Accreditation Commission

Accreditation Commission Statement on COVID-19 and NACEP Accreditation

The NACEP Accreditation Commission manages NACEP’s accreditation process, reviews Peer Review Team reports and makes accreditation decisions. The Commission operates as an autonomous unit of NACEP in close collaboration with the Board of Directors. The Commission's activities and peer review process are documented in the Accreditation Commission Policy and Procedures Manual. As of the end of the 2020-21 school year, there are 119 concurrent enrollment programs nationwide accredited by NACEP.

On June 13, 2018, the accredited program representatives voted to expand the Accreditation Commission from 9 to 12 members.

Programs considering applying for accreditation or currently holding accreditation can find more information on:

NACEP's National Standards, including the newly revised standards that went into effect 2020 -2021 school year
Application Process and Timeline
Accreditation Resources, including self-study resources, an Accreditation Guide, webinars, evaluation survey templates, and application forms
Accreditation FAQ

Questions or comments should be addressed to the Chair of the Accreditation Commission at accreditation@nacep.org.

Programs Seeking Accreditation - 2021-22 Review Cycle

2021-22 Review Cycle

After July 1, a list of concurrent enrollment programs who have submitted an application to go under peer review by NACEP’s Accreditation Commission during the Review Cycle will be released.

Programs Seeking Initial Accreditation or Reaccreditation (Concurrent Enrollment Program (CEP Endorsement): Concurrent Enrollment Program (CEP) is defined as college-credit bearing courses taught to high school students by college-approved high school teachers.

Programs Seeking the College Provided Faculty Model Endorsement (CPF): College Provided Faculty Model (CPF) is defined as any college-bearing courses taught to high school students by college provided faculty regardless of location or delivery method. This enrollment is due to a partnership between the high school and college or university. College Provided Faculty are part-time or full-time faculty members of the post-secondary institution who are not employed by a secondary partner.

Peer review teams will assess the evidence provided by these applicants demonstrating their implementation of NACEP’s national standards of program quality. The NACEP Accreditation Commission will review the findings of the peer review teams and other evidence and determine accreditation status. Questions or comments regarding the Commission’s review of these programs should be addressed to the Chair of the Accreditation Commission at accreditation@nacep.org.

SITE VISITS: Site visits will be required of all applicants, for both initial and re-accreditation beginning with the 2021-22 review cycle. A NACEP staff member, Peer Reviewer, or Accreditation Commission member will attend a virtual site visit hosted by the concurrent enrollment program seeking accreditation or re-accreditation.

The Accreditation Commission is currently working on the process and timeline. Additional information will be released spring 2021.

Specific questions about the process and timeline may be directed to the Chair of the Accreditation Commission, accreditation@nacep.org

Record of Decisions

In accordance with NACEP’s commitment to public disclosure and the Accreditation Commission’s Policy and Procedures Manual, the Commission publishes a Record of Decisions that documents formal actions taken with regards to programs’ accreditation status.

Statement on Extensions from the Higher Learning Commission's Faculty Qualifications Policy for Concurrent Enrollment Instructors

The Commission released a Statement on Applying for Extensions from the Higher Learning Commission for Concurrent Enrollment Instructors to guide NACEP-accredited programs and those pursuing accreditation from the 19-state HLC region that have received extensions for compliance with HLC’s revised faculty qualifications guidelines.

Complaint Procedures against a NACEP Accredited Program

The Commission considers complaints as a way to inform the Commission on documented systematic problems with how accredited programs and programs undergoing initial accreditation review are implementing the NACEP standards. Complaints are not intended to be used to involve NACEP in disputes between individuals and member institutions. A formal written complaint must be submitted to the Chair using NACEP’s Complaint Information Form. Anonymous complaints will not be accepted. For further information please reference the Accreditation Commission Policy and Procedures Manual.

Commission's Purpose, Roles and Responsibilities

The Commission ensures that quality college courses are delivered to high school students through a consistent accreditation process defined by the NACEP standards.

Commissioner Roles and Responsibilities:

1. To be eligible to serve on the Commission, Commissioners must:

Represent an institution that operates a NACEP-accredited concurrent enrollment partnership (with the exception of the External Member),
Have prior service as a NACEP peer reviewer, or demonstrate knowledge of NACEP's standards and equivalent experience with other accrediting organizations, and
Not serve simultaneously on the NACEP Board of Directors (with the exception of the Commission Chair)

2. Commissioners define, understand, and lead the accreditation process through consistent implementation and evaluation of standards.

3. Commissioners support, promote, and advance high quality dual & concurrent enrollment programs through NACEP accreditation, training, policies and best practices.