© National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation 2010

1-29-1 Gakuen-Nishimachi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8587 Japan
www.niad.ac.jp

IndexI. Basic information of the country ··········································· 2
II. The higher education system ·············································· 3
1. Historical overview····························································· 3
2. Diagram of the educational system in the United States of America ······················ 5
3. Type and size of higher education institutions ······································· 6
4. Student admission ····························································· 7
5. Type of academic degrees, terms of study, and completion requirements·················· 8
6. Agency responsible for higher education ·········································· 10
7. Major university/college associations ············································· 11
8. Student participation in the university administration and student organizations ·········· 12
9. Tuition and required fees······················································· 13
10. Student aid ································································· 13
11. Higher education laws ························································ 14

III. The quality assurance system ················································· 15
1. Introduction ································································· 15
2. Type of quality assurance system ················································ 15
2-1. Accreditation ····························································· 16
2-2. Recognition of accrediting organizations ······································· 20
2-3. Federal oversight of higher education ·········································· 22
2-4. State quality review of higher education ········································ 23
2-5. Government approval ······················································ 24
3. Historical overview···························································· 24
4. ‘Diploma mills’ and ‘Accreditation mills’··········································· 24
5. The recent of U.S. quality assurance ·············································· 25

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United States of America

1I．Basic information of the country
Name of country/region

United States of America

CapitalWashington D.C.

Major language

EnglishPopulation*

281,420,000 (The third largest in the world)

Nominal GDP*

13,841,300,000,000 USD (2007)

Nominal GDP per capita*

45,845 USD (2007)

Public spending on education
as a percentage of the total
governmental spending**

All levels of education

Public spending on education
as a percentage of GDP**All levels of education

14.4%(OECD average 13.4%)

22,476 USD

Public spending on higher
education per student**

7,957 USD

2004 （a）
1999 (b）(a) – (b)Progression rate into higher
education** ***1

3.5%(OECD average 3.1%)
5.3%(OECD average 5.4%)

Spending per student at
higher education level**

HE level

HE level 1.3%
(OECD average 1.3%)

HE level1
63.8%
60.7%
3.1%

This enrollment rate of 18-year-olds includes both full-time and part-time students

in two- and four-year institutions.
Organization of education
systemSee II-2 Diagram of the US educational system.

Cycle of academic year****

September to June

Sources:* The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Overview of the United States
http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/usa/index.html** Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (2008), International Comparative Education
Statistics 2008-2009*** Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (2008), International Comparative Education
Statistics 2003-2004**** International Association of Universities, World Higher Education Database (WHED), United States of America- Education System

2

II．The higher education system
1. Historical overview - focusing on quality assurance
1636 - Harvard College established.
During the colonial era, the colleges, e.g., Harvard, William and Mary (founded in 1693), and Yale
(1701), were established as adjuncts of their respective churches, which meant facility with classicallanguage, grounding in the basic philosophies of Aristotle, and a smattering of general worldly
knowledge. The curriculum of the colleges in this era aimed to provide students with a liberal
education. The founding documents of all three schools speak to the aim of educating ministers.

In the latter half of the 18th century - After the U.S. independence, the newly sovereign states madeprovision for collegiate education for their citizens. States that had no colleges chartered new
institutions.

1862 - The Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862 allowed many states to receive land to build colleges tohelp promote economic and civic development in the states.
The balance of postsecondary study in the United States in this era comprised three different types:
the groups of colleges and universities to be engaged in higher learning, e.g., liberal arts colleges, andnormal schools which nurture elementary and secondary school teachers; private vocational andtrade schools established by independent entrepreneurs; and national faith-related colleges or
institutes.

1885 - The oldest regional accrediting organization, the New England Association of Schools andColleges, was founded.
Accreditation was originally practiced by colleges as a means to determine quality in high schools, sothat higher education institutions could be assured that secondary graduates met acceptable
standards for admission. Later, colleges themselves began to participate in accreditation to assurethat credits earned by transfer students from one higher education institution to another would be
acceptable. Programmatic accreditors were created in a parallel fashion out of earlier professionalsocieties over a long period of time as various professions became recognizably distinct, beginningwith established fields like medicine and the law.

1920s - Enrollments in higher education approximately doubled during the 1920s, and this expansion
triggered quantitative changes analogous to what Martin Trow would later identify as the transition
from elite to mass higher education.
As higher education continued to grow and diversify, professional education in new fields continued
to emerge. Subsequently, the demand for new programmatic accrediting organizations increased.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United States of America

31945 to 1975 - This period was the most expansive in the American experience (1950: 2.7 million
students; 1960: 3.6 million; 1970: 7.9 million). After World War II, the Sevicemen’s Readjustment Act
of 1944 (the GI Bill) made access to higher education a national priority. In the 1960s and 1970s, thelaunching and rapid growth of community colleges further expanded postsecondary education
opportunities.
Higher education’s relationship with the federal government changed in these years. The federal
investment in higher education increased significantly in the 1970s, with the new funds being used tosupport student access. Direct support for research remained at high levels, and, eventually,
expanded once more in the 1980s.
With the passage of the G.I. Bill, the accreditation system began to change. With the growth in federal
student aid, the federal government began to use this non-governmental accreditation system todetermine the eligibility of higher education institutions to receive federal student financial
assistance and other federal funds. The federal recognition process, as a way of regulating theaccreditation enterprise and producing a list of federally recognized accrediting organization, wasinitiated in 1952. The Higher Education Act of 1965 required the federal government to somehow
determine institutional eligibility to receive these funds, and it turned to accreditation to do this job.

1996 - CHEA was established.
The development of accreditation in America was unplanned and produced many instances of
duplication and unanticipated difficulty. As a result, efforts to coordinate accreditation on a national
basis have been taken over a long period of time. The Council on Postsecondary Accreditation (COPA)
formed. It established process for recognizing accrediting organizations. COPA dissolved and the
National Policy Board on Institutional Accreditation (NPB) established in 1993 to examine need fornational coordination of accreditation. The NPB-established working group designed a neworganization to coordinate accreditation.

2003 - Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act initiated with emphasis on accreditation andaccountability to the public.

2006 - The Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education issued reporthighly critical of higher education and accreditation.

2008 - The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 was signed into law and there are significant
changes in several accreditation-areas.
*Refer to Chapter III-5 for more detail of the recent of U.S. quality assurance of higher education.
Source: Philip G. Altbach, Robert O. Berdahl and Patricia J. Gumport, American Higher Education in the Twenty-first
Century, p.39-43, 57, 64
Peter T. Ewell, U.S. Accreditation and the Future of Quality Assurance, p.17-21, 28, 48
The Spellings Commission’s Report, A Test of Leadership: Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education, p.ix
MEXT, Higher Education System in Five Countries, p.20-22

4

2. Diagram of the educational system in the United States of America

Postdoctoral study and research

Doctor’s degree study

Master’s
degreeMaster’s degree study

Professional
schools(medicine,theology,
law, etc.)

