Accreditation Procedure

We accredit all legitimate educational organizations. This includes Colleges and Universities all the way to privately owned schools for alternative health. See criteria below.

Introduction

The following is the basic criteria for evaluation in receiving and maintaining accreditation. This is necessary in order to lead to US Government approval of your education. We may except some deviation from these practices, if it can be justified to be in the best interest of good educational practices, but it is recommended that you follow these guidelines as closely as possible in order to obtain and maintain accreditation from this accrediting body. You will need to complete a detailed application with a non refundable application fee and include all copies of licenses education and other documents. You will need to agree to an on site inspection of your facilities unless you are an on line school / organization, in that case we will require a personal financial statement of each and every officer and or directors if in business less than 3 years.

Once accredited with us you will be assured you have the very best accreditation possible. Our team of experts will guide you through the entire process making the journey much more enjoyable.

Every organization seeking accreditation must have a clearly stated mission with measurable objectives which guide daily working of the organization. These must be embedded in a business plan that shows growth and development for future operation of the organization. The mission statement or link must also be clearly posted near the front door where everyone entering the facility can easily see it. In the case of web-based learning facilities the mission statement must be posted on the front page or a clearly defined link of bold text no smaller than 14pt linking it to a page of the web site. In addition to these postings the mission statement must also be clearly stated in the beginning pages of any printed materials such as student handbooks (recommended) and catalogues. All criteria for accreditation will be tied back to the fulfillment of said mission statement in implementation of all daily running of the facility from Janitorial to instructional and beyond.

The organization should engage in ongoing planning to achieve its mission and objectives. It also should evaluate how well and in what ways, it is accomplishing its mission and objectives and use the results for broad-based, continuous planning and evaluation. Through its planning process, the organization should ask questions, seek answers, analyze itself, and revise its objectives, policies, procedures and resource allocation.

Mission and Objective

The organization's mission and objectives derive from, or are widely understood by the stakeholders, should be adopted by the governing board, and should be periodically re-examined.

Objectives should be determined consistent with the institution's mission and its resources - human, physical, and financial.

The organization's mission and objectives should give direction to all its educational activities, to its admission policies, selection of faculty, allocation of resources, and to planning.

The institution should offer collegiate level programs that culminate in identified student competencies and lead to degrees or certificates in recognized fields of study. The achievement and maintenance of high quality programs is the primary responsibility of an accredited institution; hence, the evaluation of educational programs and their continuous improvement is an ongoing responsibility. As conditions and needs change, the institution should continually redefine for itself the elements that result in educational programs of high quality.

Measure of Institutional Effectiveness

The institution demonstrates its commitment to high standards of teaching and learning by providing sufficient human, physical, and financial resources to support its educational programs and to facilitate student achievement of program objectives whenever and however they are offered.

The goals of the institution's educational programs, whenever and however offered, including instructional policies, methods, and delivery systems, are compatible with the institution's mission. They are developed, approved, and periodically evaluated under established institutional policies and procedures through a clearly defined process.

Degree and certificate programs demonstrate a logical design; are characterized by appropriate breadth, depth, sequencing of courses, and synthesis of learning and the assessment of learning outcomes; and require the use of library and other information sources.

The institution provides evidence that students enrolled in programs offered in concentrated or abbreviated time frames demonstrate mastery of program goals and course objectives. This may be accomplished through an internship program.

The institution is able to equate its learning experiences with semester or quarter credit hours using practices common to institutions of higher education, to justify the lengths of its programs in comparison to similar programs found in regionally accredited institutions of higher education, and to justify any program-specific tuition in terms of program costs, program length, and program objectives.

Responsibility for design, approval, and implementation of the curriculum is vested in designated institutional bodies with clearly established channels of communication and control. The faculty has a major role and responsibility in the design, integrity and implementation of the curriculum.

The institution's curriculum (programs and courses) is planned both for optimal learning and accessible scheduling.

