Becoming an accredited school can be a great way to expand your school’s services and reach. It can also help you to become more financially stable, which is important if you’re running a business that’s not yet self-sustaining.
The first step in becoming an accredited school is to determine whether or not accreditation is right for your school. While some schools may find that accreditation isn’t necessary, there are many reasons why it’s beneficial to become accredited. If you decide that accreditation is right for your school, then the next step is filling out an application. This will require gathering information about the school itself—including its curriculum and teachers—and submitting it to the accrediting body. Submitting an application does not guarantee that the accrediting body will approve your application or recognize your school as accredited; however, it does make things easier if you are approved. After submitting your application and waiting for approval from the accrediting body, it may take several months before your school receives official recognition as an accredited institution.
Accreditation often involves paying fees and submitting paperwork; however, many organizations offer assistance with this process so that it does not become overwhelming or expensive for small businesses like yours.
How To Become Accredited School
THE BASICS OF SCHOOL ACCREDITATION
F and M international students must attend a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified institution. SEVP certification indicates that a school or program meets standards set by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that make it eligible to accept F and M international students.
Although a school does not need to be accredited to receive SEVP certification (unless it is an English language training program), some opportunities may require that a student’s degree come from an accredited institution.
DEFINITION OF ACCREDITATION
Accreditation is the recognition from an accrediting agency that an institution maintains a certain level of educational standards. The U.S. Department of Education maintains a database of accrediting agencies it recognizes.
There are two basic types of educational accreditations:
Institutional
An institutional accreditation normally applies to an entire institution, and indicates that each entity of a school contributes to the achievement of the school’s objectives. This does not necessarily mean that all parts of the school have the same quality level of education.
Specialized/Programmatic
A specialized/programmatic accreditation normally applies to the evaluation of specified programs, departments or small entities within the larger institution. A unit receiving a specialized accreditation could be as large as a college within a university system, or as small as a curriculum within a specified program of study. However, some vocational schools that are not connected to a larger system may receive specialized accreditations that apply to the entire school.
For more information about what accreditation is, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website.
Accrediting Agencies
Accrediting agencies issue accreditations. Accrediting agencies are organizations (made up of educational professionals) that:
- Establish the operating standards for educational or professional institutions and programs.
- Determine if a school meets those standards.
- Publically announce their findings through the issuance of accreditations.
The U.S. Department of Education explains that agencies determine accreditation standards based on whether graduates can gain admission to other reputable institutions or achieve credentials for professional practice.
During the school certification process, SEVP only recognizes schools as accredited if the accrediting agency is recognized by the Department of Education.
To find out if an SEVP-certified school is accredited, search the U.S. Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.