7
6
5
4

Bachelor’s
degree3

Associate’s
degree orcertificate

2-yearinstitutions

1

17
16
15

4-yearhigh schools

Seniorhighschools

14
Juniorhighschools

13
12
11

2

12
Combinedjunior/seniorhighschools

Middleschools

11
10
9
8
7
6
5

9

4

7

Typical grade configurations ofelementary (or primary) schools

6
5

2
1
K

kindergartens

4
3

3

Nursery schools

Age

Elementary(or primary) education

10

8

Secondary education(academic, vocational, technical)

High
schooldiploma

Vocational/
technical
institutions

4-yearundergraduate
programs

Postsecondary education(college, university, professional, vocational,
technical)

Ph.D. oradvanced
professional
degreePK
Grade/yearof college

Source: Digest of Education Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d07/figures/fig_01.asp

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United States of America

53. Type and size of higher education institutions
Types of degree-awarding institutions
The type of degree-awarding institutions may be categorized by three aspects – public or private, twoor four-year, non-profit or for-profit. They are typically divided into the following groups:•

Public two-year institutions (e.g. community colleges)•

Public four-year institutions (e.g. universities, colleges)•

Private two-year institutions (e.g. junior colleges)•

Private four-year institutions (e.g. research universities, liberal-arts colleges)

Higher education institutions in the United States are organized and licensed or chartered as
non-profit or for-profit corporations, regardless of whether they are public or private. These
corporate entities are governed by boards of trustees, who are citizens appointed by a governor orlegislature (public institutions) or elected by the board itself (private institutions).
Public institutions, in addition to having governing boards appointed by state authorities, will also
receive some annual allocation of state budget funds.
Private institutions are independent of state control even though they are licensed or authorized bystate governments. They may be non-profit or for-profit, and may be secular or affiliated with areligious community. Some private institutions may be authorized by state governments to receive
state operating funds and to provide some public services.
Source: ACE, An Overview of Higher Education in the United States, p.1-2
U.S. Network for Education Information (USNEI), Organization of U.S. Education: Tertiary Institutions
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/postsec-inst.doc

Number of institutions (2006-2007)
Public4-year institutions
2-year institutions
Total

643
1,045
1,688

Private

Total

1,986
640
2,626

2,629
1,685
4,314

Rate of Private
institutions
75.5%
38.0%
60.9%

Source: Digest of Education Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d07/tables/dt07_255.asp

Number of enrollments, by type of institution (Fall 2005)

4-year institutions
2-year institutions
Total

PublicPrivate6,837,605
6,184,229
13,021,834

4,161,815
303,826
4,465,641

Total
10,999,420
6,488,055
17,487,475

Source: Digest of Education Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d07/tables/dt07_177.asp

6Rate of Private
institutions
37.9%
4.7%
25.5%

Number of enrollments, by attendance status (Fall 2005)
Public (1)4-year institutions
2-year institutions
Total

Full-time
5,021,745
2,387,016
7,408,761

Part-time
1,815,860
3,797,213
5,613,073

Total
6,837,605
6,184,229
13,021,834

Rate of Part-time
26.6%
61.4%
43.1%

Private (2)4-year institutions
2-year institutions
Total

Full-time
3,128,464
259,786
3,388,250

Part-time
1,033,351
44,0401,077,391

Total
4,161,815
303,826
4,465,641

Rate of Part-time
24.8%
14.5%
24.1%

(1) + (2)4-year institutions
2-year institutions
Total

Full-time
8,150,209
2,646,802
10,797,011

Part-time
2,849,211
3,841,253
6,690,464

Total
10,999,420
6,488,055
17,487,475

Rate of Part-time
25.9%
59.2%
38.3%

Source: Digest of Education Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d07/tables/dt07_184.asp

Number of staff (Fall 2005)

Total

PublicPrivateTotal

2,267,687

1,111,400

3,379,087

Rate of Private
institutions
32.9%

Source: Digest of Education Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d07/tables/dt07_177.asp

4. Student admission
The US higher education includes institutions with a wide range of admission selectivity, fromopen-access two- and four-year institutions that admit all students, to highly selective research
universities and liberal arts colleges that admit only a small fraction of those who apply. Admissions
decisions at selective institutions are based on a fixed set of academic criteria, including high school
coursework, grade point average and class rank, and admissions test score, as well as a more flexible
set of non-academic characteristics, such as demonstrated leadership ability, creativity, andcommunity service. The admissions decisions at highly selective institutions are so complex andconsider so many factors. Because the US has no national secondary school curriculum or high school
exit examination, colleges rely on two privately developed admissions examinations – the SAT and
ACT.
Source: ACE, An Overview of Higher Education in the United States, p.8

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United States of America

75. Type of academic degrees, terms of study, and completion requirements
Associate Degree
The associate degree can be awarded in academic or professional subjects and also in terminal career
and technical programs. Two-year colleges (community colleges) and a small number of four-year
institutions grant associate degrees. Associate degrees may represent a terminal degree in a
vocational field or may prepare students to complete a bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution.
Credits earned in associate degree programs can be transferred to bachelor’s degree programs undercertain conditions. The transfer of credits from associate degree programs to bachelor’s degree
programs are usually governed by what are called articulation agreements between institutions.
An associate degree can be defined as “An award that requires completion of an organized program ofstudy of at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time academic study or more than 60, but less than 120
semester credit hours” (NCES). Unlike certificate and diploma programs, the associate degree is arecognized higher education degree. Most associate degrees earned in academic programs are
Associate of Arts (AA) or Science (AS) degrees.
Source: ACE, An Overview of Higher Education in the United States, p.9
U.S. Network for Education Information (USNEI), Structure of the U.S. Education System: Associate Degrees
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/associate.doc

Bachelor’s Degree
U.S. bachelor’s degrees are usually planned to take 4 academic years of full-time study to complete.
However, many degrees take longer to complete, including those in engineering, architecture andother fields; and many bachelor’s degrees are completed in less than 4 years by highly qualified andmotivated students. The bachelor’s degree may be defined as “An award that normally requires atleast 4 but not more than 5 years of full-time equivalent college-level work.” (NCES)
U.S. bachelor degree programs usually include requirements for breadth as well as depth of study,
and students will fulfill what are called liberal or general studies requirements for introductoryknowledge in several subjects as well as a concentration in one or more subjects, called a “major.”
U.S. educators and employers believe strongly that the bachelor’s degree should prepare students forentry-level jobs as well as for possible advanced study. Whether students continue their studies orenter the labor market, they will need to understand the basic principles of fields other than their own
narrow specialization, and they will need skills – such as languages, IT and computational skills – thatcannot be obtained exclusively in their major field. This extra knowledge and skill must be obtainedat the higher education level. And the degree program should be structured so that the additional
knowledge and skill complements the main subject concentration.
Most bachelor’s degrees are titled Bachelor of Arts (BA or AB) or Bachelor of Science (BS or SB), butthere are many other bachelor’s degree titles in use.
Honors bachelor’s degrees are awarded and involve more independent study, require a thesis or
special project, and may have special admissions requirements.

