Transcript Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards
Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards
77th Annual Congress Orlando, Florida
Accreditation 101 & Panel Discussion
Saturday May 3, 2003 9:00 – 10:00 am.
“Accreditation 101”
• Introductions • Overview of objectives • Ground rules • What?
• Why?
• How?
What is accreditation?
• Accreditation means the status of public recognition that an accrediting agency grants to an educational institution or program that meets the agency’s standards and requirements.
What is accreditation?
• Accrediting agency… means a legal entity that conducts accrediting activities through voluntary, non federal peer review and makes decisions concerning the accreditation or pre-accreditation status of institutions, programs or both.
What is accreditation?
• Institutional accrediting agencies… accredit institutions of higher education
What is accreditation?
• Institution of higher education… means a public or private nonprofit educational institution that… • That is legally authorized to operate where the institution is physically located • Admits as regular students certain “qualified” individuals • Provides an educational program toward a degree…
What is accreditation?
• Programmatic accreditation agencies… accredit specific educational programs that prepare students for entry into a profession, occupation or vocation.
What is accreditation?
• Program… means a post secondary education program… that leads to an academic or professional degree, certificate or other recognized academic credential.
Why is there an accreditation process?
• To provide professional judgment as to the quality of an institution or program.
• Formulate and advance educational, scientific and professional principles • Revise these principles when necessary • Formulate policies and procedures for the accreditation process • To evaluate the institution or program
Why?
• To publish and revise a directory of “accredited” institutions or programs for interested parties and the public • To provide interested parties and the public with assurances that such accredited institutions or programs continue to comply with standards • Conduct periodic reviews and evaluations • To assist the advancement and improvement of the academic standards of the institutions or programs
Why?
• Provide regulatory boards with a national, uniform basis for decision making regarding licensure • Provide the public – with an assurance of a conformity to certain general expectations that are encompassing and contemporary, and – are designed to assure that the professional services provided to the public are knowledge based and reflective of current standards
Why?
• Provide students and prospective students with assurances that an institution or program has been found to provide a satisfactory educational preparation for licensure and practice • Provides the profession with a means for participation in setting requirements for preparation to enter the profession
Role of the United States Department of Education
• The role of the USDOE is to ensure that accrediting agencies are reliable authorities regarding the quality of education or training offered by institutions or programs that they accredit.
USDOE
• The USDOE assesses applicants for recognition through an encompassing review of applicable standards • Link to federal programs • Geographic scope of accrediting activities • Accrediting experience • Acceptance of agency by others • Purpose and organization • Administrative and fiscal responsibilities
USDOE
• Accreditation and pre-accreditation standards • Application of standards • Ensuring consistency in decision making • Monitoring and re-evaluating • Enforcement of standards • Review of standards
USDOE
• USDOE also requires agencies to establish certain operating procedures • Due process
USDOE
• Recognition by USDOE is attained by • Application • Department review through » Staff » National Advisory Committee » Secretary » Public comment » Site visits…..
How do regulatory boards use the accreditation process?
• Reliance upon agency • Expertise • Experience • Fiscal issues • Uniformity • USDOE recognition
How?
• Delegation of authority • Legislation via statute • Regulation via rule making • Board policies
How?
• Examples of actual regulatory language: –Graduate from a college of chiropractic approved by the examining board –Graduation from a chiropractic college having status with the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Chiropractic Education –Graduate from a college of chiropractic which is accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education
How?
• Examples of actual regulatory language: – Graduate from a chiropractic college fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Chiropractic Education or its successor at the time of graduation – Graduate from a chiropractic college accredited by, or recognized as a candidate for accreditation by, any chiropractic college accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education