Policies, regulations and procedures for additions and deletions of courses or programs are systematically and periodically reviewed.

In the event of program elimination or significant change in requirements, institutional policy requires appropriate arrangements to be made for enrolled students to complete their program in a timely manner and with a minimum of disruption.


Each institution must maintain a self-assessment process by which they show they are meeting or exceeding their effectiveness goals, and creating opportunities for institutional growth. Everyone working or attending the school should be included in the assessment process. This assessment should include, but is not limited to, review in the following areas:

- Student Retention

- Student Graduation/ Completion of program of study

- Student placement in the field, or use of study

- Employer/Customer satisfaction with students in the work environment

- Student Assessment of their own learning expectations and outcomes

- Instructor satisfaction with the inner workings of the institution

- Retention

- Anonymous interviews of students and employees to support institutional reporting

The accreditation process involves a thorough scrutiny of all aspects of the courses and organizations, and, once accredited, course providers are monitored in several ways, so that a lapse in standards can be taken up by the AAHEA Standards Committee.


Required:

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR - ORGANIZATIONAL MISSION, OBJECTIVES, PLANNING, AND EFFECTIVENESS.

1. Official statement of the organizational mission: Indicate how and when it was developed, approved, and communicated to the organization's constituencies.

2. Evidence that demonstrates the analysis and appraisal of institutional outcomes.

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Examples may include:

· Annual goals and assessment of success in their accomplishments;

· Studies of alumni and former students;

· Studies regarding effectiveness of programs and their graduates;

· Studies that indicate degree of success in placing graduates;

· Test comparisons that reveal beginning and ending competencies;

· Surveys of satisfaction - students, alumni and employees.

Required Exhibits:

Institutional short term, strategic or long term plans. Includes system master plans when applicable.

Suggested:

Planning studies, including enrollment history for the past five years, enrollment projections, program need analyses, personnel availability data, development possibilities and other products of institutional research.

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Progress Reports

The institution seeking accreditation shall do yearly progress reports showing how their goals are being met. These shall remain on file to show historical patterns of growth.

Educational program planning should be based on regular and continuous assessment of programs in the light of the needs of the disciplines, the fields or occupations for which programs prepare students, and other constituencies of the institution.

The institution should identify and publish the expected learning outcomes for each of its training programs. Through regular and systematic assessment, it should demonstrate that students who complete their programs, no matter where or how offered, have achieved the desired outcomes.

The institution should provide evidence that its assessment activities lead to the improvement of teaching and learning

Integrity

An organization seeking accreditation must maintain a high level of integrity in their practices. Including, but not limited to the following practices:

- Full disclosure to prospective students

- Fostering a harmonious working environment for all employees

- Honesty in their practices

- Background checks for all employees to ensure no felony charges

- Instructors with an educational or experience level equivalent to a Master’s Degree or beyond, should the actual degree be missing the institution must be able to support their claim for experience.

- The institution must maintain a physical location suitable for having the public, zoned and maintained appropriately. They may not change said location more frequently than every two years. NOTE: A pattern for continuous moving would be a red flag to this accrediting body. Moving out of state would also be a red flag as well and would warrant an investigation to determine cause, such as avoiding the authorities.

- Any student or instructor engaged in hands-on healing or the teaching of hands-on healing must be a licensed medical professional, licensed massage therapist or legally ordained minister, or other such license or authorization required by the state or municipality you are in to allow hands-on.

- All supporting documentation required by this accrediting body or the state must be up to date and on file at all times, and available for audit without notice.

- The institution must maintain financial stability and management of said finances at all times clearly outlined and recorded open to audit by the accrediting body at any time.

- Records must be maintained on all students and employees in accordance with federal and state mandated privacy laws.

- Cost to students must be clearly stated in all written materials such as catalogues and contracts. There may be no deceptive practices allowed. Student’s show clearly in writing understand before signing onto a course of study the total cost of that course of study including materials and other applicable elements. Any financing and payment arrangement needs to be clearly defined including a truth and lending statement.