8

A number of U.S. higher education institutions offer programs that permit a student to earn a
specialized certificate (it can also be called a diploma) at the same time the bachelor’s degree isearned or shortly thereafter. Post-bachelor’s certificates usually require no more than a single
academic year to complete, and are often completed as part of the degree program.
Source: U.S. Network for Education Information (USNEI), Structure of the U.S. Education System: Bachelor’s Degrees
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/bachelor.doc

Master’s Degrees
The master’s degree is the first graduate-level qualification, or second cycle degree, in the U.S. higher
education system. Master’s degrees generally take two years to complete, but the time period may be
shorter or longer depending on how the degree program is structured, whether the student is enrolled
full-time or part-time, the degree requirements and the prior preparation of the student.
The most common academic master’s degrees are the Master of Arts (MA or AM) and Master of Science(MS or SM). However, there are many different master’s degree titles, especially in the professional
fields.
Master’s degrees awarded in academic fields are generally research degrees that require thecompletion of required graduate-level courses and seminars, passing comprehensive examinations in
the major subfield of research and usually one or more minor subfields, and the preparation anddefense of a master’s thesis under faculty supervision.
Master’s degrees awarded in professional fields may be structured as research degrees (as inengineering, for example), or they may be structured specifically to prepare students to work in an
applied professional field at an advanced level (as with the MBA).
Source: U.S. Network for Education Information (USNEI), Structure of the U.S. Education System: Master’s Degrees
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/master.doc

Doctoral Degrees
The research doctorate, or the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and its equivalent titles, represents thehighest academic qualification in the U.S. education system. U.S. doctorates are structured programsof advanced study and supervised research. Students admitted to doctoral programs must complete
all qualifying graduate-level coursework and participate in doctoral seminars and colloquia. Students
who complete these preliminary requirements at a satisfactory level (usually an A average grade isrequired) must then pass written comprehensive examinations that cover their chosen research
specialization plus two or more adjunct specialties, one of which is often in a related subject area.
Successful students who pass the examinations and receive the recommendation of the doctoral
faculty are advanced to candidacy for the doctorate.
The doctoral candidate selects a doctoral dissertation advisor and doctoral committee. The advisor
and committee approve the dissertation research proposal and are available to advise on the progressof the independent research program. When the candidate and the advisor judge that the research is
Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United States of America

9completed and the dissertation is finished, the candidate is scheduled for a public oral examination
defending the dissertation. At the conclusion of the oral defense, the dissertation committee votes onwhether to award the doctorate and sign the dissertation, which is then published via university
printing services and made available electronically for the academic community.
Source: U.S. Network for Education Information (USNEI), Structure of the U.S. Education System: Research Doctorate
Degrees http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/doctorate.doc

First-Professional degrees
First-professional degrees represent a category of qualifications in professional subject areas that
require students to have previously completed specified undergraduate coursework and/or degrees
before enrolling. They are considered graduate-level programs in the U.S. system.
A first-professional degree is an award that requires completion of a program that meets all of thefollowing criteria: (1) completion of the academic requirements to begin practice in the profession; (2)at least 2 years of college work prior to entering the program; and (3) a total of at least 6 academic
years of college work to complete the degree program, including prior required college work plus thelength of the professional program itself. First-professional degrees may be awarded in 10 fields
including Chiropractic, Medicine, Jurisprudence, and Divinity.
Source: U.S. Network for Education Information (USNEI), Structure of the U.S. Education System: First-Professional
Degrees http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/professional.doc

Intermediate Graduate Qualifications
The U.S. higher education system awards several qualifications that represent studies and researchbeyond the master’s degree but that are not the equivalent of a research doctorate. Most of thesequalifications are in professional fields of study and represent a level of education corresponding toadvanced professional standing.
Source: U.S. Network for Education Information (USNEI), Structure of the U.S. Education System: Intermediate
Graduate Qualifications http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/grad.doc

6. Agency responsible for higher education
The US federal government does not have any direct authority over US education. The Constitution
does not mention education as a general responsibility, the federal government plays a limited roleand the US has never had an education ministry.
Public and private higher education institutions enjoy more autonomy and are more internallyself-governing than are schools. Nevertheless, state governments exercise oversight and coordinating
authority over higher education within their jurisdictions, issue corporate charters to institutions,
regulate standards and quality to varying degrees, and may have regulatory authority over various
aspects of the operation of public institutions.

10

The role of the US federal government is limited to the following:•

Exercising leadership in promoting educational policies and reform efforts of national scope;•

Administering federal assistance programs authorized and appropriated by Congress;•

Enforcing federal civil rights laws as they pertain to education;•

Providing information and statistics about education at the national and international levels; and•Providing technical expertise to the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Homeland
Security, other federal agencies and Executive Office of the President in conducting the foreign
affairs of the United States as these pertain to education and within the limited scope of federal
power in this area.

The federal government does not:•Own, control or oversee U.S. schools or postsecondary institutions*;•

Inspect, accredit, or license schools, postsecondary institutions, or other educational providers;•

Set curricula or content standards for academic or professional subjects;•

Hire or license faculty or other educational professionals;•

Set educational standards for the admission, enrollment, progress, or graduation of students at
any level;•

Set standards, license, or regulate professional occupations or practicing professionals (otherthan federal civilian and military personnel); or•

Determine or allocate educational budgets for states, localities, or institutions.

*Except for institutions established to serve federal personnel and their families, such as the military service
academies and advanced service schools, plus public schools located overseas to educate children of U.S.
personnel stationed abroad.
Source: U.S. Network for Education Information (USNEI), Structure of the U.S. Education System:
State Role II - Tertiary Education
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/postsec.doc
The Federal Role
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/fedrole.doc

7. Major university/college associations•

American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)

http://www.aascu.org/

National association representing the state-funded and state-affiliated higher education
institutions in the United States.
•

Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) http://www.aacu.org/
National association of higher education institutions, including both public and private
institutions as well as universities offering graduate studies, that are committed to undergraduate(bachelor’s level) education in the US tradition of the liberal arts.

