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Federal Register
/Vol. 63, No. 183/Tuesday, September 22, 1998/Notices
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20 U.S.C. 1094(c)(4), 1141(a), 1145(c)(3),1401(a)(11)(E), 2471(25)(D), 4351(3), 25 U.S.C. 1813;38 U.S.C. 3675(a); 42 U.S.C. 298b(6).
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONNationally Recognized AccreditingAgencies and State Approval Agencies
AGENCY
:
Department of Education.
ACTION
:
List of nationally recognizedaccrediting agencies and state approvalagencies.
SUMMARY
:
The U.S. Secretary of Education is required by statute topublish a list of nationally recognizedaccrediting agencies and State approvalagencies (1) whose accreditation orapproval is a required element inenabling accredited or approvedinstitutions, programs, or both toestablish eligibility to participate inFederal programs and (2) whom theSecretary has determined to be reliableauthorities regarding the quality of education or training provided by theinstitutions or programs these agenciesaccredit or approve. This documentcontains the current list of nationallyrecognized agencies and supersedes anypreviously published lists of these typesof agencies.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
:
Karen W. Kershenstein, Director,Accreditation and EligibilityDetermination Division, U.S.Department of Education, 600Independence Avenue, SW, Room 3915,ROB 3, Washington, DC 20202–7592.Telephone: (202) 708–7417. Individualswho use a telecommunications devicefor the deaf (TDD) may call the FederalInformation Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 between 8 a.m. and 8p.m., Eastern time, Monday throughFriday.Individuals with disabilities mayobtain this document in an alternateformat (e.g., Braille, large print,audiotape, or computer diskette) onrequest to the contact person listed inthe preceding paragraph.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
:
Asrequired by statute
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, the Secretaryissues the following list of nationallyrecognized accrediting agencies andState approval agencies that theSecretary has determined to be reliableauthorities concerning the quality of education or training provided by theinstitutions, programs, or both that theseagencies accredit or approve. Thecriteria the Secretary uses indetermining whether a particular agencyshould be listed as a nationallyrecognized accrediting agency arecontained in 34 CFR part 602, while thecriteria for State approval agencies arecontained in 34 CFR part 603. The datesspecified in parentheses for each agencyare the date of initial listing as anationally recognized agency, the dateof the Secretary’s most recent grant of recognition to the agency, and the dateof the agency’s next scheduled reviewfor continued recognition. Thegeographical scope of recognition of each accrediting agency is the UnitedStates, unless stated otherwise. If theSecretary has placed a limitation on thescope of an agency’s recognition forpurposes of Title IV of the HigherEducation Act of 1965, as amended, thatlimitation is noted in a ‘‘Title IV Note’’for that agency.
I. Regional Institutional AccreditingAgencies
Middle States Association of Collegesand Schools, Commission on HigherEducation (1952/1996/2001). Scope of recognition: The accreditation andpreaccreditation (‘‘Candidate forAccreditation’’) of institutions of highereducation in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, NewYork, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, theU.S. Virgin Islands, the Republic of Panama and a limited number of freestanding American-style institutionsabroad that are chartered or licensed byan appropriate agency within theMiddle States region.Middle States Association of Collegesand Schools, Commission on SecondarySchools (1988/1996/1999). Scope of recognition: The accreditation andpreaccreditation (‘‘Candidate forAccreditation’’) of public vocational/ technical schools offering non-degree,postsecondary education in Delaware,the District of Columbia, Maryland, NewJersey, New York, Pennsylvania, PuertoRico, and the Virgin Islands.
Title IV Note:
Only those publicvocational/technical schools accredited bythis agency that offer non-degree,postsecondary education may use thataccreditation to establish eligibility toparticipate in Title IV programs.
New England Association of Schoolsand Colleges, Commission onInstitutions of Higher Education (1952/ 1997/2002). Scope of recognition: Theaccreditation and preaccreditation(‘‘Candidate for Accreditation’’) of institutions of higher education inConnecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,New Hampshire, Rhode Island, andVermont that award bachelor’s,master’s, and/or doctoral degrees as wellas associate degree-granting institutionsin those states that include degrees inliberal arts or general studies amongtheir offerings. This recognition extendsto the Board of Trustees of theAssociation jointly with theCommission for decisions involvingpreaccreditation, initial accreditation,and adverse actions.New England Association of Schoolsand Colleges, Commission on Technicaland Career Institutions (1952/1997/ 2002). Scope of recognition: Theaccreditation and preaccreditation(‘‘Candidacy’’) of secondary institutionswith vocational-technical programs atthe 13th and 14th level, postsecondaryinstitutions, and institutions of highereducation that provide primarilyvocational-technical education at thecertificate, associate, and baccalaureatedegree levels in Connecticut, Maine,Massachusetts, New Hampshire, RhodeIsland, and Vermont. This recognitionextends to the Board of Trustees of theAssociation jointly with theCommission for decisions involvingpreaccreditation, initial accreditation,and adverse actions.
Title IV Note:
Any public vocational/ technical schools accredited by this agencythat offer non-degree, postsecondaryeducation and that wish to use thataccreditation to establish eligibility toparticipate in Title IV programs must beaccredited by the agency as offeringeducation through the 13th and/or 14th gradelevel.
North Central Association of Collegesand Schools, Commission onInstitutions of Higher Education (1952/ 1997/2002). Scope of recognition: Theaccreditation and preaccreditation(‘‘Candidate for Accreditation’’) of degree-granting institutions of highereducation in Arizona, Arkansas,Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota,Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, WestVirginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and theNavajo Nation.North Central Association of Collegesand Schools, Commission on Schools(1974/1998/2000). Scope of recognition:The accreditation and preaccreditation(‘‘Candidate for Accreditation’’) of schools offering non-degree,postsecondary education in Arizona,Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana,Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, NorthDakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota,West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming,and the Navajo Nation.
Title IV Note:
Only those publicvocational/technical schools accredited bythis agency that offer non-degree,postsecondary education may use thataccreditation to establish eligibility toparticipate in Title IV programs.
Northwest Association of Schools andColleges, Commission on Colleges(1952/1997/2002). Scope of recognition:The accreditation and preaccreditation(‘‘Candidate for Accreditation’’) of
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