The Council on Occupational Education accredits post-secondary occupational institutions that offer certificate, diploma, or applied associate degree programs. These institutions include public technical colleges, private career colleges (both for-profit and not-for-profit), Army, Navy, and Department of Defense institutions, and Job Corps Centers.
The Council on Occupational
Education (COE), originally founded in 1971 as a regional accrediting agency of
the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, is the successor to the
Commission on Occupational Education Institutions (COEI). In 1995, the Council
became a national accrediting agency. In 2006, the Council celebrated its 35th
year of assuring quality and integrity in career and technical education. The
Council's accreditation process is conducted on behalf of more than 181,000
students across the nation who pursue careers in a variety of technical fields.
The Eligibility Requirements for COE
To be eligible to be
considered by the Commission of Council on
Occupational Education
for candidate for
accreditation (pre-accreditation status), an institution must:
1.Offer associate degree and/or non-degree postsecondary instruction in
career and technical education.
2.Be legally authorized to operate within the jurisdiction in which it is
located.
3.Have been in possession of current and applicable licensure/authorization
for a minimum of one year.
4.Have been in continuous operation and providing instruction for a minimum
of one year.
5.Demonstrate that it has the administrative and financial capacities to
support the educational programs offered.
6.Be in compliance with all Federal requirements applicable to
accreditation.
7.Agree to comply with all requirements of the Council.
The Accreditation Process for COE
An
institute must first apply for Candidacy. That will entail the following:
1.Letter
of intent to seek candidacy and to request application forms.
2.Application for candidacy.
3.Candidacy team visit.
4.Commission review of application and candidacy visit report. Approval of
candidate status by Commission. If disapproved, appeal may be made to the
Commission.
5.After
acceptance as a candidate, an annual report is made each year for Commission
review. This report is an updated status report with progress report on
self‑study. The earliest time that an institution can become accredited is six
months after the date candidate status is approved. The maximum time an
institution may be in candidacy is three years.
I will
assist you to write an Application for Candidacy that describes the
characteristics of the institution for its main campus and any branches you
might have and the communities they serve in narrative fashion by addressing
your institution staffing, program offerings, community information, as well as
the institution’s mission, management, coursework, admissions, academic
policies, and quality measures along with the plans for continued improvement
and growth that it qualifies for consideration to meet the minimum criteria for
acceptance as a candidate.
When the institution has been accepted as a candidate for accreditation, I shall
assist you in preparing of the preliminary visit.
Just call me at 818-666-1333 or contact me and we can discuss getting your school
accepted for Candidacy.
After a
school has been accepted for Candidacy for Accreditation the process will
usually follow these steps:
The
on‑site administrator or other full‑time employee at the main campus must
attend a Commission Self‑Study Workshop within 6 to 18 months prior to
hosting a visiting team for initial accreditation or reaffirmation of
accreditation.
A
self‑study should be initiated by the end of the first year as a candidate.
Within three years (not later than May of third year) after acceptance as a
candidate, an institution must request and host a team visit.
Team
appointed by Commission Staff.
A
preliminary visit by the Visiting Team Leader is made approximately 30 days
prior to team visit.
The
team visit includes review of all programs and activities of the school. An
oral report is made to the school at the end of the visit.
The
written team report is sent to the Executive Director by the team leader
within 30 days of the visit.
The
Commission Executive Director sends team report to the institution.
Institution makes changes necessary to meet standards.
The
chief administrative officer writes a letter requesting accreditation and
submits three (3) copies of institutional response, if required, to the team
report.
The
Commission reviews the team report, institutional response report,
self‑study, and report of readers.
The
Commission may defer action and request additional documentation, grant
accreditation, or deny accreditation. If accreditation is granted (based on
the self‑study, team report, and institutional response report) the
Commission will specify the number of years in the next reaffirmation cycle
(two (2) to six (6) years). The year of reaffirmation may be changed for
just cause.
Please call
me at 818-666-1333 and I can explain the all the rules and regulations involved
or contact me and we can discuss getting your school
accredited.
It should
also be noted that there will an Annual Review.
All
candidate and accredited institutions must submit an annual report to the
Commission.
Continued candidate status or accreditation is determined annually by
Commission approval of annual reports.
During the year prior to the year that ends the reaffirmation period, a
school must attend a self‑study workshop, begin another self‑study, and
request another team visit.