•

Association of American Universities (AAU)

http://www.aau.edu/

National association of comprehensive research universities that focus on doctoral studies in awide variety of subjects, and are concerned with issues of scientific research, research funding,and related policy issues.
Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United States of America

11•Council of Independent Colleges (CIC)

http://www.cic.edu/

National association of private higher education institutions, especially independent
undergraduate colleges and small to mid-sized universities emphasizing undergraduate teachingas well as research.
•

National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU)

http://www.naicu.edu/

National associate of private higher education institutions of all types and emphasizing bothteaching and research.
•

National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC)
http://www.nasulgc.org/
National association of state colleges and universities established and partially funded under theFirst and Second Morrill Acts of the U.S. government (1862 and 1890) plus other state higher
education institutions.

Source: U.S. Network for Education Information (USNEI), Organization of U.S. Education: Tertiary Institutions
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/postsec-inst.doc

8. Student participation in the university administration and student
organizations
University Administration
Although the internal organization and structure of U.S. institutions vary based upon size andmission, some common elements exist.
Board of trustees: Lay boards of trustees who tend not to be academics govern most college anduniversities. These boards are the legal agents for the institution and are responsible for ensuring andmonitoring its financial health, setting strategy to fulfill its mission, and evaluating both institutional
and presidential performance. The size, structure, and appointment of boards vary.
President: Boards hire and delegate much of the administrative responsibility for managing theinstitution to the president (sometimes called a chancellor). The president is responsible forproviding overall leadership to the institution, managing its finances and budget, developing andexecuting the institution’s strategic plan, and establishing systems of accountability andperformance. However, much of the president’s work lies outside the institution. The president
advocates for the institution’s needs and seeks support from legislative and other external audiences,
meets with alumni and prospective students, develops relationships with corporations andcommunity groups, and provides the public persona of the institution. Beyond the president, othersenior administrators provide the leadership for the institution’s various divisions.
Faculty senate: Although presidents have primary responsibility for the institution, most rely upon asystem of shared governance between faculty and administrators for key institutional decisions. The
primary organizational structure for shared governance is the faculty senate. The senate is
responsible for recommending academic decisions and policies, such as those affecting new curriculaand courses, degree requirements, and academic hiring and workloads. Its members typically include

12full-time faculty, although students, administrators, staff, and part-time faculty sometimes
participate as well.

Student organizations
Colleges and universities host various student organizations and clubs, including academicallyfocused groups, as well as athletic, cultural and religious, and social organizations. Anotherimportant student organization is student government, which is the formal, recognized student
advocacy body on campus.
Source: ACE, An Overview of Higher Education in the United States, p.11-12

9. Tuition and required fees
Average undergraduate tuition fees charged for full-time students (2006-2007)
Unit: USD

PublicPrivateAll institutions

4-year2-year4-year2-year4-year2-yearTuition and required fees
5,685
2,017
20,492
12,62010,913
2,511

Total fee*
12,805
6,810
28,896
20,16718,445
7,497*Total fee includes tuition, room, and board rates (7-day basis).
Source: Digest of Education Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d07/tables/dt07_320.asp

10. Student aid
A wide array of government and private financial aid programs provides assistance to student, basedon both financial need and academic merit. Financial aid to students includes federal grants, loans,and tax credits, state grants, and grants provided by colleges and universities, as well as privateorganizations.
Federal student aid is financial help for students enrolled in eligible programs at participating
schools to cover school (a four-year or two-year public or private educational institution, a career
school or trade school) expenses, including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, andtransportation. The three most common types of aid are grants, loans, and work-study.
Grants are a type of financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid. Generally, grants are forundergraduate students and the grant amount is based on need, Cost of Attendance, and enrollment
status. Federal Pell Grants for 2008-2009 will range from $890 to $4,731. Federal Supplemental
Educational Opportunity Grants will range from $100 to $4,000.
Loans are borrowed money that must be repaid with interest. Both undergraduate and graduate
students may borrow money. Maximum loan amounts depend on the student's year in school. Parents
Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United States of America

13may also borrow to pay education expenses for dependent undergraduate students. Examples areFederal Stafford Loans made to students, and PLUS Loans to parents and graduate/professional
students.
Work-study lets students earn money while enrolled in school to help pay for education expenses.
The United States government does not provide student assistance to non-citizens except in thelimited case of federal exchange programs and some research opportunities for scientists andmid-career professionals. Students who come to the United States to study for diplomas or degrees
are expected to be able to pay for their study visits using their own resources plus assistance fromtheir countries or private sources.
Source: U.S. Network for Education Information (USNEI), Financial Assistance
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-studyus-finaid.html
Federal Student Aid, Student Aid on the Web
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/aboutus.jsp

11. Higher education laws
The U.S. education system is not based on one, or even a few, framework laws. Instead, there are awide variety of federal, state and local laws, plus court decisions and regulations that define various
aspects of our decentralized system. In addition, there are rules and policies adopted by educational
associations and individual schools and institutions that often have legal status with respect tomatters within their competence. (Also see II-1. Historical overview.)
Source: U.S. Network for Education Information (USNEI), General Information Resources About Education in the
United States
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/generalinfo.doc

Sources•

Philip G. Altbach, Robert O. Berdahl and Patricia J. Gumport (1999), American Higher Education in
the Twenty-first Century•

Peter T. Ewell (2008), U.S. Accreditation and the Future of Quality Assurance•

A Report of the Commission Appointed by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings (2006), A Testof Leadership: Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education•

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (2004), Higher Education System inFive Countries•

Digest of Education Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/•

American Council on Education (2004), An Overview of Higher Education in the United States•

U.S. Network for Education Information (USNEI)
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/edlite-index.html•

Federal Student Aid, Student Aid on the Web
http://studentaid.ed.gov/

14

III. The quality assurance system
1. Introduction
The United States system of higher education is the most diverse in the world. Higher education
quality review in the United States is a similarly diverse enterprise. Unlike most countries, theUnited States has no centralized “Ministry of Education” to enforce national standards. Instead, thefunctions of quality review are performed variously by federal and state government agencies,
nonprofit nongovernmental organizations and for-profit services.

