Accreditation for Post-Secondary Vocational Programs

CTE Program Evaluation Based on the WASC Self-Study Model CTE Program Evaluation Career Technical Education (CTE) programs generally conduct accreditation evaluations through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Regional Occupational Programs/Centers (ROCPs) fall within the CTE program category and are evaluated using the post-secondary WASC process. The process of reviewing and approving institutional educational programs of all types is known as accreditation, and it is conducted across the globe.

The major components of an accreditation process typically are self-study, internal review, and external validation by trained educators -- in that order. The phases of the accreditation process provide opportunities for educational institutions to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their programs in detail. As the educational institutions work through the various evaluation phases, stakeholders develop a school-wide action plan that will articulate and guide the school through a continuous improvement processes.

In order to commence an accreditation process, it is necessary for an educational institution to first submit an application to determine if their school or program is eligible for affiliation with the Accrediting Commission of Schools (ACS) of WASC. Educational institutions are asked by the Accrediting Commission of Schools to review the Conditions of Eligibility set out by ASC WASC.

Should an educational institution find that it meets the conditions required for eligibility, the Request for ASC WASC Affiliation form is then completed and sent to the ASC WASC office, along with the requisite application fee. As the website contains accreditation information for many different types of schools and programs, it is essential to refer to the set of information that is relevant to the educational institution making application to the ASC WASC.

In the case of postsecondary schools, this means that the appropriate section of the website is the ACS WASC Postsecondary Institutions page, where details about getting started with the ACS WASC accreditation process are contained. The AB 2448 Regional Occupational Centers and Programs Accountability and Reform Act sets out many of the criteria that form the basis for accreditation for postsecondary schools ("AB2448," 2006).

The Outreach and Technical Assistance Network for Adult Learners makes reference to the revised accreditation manual of the WASC focuses on the educators' concerns for postsecondary, adult education, and ROC/P institutions ("OTANAL," 2014). The Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) of the U.S. Department of Education administers and coordinates programs that are related to adult education and literacy, career and technical education, and community colleges ("OCTAE," 2014). The Carl D.

Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 2006 was reauthorized on August 12, 2006 to provide a means for increased focus on the academic achievement of career and technical education students, to strengthen the connections between secondary and postsecondary education, and to improve state and local accountability ("Perkins," 2006). The ASC WASC functions as a component of the implementation of the Perkins Act in that it is a mechanism for driving quality and underscoring accountability ("Perkins," 2006).

It is important for applicant institutions to recognize that the accreditation process conducted by ACS WASC is conducted according to an annual schedule that provides opportunity for a fall visit or a spring visit to the applicant institution. In order to schedule a fall visit, the completed Request for ACS WASC Affiliation forms must be received no later than April 30. Similarly, in order to schedule a spring visit, the completed Request for ACS WASC Affiliation forms must be received and no later than September 30.

Special rules apply to newly established schools: Initial visits will not be scheduled prior to the second semester of operation. An application fee of $160.00 is required at the time the completed Request for ASC WASC Affiliation is submitted.

The rules governing the application fee are as follows: 1) Should a school or program withdraw from the application process, the $160.00 fee will not be refunded; 2) Should the school or program postpone the site visit to another school year -- or reapply for affiliation after withdrawal -- an additional fee of $160.00 must be paid; and 3) Should ASC WASC determine that the applicant school or program is not eligible for affiliation with ASC WASC, the full application fee of $160.00 will be refunded.

Once the application process has been completed and affiliation with ACS WASC has been approved, an Initial Visit School Description report template will be sent to the applicant educational institution for completion. At this point, the program evaluation phases commence; they are as follows: 1. School Self-Evaluation. The initial phase of the accreditation process entails a School Self-Evaluation in which the assessment findings are reported in a Self-Study Report that is submitted to Western Association of Schools and Colleges WASC at the close of this phase of the evaluation. 2. Peer Review.

The peer review phase takes place when a visiting team.