Accreditation Agencies

by Karen Decker

By evaluating the quality of its programs and services any program or institution can gauge its effectiveness against standards and benchmarks established by the profession.

The Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA)

CEA is a specialized accrediting agency for English language programs in colleges and universities and independent language institutions in the United States and internationally. Nationally recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education, CEA is found in the Office of Postsecondary Education’s list of Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies and Associations.

CEA advances standards, provides an objective means to evaluate the quality of programs through the use of trained reviewers, publicly recognizes programs that meet the standards, and ensures quality English language education for students. A program or institution seeking accreditation undertakes an extensive self-study during which it evaluates the quality of its programs and services with respect to the CEA Standards for English Language Programs and Institutions. Following review and an on-site visit by trained peer reviewers, the program is reviewed by a 13-member elected Commission, which makes the accreditation decision. The program and its administrative and teaching staff all benefit from the self-improvement that results from the accreditation process. The end benefit is for students to have a means for identifying English language programs of the highest quality.

The Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET)

ACCET is a private non-profit (501)(c)(3) corporation formally evaluated and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education "to be a reliable authority as to the quality of education and training provided by the institutions [we] accredit." As such, ACCET is in the listing of Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies and Associations published by the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education. In addition, ACCET is the only such accrediting agency to be ISO 9001 certified as a quality system. Further, ACCET and its accredited institutions appear in the AIPE (Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education) published by the American Council on Education.

ACCET evaluates over 200 institutions, which offer intensive English programs (IEPs) to international students and has been successfully doing so for over 25 years. The evaluation process is quality-oriented, rigorous, and independent and intended to serve the best interests of the student being served.

September 2006