External quality review
External quality review refers to activities undertaken by organizations or agencies outside of acollege, university or program to measure, validate or certify its quality. External review takes many
forms, from accreditation to federal data collection and from state accountability and licensure
reviews to survey-based rankings of institutions.
The purposes of external review are also manifold and include:•

promoting institutional accountability•

ensuring that institutions meet specific certification or licensing requirements•

establishing the eligibility of institutions to offer degrees and certificates•enabling institutions or programs to receive public funding•

enforcing minimum financial and administrative standards•

providing consumers with information on which to base education-related decisions•

improving quality within institutions and programs

Internal quality review
Internal reviews for quality have long been part of the culture of higher education. Tenure andpromotion reviews, peer reviews of research, student evaluations and program reviews are examplesof this tradition. Governing boards also play an influential quality assurance role.
Source: CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review 2007, p.3

2. Type of quality assurance system•

Accreditation•

Recognition of accrediting organizations•

Federal oversight of higher education•

State quality review of higher education•

Government approval

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United States of America152-1. Accreditation
Accreditation is a process of external quality review created and used by higher education to
scrutinize colleges, universities and programs for quality assurance and quality improvement.
Both federal and state governments consider accreditation to be a reliable authority on academic
quality. The federal government relies on accreditation to assure the quality of institutions andprograms for which the government provides federal funds and for which the government provides
federal aid to students. Most state governments will initially license institutions and programs
without accreditation. However, states will subsequently require accreditation to make state funds
available to institutions and students.
Source: Judith S. Eaton, An Overview of U.S. Accreditation, p.3

Values and beliefs of accreditation
U.S. accreditation is built upon a core set of traditional academic values and beliefs. These aredescribed by the following statements:•

Higher education institutions have primary responsibility for academic quality; colleges anduniversities are the leaders and the key sources of authority in academic matters.

•

Institutional mission is central to judgments of academic quality.

•

Institutional autonomy is essential to sustaining and enhancing academic quality.

•

Academic freedom flourishes in an environment of academic leadership of institutions.

•

The higher education enterprise and our society thrive on decentralization and diversity of
institutional purpose and mission.

Source: Judith S. Eaton, An Overview of U.S. Accreditation, p.5

Roles of accreditation•

Assuring quality: Accreditation is the primary means by which colleges, universities andprograms assure quality to students and the public. Accredited status is a signal to students andthe public that an institution or program meets at least threshold standards for, e.g., its faculty,
curriculum, student services and libraries. Accredited status is conveyed only if institutions andprograms provide evidence of fiscal stability.

•

Access to federal and state funds: Accreditation is required for access to federal funds such as
student aid and other federal programs. Federal student aid funds are available to students only
if the institution or program they are attending is accredited by a recognized accreditingorganization. State funds to institutions and students are contingent on accredited status.

•

Engendering private sector confidence: Accreditation status of an institution or program isimportant to employers when evaluating credentials of job applicants and when deciding
whether to provide tuition support for current employees seeking additional education. Private
individuals and foundations look for evidence of accreditation when making decisions about
private giving.

•

16

Easing transfer: Accreditation is important to students for smooth transfer of courses andprograms among colleges and universities. Receiving institutions take note of whether or not thecredits a student wishes to transfer have been earned at an accredited institution. Althoughaccreditation is but one among several factors taken into account by receiving institutions, it isviewed carefully and is considered an important indicator of quality.
Source: Judith S. Eaton, An Overview of U.S. Accreditation, p.4-5

Type and number of accrediting bodies
As of December 2007, there are 80 recognized accrediting organizations in the United States,consisting of the following types:
1)

Institutional accreditors•

Regional accrediting organizations
Targets: Non-profit colleges and universities (both public and private)
Number of organizations: 8 (located in six geographic regions)•

National faith-based accrediting organizations
Targets: Religiously affiliated and doctrinally based institutions on a national basis
Number of organizations: 4•

National career-related accrediting organizations
Targets: For-profit, career-based, single-purpose institutions, both degree and non-degree
Number of organizations: 7

2)

Programmatic accreditors•

Programmatic or specialized accrediting organizations
Targets: Individual academic programs, professions and free-standing schools, e.g., law,
medicine, engineering and health professions.
Number of organizations: 61

Accrediting organizations are accountable to the institutions and programs they accredit. They areaccountable to the public and government that have invested heavily in higher education and expect
quality. Accreditors undertake an organizational self-assessment on a routine basis. Accreditors also
undergo a periodic external review of their organizations known as “recognition.” (See Chapter 2-2
for more detail.)
Source: Peter T. Ewell, U.S. Accreditation and the Future of Quality Assurance, p.12
CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review 2007, p.8
Judith S. Eaton, An Overview of U.S. Accreditation, p.7

Frequency
Review cycle vary, with some accreditors requiring comprehensive reviews every three years, others
requiring five-year reviews and still others requiring comprehensive ten years, plus more focused
mid-cycle reviews.
Source: CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review 2007, p.8

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United States of America

17Standards and policies
While each accrediting organization establishes its own standards by which institutions andprograms are accredited, these standards all address similar areas, such as expected student
achievement, curriculum, faculty, services and academic support for students and financial
capacity. Standards are developed or changed through a process of public consultation involvinge.g., faculty, administrators, students, practitioners in specific fields, governing boards andmembers of the public. This process often involves an invitation to the public through, e.g.
newspapers or general mailings.
Each accrediting organization lays out a framework of expectations and practices that govern the
conduct of accreditation review. These policies may include areas such as conflict of interest andrelease of information.
Source: CHEA, Fact Sheet #5 Accrediting Organizations in the United States: How Do They Operate to Assure
Quality?

Stages of accreditation•

Establishment of eligibility: Every accrediting organization has certain basic requirements that
institutions or programs must meet before they can apply for a review. Not all accreditingorganizations have eligibility requirements, but all accreditors do require that an institution belicensed or have authority to operate from the state in which it is located and have education as
its primary purpose. Such institutional or program eligibility requirements serve as apre-screening for quality.

•

Self-study: Once accepted for review, each institution or program must prepare a comprehensive
evaluation of its performance based on the accrediting organization’s established standards orcriteria. This self-study involves the preparation of detailed written reports showing how theinstitution or program determines whether it meets or exceeds the standards, as well as how itplans to improve in the future. Theses reports may be prepared as confidential documents,
although many institutions publish them after the accreditation review cycle has been completed.

•On-site team visit: The self-study becomes the basis for scrutiny by an accrediting organization’s
review team during a visit to the campus. Team members have an opportunity to talk to faculty,
students, staff and administrators about issues and questions arising from the self-study. The
team usually conducts an exit interview with the president or dean to discuss issues that havesurfaced during the review.

•

Written team report: The visiting team prepares a comprehensive accreditation report that
includes judgments about the institution’s or program’s strengths, weaknesses and potential for
improvement. The draft report is usually shared with the campus or program leadership before
it is made final. The final report is then submitted to the accrediting organization, withrecommendations about what action should be taken.

