Is the accreditation system “broken” as claimed by successive Secretaries of Education and some recent reports? This book addresses this question head-on, asking whether accreditation is indeed in need of radical reform, and whether the agencies’ authority should be curtailed; or whether in fact the changes now underway – that accrediting agencies contend ensure rigorous and consistent standards and degrees that are a reliable gauge of student attainment – are moving the academy and the nation in the right direction. In a sweeping and ambitious book, Paul Gaston deploys his knowledge and experience as a peer reviewer for three regional accrediting agencies, a former board member and chair of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors, and his involvement in the early stages of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, to go beyond the polemics to explore whether a strategy that builds on the emerging values and good practices can achieve the substantive and positive improvements the public is demanding.As an introduction for readers new to the debate, he provides a brief overview of the development of accreditation, its terminology, and structure, describing how it currently works, and what it has achieved; and offers insight into the proliferation of the missions of accreditation – as well as the multiplicity of stakeholders with an interest in its outcomes – to question whether the mandate of accreditation should, as some contend, be expanded, or particular missions reassigned or abandoned. This established, he undertakes a dispassionate analysis of the arguments and recommendations of critics and supporters of the current direction of accreditation to identify common ground and explore constructive ways forward, paying specific attention to current and potential reforms of the three sectors of higher education accreditation: the seven regional accrediting associations, the national accreditors, and programmatic, or “specialized” accreditation. The book concludes by outlining a comprehensive approach to reform. His proposal would preserve practices that already work well while advancing important changes that can be incrementally implemented. The result would be a higher education accreditation structure more cost effective, more efficient, more transparent and accountable, and more responsive to institutional and public needs.

Historically, accreditation in higher education developed as a part of the evolution of the American higher education system, at a time when it was becoming problematic that no single point of control or central body existed to set educational standards. In the late 19th century, there was no consensus on the content of the educational programs offered by postsecondary educational institutions or the distinctions between educational offerings at secondary and postsecondary institutions. Because the boundaries were unclear, the first voluntary association of postsecondary institutions was formed in 1895 to define the difference between high school and college and to develop some guidelines and procedures for peer review as a condition for membership. Over time, a number of regional associations formed whose membership was contingent on accreditation. The associations established separate accrediting bodies or commissions that were responsible for developing standards and passing on the institutional qualifications for membership. By the early 1970s, all but a small percentage of the degree-granting institutions of higher education were either accredited or applicants for accreditation. The United States does not have a centralized authority exercising singular national control over postsecondary educational institutions. The states assume varying degrees of control over education, but in general, institutions of higher education (IHEs) are permitted to operate with considerable independence and autonomy. Consequently, the character and quality of IHEs' programs can vary widely. The role of accreditation in higher education, therefore, is to help ensure a level of acceptable quality across the wide array of programs and institutions in higher education. This book discusses the background, issues and considerations of accreditation of higher education.

This annual directory is the only official guide to accredited institutions of higher education. Published continuously since 1964, this indispensable index is used by college admissions officers, guidance and career counselors, and employers who rely upon the accurate and up-to-date information to determine degree and credit transfer requirements, entrance requirements, and tuition reimbursement eligibility. This annual directory is the only official guide to accredited institutions of higher education. Published continuously since 1964, this indispensable index is used by college admissions officers, guidance and career counselors, and employers who rely upon the accurate and up-to-date information to determine degree and credit transfer requirements, entrance requirements, and tuition reimbursement eligibility.^L^L This edition lists more than 6,600 accredited higher education institutions, including public and private, two-year, four-year, and vocational and technical schools, as well as some colleges and universities located outside the United States. All are accredited by national, regional, or professional and specialized accrediting agencies recognized by either the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The directory is divided into three sections: degree-granting institutions, non-degree-granting institutions, and accredited programs affiliated with nonaccredited institutions. In each section, institutions are listed alphabetically by state. A comprehensive index makes it easy to find any institution and includes extensive cross-references.