required by law to publish a list
of nationally recognized accrediting agencies that the Secretary determines to be reliable authorities as to the quality of education or training provided by the
institutions of higher education and the higher education programs they accredit.
The U.S. Secretary of Education also recognizes State agencies for the approval of public postsecondary vocational education and nurse education.

Please note, the Secretary of Education's recognition of accrediting agencies is limited by statute to accreditation activities within the United States. Although many recognized agencies carry out accrediting activities outside the United States, these actions are not within the legal authority of the Department of Education to recognize, are not reviewed by the Department, and the Department does not exercise any oversight over them. (Consequently, institutions and programs outside the United States that are accredited by recognized agencies are not included in this database.)

The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality. Accrediting agencies, which are private educational associations of regional or national scope, develop evaluation criteria and conduct peer evaluations to assess whether or not those criteria are met. Institutions and/or programs that request an agency's evaluation and that meet an agency's criteria are then "accredited" by that agency.

For more information on accreditation in the United States, please visit: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.

The National Advisory Committee's mission:

The NACIQI advises the Secretary of Education on matters related to accreditation and to the eligibility and certification process for institutions of higher education. Specifically, NACIQI provides recommendations to the Secretary of Education regarding:

The establishment and enforcement of criteria for recognition of accrediting agencies or associations under Subpart 2 of Part H, Title IV, of the HEA.

The recognition of specific accrediting agencies or associations or a specific State approval agency.

The preparation and publication of the list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies and associations.

The eligibility and certification process for institutions of higher education under Title IV, of the HEA.

The relationship between (1) accreditation of institutions of higher education and the certification and eligibility of such institutions, and (2) state licensing responsibilities with respect to such institutions.

Any other advisory functions relating to accreditation and institutional eligibility that the Secretary may prescribe.

http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/naciqi.html

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