•

Final decisions/appeals: Based on the team report, self-study and other evidence assembled bystaff of the accrediting organization, its commission or governing body takes an accreditation
action. Accreditation actions can take several forms, from granting accreditation to revoking
accredited status. All accrediting organizations permit appeals of their decisions.

18•

Monitoring: All accrediting organizations also monitor institutions and programs between visits.
Monitoring may be relatively unobtrusive in the form of a requirement to file annual statisticalreports, or it may be more extensive, including telephone contact, interim reports on topics ofconcern or additional focused site visits. If the institution or program has changed its
curriculum, offerings or instructional methods or has opened a new site, the accreditor may
require it to undertake a substantive change review to examine the appropriateness of these newarrangements and their potential impact on the quality of the core program.

Source: CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review 2007, p.8-9
Peter T. Ewell, U.S. Accreditation and the Future of Quality Assurance, p.13-16

Schedule
Each accreditor sets its own schedule. The amount of time for an accreditation review varies from,e.g., nine months to several years to complete a full review.

Publication of data
Generally, the following information are made available by accrediting organizations:•

Under certain circumstances and with permission from institutions or programs, self-study
reports and team visit reports offering description and analysis of institutions and programs
that are reviewed•

Dates of upcoming accreditation visits•

Members of an organization's accrediting decision-making body•Staff members of accrediting organizations•

Finances of accrediting organizations•

Peer evaluators: the volunteers who work with the accrediting organization and carry out
accreditation review

Source: CHEA, Fact Sheet #5 Accrediting Organizations in the United States: How Do They Operate to Assure Quality?

Institutions and programs accredited by recognized accrediting organizations(As of December 2007)

Regional accrediting organizations
National faith-based accrediting organizations
National career-related accrediting organizations
Institutional total
Programmatic or specialized accrediting organizations
Grand total

Number of
Number of
Institutions
programs
3,025
449
3,532
7,006
19,453
26,459The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) database lists approximately 7,000
degree-granting and non-degree-granting institutions and over 17,000 programs that are accredited
by U.S. accrediting organizations that have been recognized either by CHEA or by the United States
Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United States of America

19Department of Education (USDE) or both. Each accrediting organization’s list of institutions orprograms is prefaced by a brief description of the accredited status of the institutions or programson the list and the year for which the list is accurate.
Source: CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review 2007, p.19-22, 61

Funds
Accrediting organizations are funded primarily by annual dues from institutions and programs thatare accredited and fees that institutions and programs pay for accreditation reviews. In someinstances, an accrediting organization may receive financial assistance from sponsoringorganizations. Accrediting organizations sometimes obtain funds for special initiatives fromgovernment or from private foundations.
Source: Judith S. Eaton, An Overview of U.S. Accreditation, p.6

2-2. Recognition of accrediting organizations
In the United States, accreditors are accountable to the institutions and programs they accredit.
They are accountable to the public and government that have invested heavily in higher educationand expect quality. Accreditors undertake an organizational self-assessment on a routine basis andare required to have internal complaint procedures. Accreditors undergo a periodic external reviewof their organizations known as “recognition.” Recognition is carried out either by CHEA or USDE.
Source: Judith S. Eaton, An Overview of U.S. Accreditation, p.7(1) CHEA recognition of accreditation
CHEA is a national, private, nonprofit higher education organization that was established in 1996.
CHEA’s purpose is to coordinate institutional and programmatic accreditation in the United States.
To realize this purpose, CHEA carries out three functions: representing the interests of private,
voluntary self-regulation to the federal government and the public; scrutiny (recognition) of thequality of accrediting organizations based on standards established by CHEA for this purpose; and arange of membership activities that include conferences and meetings, research, policy analysis andpublications.
CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review 2007, p.11

CHEA - Recognition standards
An accrediting organization seeking CHEA recognition is required to provide evidence that thefollowing standards have been met.
1. Advance academic quality
2. Demonstrate accountability
3. Encourage, where appropriate, self-scrutiny and planning for change and needed improvement
4. Employ appropriate and fair practices in decision making

20

5. Demonstrate ongoing review of accreditation practice
6. Possess sufficient resources
Sources: CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review 2007, p.11

CHEA - Frequency and implementing structure
CHEA accreditors are normally reviewed on a 10-year cycle with two interim reports. The review iscarried out by the CHEA Committee on Recognition, a group of institutional representatives,
accreditors and public members who scrutinize accreditors for their eligibility for CHEA
recognition and review accreditors based on an accreditor self-evaluation. The review may also
include a site visit. The Committee on Recognition makes recommendations to the CHEA
governing board to affirm or deny recognition to an accreditor.
Sources: Judith S. Eaton, An Overview of U.S. Accreditation, p.8(2) Federal recognition of accreditation organizations
The federal recognition process was initiated in 1952. The government sought some screening forhigher education quality to be linked to the burgeoning federal student financial assistanceprogram. Rather than create a quality assurance system of its own, the government chose to rely on
accreditation. Federal recognition is currently required for accrediting organizations that certify
institutional eligibility for participation in federal student financial aid programs under Title IV of
the 1965 Higher Education Act or certain other federal funding. Higher education institutions andprograms wishing to participate in federal student aid or other federal programs must be accredited
by a federally recognized accrediting organization.
Sources: CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review 2007, p.12

USDE - Recognition standards
The agency’s accreditation standards effectively address the quality of the institution or programin the following areas:1)

Success with respect to student achievement in relation to the institution’s mission, including
as appropriate, consideration of course completion. State licensing examination and job
placement rates

2)

Curricula3) Faculty
4)

Facilities, equipment and supplies

5)

Fiscal and administrative capacity as appropriate to the specified scale of operations

6)

Student support services

7)

Recruiting and admission practices, academic calendars, catalogs, publications grading andadvertising8)

Measures of program length and the objectives of the degrees or credentials offered

9)

Record of student complaints received by, or available to, the agency
Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United States of America

21

10)

Record of compliance with the institution’s program responsibilities under Title IV of the Act,
based on the most recent student loan default rate data provided by the Secretary, the resultsof financial or compliance audits, program reviews and any other information that the
Secretary may provide to the agency

Sources: CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review 2007, p.12

USDE - Frequency and implementing structure
The federal recognition review normally takes place every five years. USDE staff conduct thereview based on communication with the accreditor, a written report from the accreditor and,from time to time, a visit to the accreditor. USDE staff make recommendations to the National
Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), an appointed group of
educators and public members, to recognize or not recognize an accrediting organization. The
committee, in turn, recommends action to the U.S. Secretary of Education.
Sources: Judith S. Eaton, An Overview of U.S. Accreditation, p.9

