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U.S. Department of Education

U.S. Department of Education

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**For more on the latest information on accreditation released by the Department, please click here.**

 The U.S. Secretary of Education also recognizes two categories of State agencies:
                -   State agencies for the approval of public postsecondary vocational education , and 
                - State agencies for the approval of nurse education . 

**Public Postsecondary Vocation Education**

The  criteria and procedures used by the Secretary  in designating a State agency as a reliable authority concerning the quality of  public postsecondary vocational education in a State are contained in Part 603 of  Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Those State agencies that have  requested recognition and have been determined to meet the established criteria are  granted recognition for a period not to exceed four years. The Secretary publishes  a list of those State agencies that he  recognizes as reliable authorities.

**Public Postsecondary Nursing Education**

The criteria and proceduresused by the Secretary in designating a State agency as a reliable authority  concerning the quality of training offered by schools of nursing in a State are  contained in regulations published in the January 16, 1969 FEDERAL REGISTER.  Those State agencies that have requested recognition and have been determined to  meet the established criteria are granted recognition for a period not to exceed  four years. The Secretary publishes a listof those State agencies that he recognizes as reliable authorities. 

**The Recognition Process for State Agencies**

The recognition procedures following by the Secretary in reviewing  State approval agencies are the same as those for accrediting agencies seeking  recognition by the Secretary. These procedures are set forth in detail in subpart  B of part 602. Other information related to a State agency's application for  recognition is provided below. 

**The Application for Recognition**

Agencies considering applying for initial recognition are encouraged to contact  Accreditation Group (AG) as early as possible to discuss their possible application and to afford  Department staff the opportunity to observe several agency site visits and decision  meetings.

State approval agencies desiring to be recognized by the Secretary of Education  must apply for recognition and must demonstrate their compliance with the Secretary's Criteria for Recognition. An agency's application for recognition generally  consists of evidence of the agency's compliance with the criteria for recognition  and supporting documentation.

There is no standard application form to be used by agencies applying for  recognition. Rather, an agency's application for initial recognition or renewal  of recognition consists of a narrative statement, organized on a criterion-by- criterion basis, showing how the agency complies with the Secretary's Criteria for Recognition. The narrative statement must be accompanied by clearly referenced  supporting documentation, including the agency's standards and procedures, published  lists of approved schools or programs, self-evaluation guidelines, guidance materials  for visiting team members, and sample completed self-evaluations and site visit  reports, as appropriate to the criteria used.

**Time Frame for Submission of an Application**

Accreditation Group (AG) accepts applications for initial recognition at any time.  To receive  consideration at a particular meeting of the National Advisory  Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), an agency seeking initial  recognition must submit its petition at least six months in advance of that meeting.  Consideration of the agency's petition at the first NACIQI meeting  that occurs after the six-month time frame is not guaranteed, however, as AG  staff may need more to complete its independent evaluation of the agency.

Agencies that have been granted recognition by the Secretary are notified by the  Secretary, each time recognition is granted or renewed, of the expiration date of  their recognition period. They should plan to submit their application for  renewal of recognition approximately two years in advance of the summer or winter  meeting of the NACIQI meeting that precedes that expiration date.  AG usually notifies agencies a year in advance of the NACIQI at  which their renewal application is to be considered and informs them of the date  by which their application is due to AG. In the same notice, AG also requests a  schedule of the agencies' site visits and decision meetings for the upcoming year  in order to plan its observation of at least some of those activities.

**Staff Analysis of an Agency's Application**

The application review process conducted by the Department of Education  includes analysis of the application and observation of some of the agency's  site visit and decision-making activities by Department staff. Staff members  may also visit agency administrative offices to conduct interviews of agency staff  and to review the agency's facilities, records and administrative operations.  They may also conduct interviews or surveys of other persons, organizations, or  institutions concerning the applicant agency's approval process in order to  obtain further information relating to the agency's compliance with the Secretary's Criteria.  Department staff then prepares a written analysis of the agency's application for  recognition. 

An agency's application must be submitted to the Accreditation Group(AG) via the Department's e-Recognition system. The agency must contact the AG at the address below to discuss the application and gain access to the system.
> 
Accreditation GroupU.S. Department of Education   400 Maryland Avenue, SW, #270-12   Washington, DC 20202Telephone: (202) 453-7615 

**Hearing Before the NACIQI**

When Department staff completes its evaluation of an agency's application for  recognition, the agency's application is placed on the agenda of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. Department staff also  provides the NACIQI with the agency's application and supporting  documentation, its analysis of the application, all information it relied upon  in developing the analysis, any response by the agency to the analysis or  third-party comment, any Department concurrence with or rebuttal to the agency's  response, and any third-party information the Secretary receives regarding the agency.

The NACIQI meets at least twice a year to review petitions from  accrediting and State approval agencies. The usual times for the Committee  meetings are summer (July) and winter (February). Although each  member of the NACIQI receives every Department staff analysis of an application for recognition and all the other materials mentioned in the  preceding paragraph, the Executive Director of the NACIQI usually  assigns two or more Committee members to serve as principal readers for each  application.

An agency that applies for recognition is invited to make an oral presentation  before the NACIQI. The NACIQI also hears oral presentations from Department staff and from third parties who request to be heard.  

The NACIQI conducts its business in public, and a transcript  of the proceedings is made.  

**Recognition Decision**

The designated Senior Department Official makes the final decision regarding recognition or  renewal of recognition of a State agency. Agencies may be granted initial  recognition or renewal of recognition for a period of up to four years.

The Secretary's list of recognized State agencies is published periodically  in the FEDERAL REGISTER.

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