- There must be truth in all of the institutions advertising and publications.

- It is understood that each entity Appling for accreditation will be subject to a complete background check including all officers, directors and any and all employees.

- Students need to be clearly notified in writing if certifications / Degrees are withheld until student has paid in full.


Course and Instructor Requirements

- Instructors must have a background check on file that indicates they have no felony convictions or any sex offences. Records of a felony nature may be acceptable if 10 years or more time has passed with no more problems. NO SEX offenders of any kind will be allowed regardless of time passed, no exceptions allowed to this rule!

- Instructors must have educational or experience to be equivalent to a Master’s Degree with accompanying documentation in their file.

- Records must be maintained on all instructors, even after they leave the institution.

- Instructors must provide lesson plans with clearly defined objectives and activities to support those objectives.

- Instructors must be provided by the institution with the necessary materials to complete the task of educating the students.

- Instructors should have quarterly continuing education provided by the institution.

- Instructor teaching loads must not exceed 32 hours a week.

- Assignments for students must be reasonable and easily completed in the allotted time.

- An evaluation of the course and the instructor must be administered to students at the completion of each course.


Student Expectations

- No students should be admitted to the school if they have any sex offence record or felony conviction within the last 10 years. (See exception above)

- Student expectations should be realistic.

- Students should be licensed medical professionals, licensed massage therapist or licensed ordained ministers prior to successful graduation of any hands-on-healing degree / certification.

- All expectations for students must be clearly stated in writing for all students. This includes providing students with a syllabus at the beginning of each course. Providing a catalogue that outlines the courses and the costs for each course, including books and instructional time.

- Students should have a clear idea about the expectations of courses and instructors.

- Students should be provided with a voice in their learning process and a student advisor.

- Students need to sign and be provided copies of the guarantee and a return / refund policy.


Miscellaneous

- The accrediting body will frequently check with the Better Business Bureau to insure there have been no unanswered complaints or an unreasonable number of complaints against the school or any instructors working at the school at any case this will happen no less than once a year. Any and all complaints must be answered. Any unanswered complaints may be a reason for loss of accreditation or other disciplinary action, as the board of review may deem necessary or appropriate.

- Sole proprietors wishing to run teaching facilities / school must be able to meet the minimum requirements outlined here on their own as well as attending a special training of the accrediting body.

- Sole proprietors must also have three written referrals from people who have worked directly with them in the past, including at least one student referral. No relatives or friends.

- The accreditation process and review with on-site visits will take place once a year for the first three years, followed by a three year visit, and every five years there after provided the facility is found to be in good working order and to the standards as outlined above and is located in the same place. Any relocating will constitute a new on site evaluation within 60 days at the schools expense.

AAHEA reserves the right for their representatives to attend accredited training courses for audit and review purposes. The AAHEA reserves the right to withdraw accreditation if the organization fails to comply with the audit procedures. AAHEA reserves the right to withdraw accreditation if the organization is delivering courses below the required standard. Accreditation will be withdrawn in the event of an organization failing to take satisfactory remedial action within one month (30 days) of being notified by the AAHEA Standards Committee of an unsatisfactory standard of training. AAHEA may withdraw its accreditation upon learning there is excessive complaints or returns of unhappy students.

Prior to accreditation, applicants are not authorized to advertise their intention to offer AAHEA accredited training leading to Practitioner Certification. Breach of this rule may lead to the rejection of the application. Applicants wishing to publish brochures, whilst the application is under consideration, should consult the AAHEA to agree upon the wording.

There is alot more information on accreditation to be found at  www.aahea.org/forms.htm

 
NOTE: We have staff ready, willing and able to walk anyone interested in accreditation through the entire process. These rules are subject to modification at any time without notice and would apply at the next review process.
 

  STILL MORE TO COME!