Recognized organizations
CHEA and USDE recognize many of the same accrediting organizations, but not all. CHEA recognizes
60 accrediting organizations and USDE recognizes 58 accrediting organizations. There are a total of
80 accrediting organizations that were recognized by either USDE or CHEA or both in 2007.
Sources: CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review 2007, p.10

Funds
CHEA funds its recognition activity through annual fees charged to its institutional members. The
federal government funds its recognition activity through a budget allocation from Congress to
USDE.
Sources: Judith S. Eaton, An Overview of U.S. Accreditation, p.10

2-3. Federal oversight of higher education
In addition to the regulation of accrediting organizations through the federal recognition process,this federal oversight include:•

Data collection that provides a basis for education research and for the provision of information
to consumers, e.g., Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), consumer
information under the Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act of 1990•

Enforcement of minimum standards of financial stability and administrative capacity forinstitutions seeking to establish or maintain student aid eligibility

Sources: CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review 2007, p.14-15

22

2-4. State quality review of higher education
State-level quality review affects both public and private higher education institutions, but it isparticularly important for public institutions because such institutions are dependent on statelegislatures for a significant amount of their funding.
State quality review of higher education falls into two basic categories:
1)

Reviews for state licensure, which affect private institutions

2)

Reviews for state authority to operate and public accountability, including budget, policy andperformance reviews, which primarily affect public institutions

Reviews for state licensure
All private institutions must be licensed at the state level to offer degrees, credentials or certificates.
(See Chapter 2-5 for more detail)State oversightPublic institutions require state authorization to operate. This is usually accomplished when theinstitution is created by the state legislature.
State reviews, to the extent that they are required in addition to or in place of nongovernmental
accreditation reviews, tend to focus on the same aspects of quality that are examined by mostaccreditors. Institutions are reviewed for financial stability and administrative capacity, for overall
institutional stability and to assure that they are providing the kinds of programs they claim to offer.

Accountability initiatives
The role of state oversight in assuring improved higher education accountability has been thesubject of intense public policy debate. States have long been engaged in the direct assessment ofpublic institutional performance through program reviews, data collection and budgeting processes.
More recent accountability initiatives are also designed to yield readily understandable public
information. All 50 states require some kind of assessment and evaluation of public higher
education institutions, and most states have extended their systems to assure accountability as well,through public reporting on performance measures and a focus on the use of resources.
Current dominant themes in state accountability systems include the need to pay attention toundergraduate education and student learning outcomes and to the connection between
institutional quality and student learning. Most states require public institutions to formulate
student learning and outcomes assessment procedures and to set goals that will assure
improvement in the quality of student learning. Increasingly, states are also looking for quantitative
measures of student achievement and institutional performance, in order to document progress andimprovement.
Sources: CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review 2007, p.15-16

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United States of America232-5. Government approval
Each state and territorial government licenses or charters schools and higher education institutions
within its specific jurisdiction. The federal government does not license or charter schools or
institutions except for those directly operated by it for the purpose of educating or training
government personnel or their children.
All states, territories, and associated jurisdictions approve the institutions and other education
providers that operate from within their territorial jurisdictions. The nature of this approval process
varies widely, ranging from basic corporate licensure or chartering all the way to inspection andevaluation procedures similar to those used by recognized accreditation associations. Most state
governments now require licensed or chartered institutions to also have accreditation from arecognized association, or begin the process of accreditation if new.
Sources: U.S. Network for Education Information (USNEI), Government Control
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-accred-govt_approval.html

3. Historical overview- See ‘II-1. Historical Overview of the Higher Education System’.

4. ‘Diploma mills’ and ‘Accreditation mills’
In their quest for higher education and training, students and the public in the United States
sometimes encounter ‘diploma mills’ - dubious providers of educational offerings or operations thatoffer certificates and degrees that are considered bogus. They may also encounter ‘accreditation
mills’ - dubious providers of accreditation and quality assurance or operations that offer acertification of quality of institutions that is considered bogus.
Diploma mills and accreditation mills mislead and harm. In the United States, degrees andcertificates from mills may not be acknowledged by other institutions when students seek totransfer or to go to graduate school. Employers may not acknowledge degrees and certificates from
diploma mills when providing tuition assistance for continuing education. ‘Accreditation’ from anaccreditation mill can mislead students and the public about the quality of an institution. In thepresence of diploma mills and accreditation mills, students may spend a good deal of money andreceive neither an education nor useable credential.
There is no single definition of ‘diploma mill’ or of ‘accreditation mill’ in higher education. While a
few states have laws or regulations regarding these operations, most do not. Some agencies of thefederal government may scrutinize diploma mills or accreditation mills, but this is quite limited todate. In general, diploma mills would not pass the initial screening of accrediting organizations(review for eligibility, candidacy, or initial accreditation) and thus fall outside the purview of thesebodies. Similarly, accreditation mills would struggle with the pre-screening for recognition and,thus, escape this scrutiny as well.

24

Identifying diploma mills and accreditation mills is not easy. A number of the features of diploma
mills are similar to familiar higher education institutions. A number of the features of accreditation
mills are similar to well-known accrediting organizations. Nonetheless, prospective students and the
public can look for several indicators that suggest an operation may be a diploma mill or an
accreditation mill. It is the presence of a number of these features taken together that should signal
to students and the public that they may, indeed, be dealing with a ‘mill.’
Sources: CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review 2007, p.15-16

5. The recent of U.S. quality assurance
Accreditation’s challenges
Accreditation has evolved over the years in response to the changes in the higher education
environment. The number and diversity of accrediting organizations has grown in response to thegrowing diversity of higher education institutions, new delivery mechanisms such as distancelearning, and growing public and private interest in assuring quality in specific programs such as
education, business, and engineering. However, the new higher education environment is posing
some challenges to the existing accreditation system including:•

Under the global competitive environment, the focus on meeting minimum quality standards
is no longer sufficient. Accreditation must play a key role in influencing higher education tomove beyond minimum or adequate quality to performance excellent.

•

Against the backdrop of growing demand for increased accountability to government,
consumers, and the general public, the public is calling for increased transparency andreporting of consumer-friendly information relating to the performance of higher education.
Accreditation can play a major role by changing accreditation standards and placing a strongemphasis on performance outcomes, especially student learning outcomes.

•

The accreditation system is very complex and difficult to understand. The public-private
system of accreditation must become more open and transparent to provide assurances that it
is balancing institutional and public interests in setting standards and accrediting institutions
and programs.

