Standards

NACEP Standards are measurable criteria that address quality in concurrent enrollment programs. The standards promote the implementation of policies and practices such that:

College courses offered in the high school are of the same quality and rigor as the courses offered on-campus at the sponsoring college or university
Students enrolled in concurrent enrollment courses are held to the same standards of achievement as students in on-campus courses
Instructors teaching college courses through the concurrent enrollment program meet the academic requirements for faculty and instructors teaching in the sponsoring postsecondary institution and are trained in course delivery and provided ongoing discipline-specific professional development
Concurrent enrollment programs display greater accountability through program evaluation

The standards are the basis for accreditation, but all concurrent enrollment programs can benefit by using the standards as a framework for program development.

As the only national set of quality standards applicable to concurrent enrollment partnerships, NACEP’s standards serve as model standards that have been adapted or incorporated into state policy in 20 states, and recognized by multiple disciplinary professional associations and regional institutional accreditors.

NACEP’s standards of program quality were first adopted in 2002, revised in 2009, and revised again in 2017. The 16 revised standards cover six categories:

Partnerships
Curriculum
Faculty
Students
Assessment
Program Evaluation

The newly-revised standards adopted in May 2017 will be effective the 2018-19 school year for all currently accredited programs and those seeking accreditation or re-accreditation beginning summer 2019.

Standards Adopted 2017
- Standards
- Standards and Required Evidence for Accreditation

Former, Standards Adopted 2009
- Standards
- Standards and Required Evidence for Accreditation

Resources to Learn More About the Standards

Accreditation Guide for Peer Reviewers and Applicants includes an interpretation of NACEP’s Standards, the range of acceptable practices, frequently asked questions about the Standards.