•

Rising costs and reduced federal and state funding are pressuring higher education
institutions to increase affordability and improve the value of and returns on higher
education. While accreditors view that the accreditation process as an ‘investment’,
institutions often view it as a significant cost with little return on investment. The
accreditation process rarely lends itself toward efficiency, productivity improvement, or ‘cost
cutting’.

Progress in improving accreditation
Over the last decade there has been significant progress and pockets of success in improving
accreditation. Since 1992, the federal government has required accreditation agencies to develop
Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United States of America

25standards that include ‘success with respect to student achievement in relation to the institution’s
mission’. The new emphasis on measuring student learning prompted efforts by accreditors to
respond to this requirement, e.g., all regional accrediting agencies have rewritten their standards forreview to include a new standard on learning results. The ABET, Inc., as the recognized U.S.
accreditor of postsecondary degree-granting programs in engineering, redesigned its accreditation
criteria to shift from a focus on inputs to an outcomes-based accreditation model. In addition, every
state has developed some type of accountability report for higher education for use in policy,
oversight and budget consideration.

The Spellings Commission’s Report
In September 2006, the Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education
issued the report ‘A Test of Leadership: Chartering the Future of U.S. Higher Education’. The Reportinitially stated that although America’s colleges and universities have accomplished much of which
they and the nation can be proud, U.S. higher education needs to improve in dramatic ways. It
pointed out significant problems throughout higher education, but was especially critical ofaccreditation. More specifically, accreditation was held to be ineffective in providing reliable
information about institutional quality, too focused on institutional inputs while neglecting student
learning outcomes.
Based on these findings, the Report recommended the creation of a robust culture of accountability
and transparency throughout higher education, and the need for a consumer-based information
database on higher education to weigh and rank comparative institutional performance. Then,accreditation agencies should make performance outcomes, including completion rates and student
learning, the core of their assessment as a priority over inputs or processes.
Shortly after the release of the Report, the Secretary announced an Action Plan for Higher Education:
Improving Accessibility, Affordability, and Accountability. It is designed to improve higher
education’s performance and its ability to measure that performance. Concerning accreditation, tomake higher education more accountable to students and other stakeholders, the Secretary has
proposed ‘convene members of the accreditation community to recommend changes to thestandards for recognition that would place a greater emphasis on results’.

USDE’s quick action
USDE quickly moved to implement its recommendations on accreditation. First, it employed thenegotiated rulemaking process to require accreditors to establish specific standards of student
achievement. Second, it directed NACIQI to be more aggressive in pressing accreditors to examine
student learning outcomes against defined standards. Furthermore, according to the Strategic Plan
2007-2012 of USDE announced in May 2007, the Department will:•

work closely with states, institutions, and accrediting agencies to promote the development
and consistent application of clear standards for recognition26

•collaborate with these partners to identify and implement ways to include student learning
outcomes in the accreditation process•

redesign its college search website to help students and their families to obtain informationthat will allow them to make informed choices about postsecondary education opportunities.

Impact of the Spelling Commission’s Report
After a brief interval from the announcement of the Report, we have found some specific actions inline with the Report’s recommendations, e.g., the website ‘College PortraitTM’’ launched mostrecently, which provides high school students, parents, guidance counselors and other stakeholders
with access to basic, comparable information about student characteristics, costs, student
experience and learning outcomes for 302 public four-year colleges and universities presented in auser-friendly format.

Most recent actions
In January 2008, CHEA and the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) jointly
developed the paper ‘New Leadership for Student Learning and Accountability’ in dialogue withleaders in the nation’s major higher education and accreditation associations. The President of
CHEA, the President of AAC&U, and leaders of seven associations representing more than 3,000
colleges and universities pledged their leadership to continue advancing meaningful approaches toassessing essential student learning outcomes with the release of this paper. It describes six
principles and eight action steps to guide institutional accountability and assessment efforts in the
coming year.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 was signed into law on August 14, 2008. There are
significant changes in several accreditation-related areas including:•Student achievement - the change makes explicit the longstanding partnership between
institutions and accreditors. Institutions are to set expectations of student achievement, andaccreditors are to hold institutions accountable for both the level of expectation and theevidence that the expectations have been met.

•

Information to the Public - To date, accrediting organizations have provided information to the
public and government ‘upon request’. The new law moves from ‘upon request’ to arequirement that accreditors routinely provide information.

Sources: Peter T. Ewell, U.S. Accreditation and the Future of Quality Assurance, p.47-48
The Spellings Commission’s Report, A Test of Leadership: Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education,p.ix, 21, 25
Vickie Schray, Assuring Quality in Higher Education: Key Issues and Questions for Changing Accreditationin the United States, Issue Paper released by the Secretary of Education’s Commission on the Future ofHigher Education, p.2-4
USDE, Action Plan for Higher Education: Improving Accessibility, Affordability and Accountability
Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United States of America

27

USDE, Strategic Plan For Fiscal Year 2007-2012, p.26
News from AASCU - College PortraitTM Website Provides Access to New Admissions Tool for Public Four-Year
Colleges and Universities http://www.aascu.org/media/media_releases/release08sep29.htm
CHEA and AAC&U, New Leadership for Student Learning and Accountability
CHEA HEA Update: Number 45

Sources•

CHEA (2008), CHEA Almanac of External Quality Review 2007•

Judith S. Eaton (2006), An Overview of U.S. Accreditation•

Peter T. Ewell (2008), U.S. Accreditation and the Future of Quality Assurance•

CHEA (2006), Fact Sheet #5 Accrediting Organizations in the U.S.: How Do They Operate to Assure
Quality?

•

U.S. Network for Education Information (USNEI), Government Approval
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-accred-govt_approval.html•

A Report of the Commission Appointed by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings (2006), A Testof Leadership: Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education•

Vickie Schray (2006), Assuring Quality in Higher Education: Key Issues and Questions for Changing
Accreditation in the United States, Issue Paper released by the Secretary of Education’s Commission
on the Future of Higher Education•

U.S. Department of Education (2006), Action Plan for Higher Education: Improving Accessibility,
Affordability and Accountability•

U.S. Department of Education (2007), Strategic Plan For Fiscal Year 2007-2012•

News from AASCU - College PortraitTM Website Provides Access to New Admissions Tool for Public
Four-Year Colleges and Universities
http://www.aascu.org/media/media_releases/release08sep29.htm•

CHEA and the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) (2008), New Leadershipfor Student Learning and Accountability: A Statement of Principles, Commitments to Action•

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CHEA HEA Update: Number 45 (2008)

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education
Overviewof theAssurance System in Higher Education
UnitedStatesofQuality
America
United States of America
Published by:
National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation
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National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluationwww.niad.ac.jp
1-29-1 Gakuen-Nishimachi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8587 Japan
www.niad.ac.jp