Accreditation: a two-way street

1. Accreditation: a two-way street Beata Schmid, Ph.D. EF International Language Centers Alexandra Zilovic ELS Language Centers

2. A way to become a top language school: How accreditation can improve your language school

3. General benefits • Enhance program quality by meeting minimum standards for the industry • Even the playing field nationally and internationally – most other English-speaking countries require accreditation • Reduce the number of visa mills • Enhanced professional standing for ESL specialists • Independent peer review • Team-building!

4. Specific benefits • Refine institution’s mission • Better goal setting and planning processes • Better management systems • Documentation and systematic implementation of processes • On-going revision of documents (manuals, etc.) • Better staff qualifications and training • Academic improvements • Better performance measurements • More consistent advertising and promotion • Improved student services • SEVP compliance

5. Any drawbacks? • Yes, it’s a lot of work, but • Less fire fighting, more planning • Fewer ad hoc decisions and “policies”

6. Better goal setting and planning • Two of the most cited standards: goals and planning • Forces institution to focus on one-year and more long-term planning • Budget processes • Review of staffing • Evidence of implementation • Communication with other staff members

7. Finances • Consistent and compliant refund policy • Transparency of financial processes • Better control and checks & balances within the institution

8. Better management systems • Clear reporting structures • Improved communication and documentation of communication • Better and more consistent record keeping • Policies and procedures for keeping policies and procedures up to date • Updated and streamlined forms

9. Documentation and systematic implementation of processes • Manuals and handbooks developed and/or updated • On-going revision • Improved systems of communication of implementation to staff • Involvement of staff in development of procedures and documentation • Better filing systems & clean files • SEVP compliance

10. Staff qualifications and training • Meeting minimum standards can raise overall qualifications • Follow institution’s own guidelines for hiring qualified staff • Up to date job descriptions • Consistent orientation and training procedures • Better and more frequent professional development opportunities • Regular staff evaluations

11. Academic improvements • Weekly syllabi for teachers and students • More transparency • Uniform lesson planning • Consistent teacher observations; variety in teacher observation (self, peer, supervisor) • Externally validated exit test/level system • Curriculum development and revision systems • More variety of approaches in the classroom (Doc. 19!)

12. Performance measurement • Rubrics for skills, tests, presentations • Systems for advancing a level and for students repeating a level • Placement test, advancement test(s), final tests • Satisfactory academic progress policy and implementation • Uniform, transparent assessment

13. Marketing and advertising • More consistency • More languages • Transparency • Improvements to the website

14. Student Services • Better, more varied housing options • Documented homestay procedures • More varied activities • University placement services • Volunteer opportunities • Language partner programs • Better insights into overall student needs

15. And most importantly • … a better, more coherent team • … with team members who value each others’ contributions • Increased staff and student satisfaction • Increased business opportunities for accredited institutions • Leadership opportunities identified

16. Part 2 An opportunity to shape the accreditation process

17. An opportunity to shape the accreditation process • ACCET founded in 1974 • Mission: “…inspire and promote quality-oriented continuing education and training” • “..We are a voluntary affiliation of organizations committed to self-regulation through independent peer-review and evaluation; and, we aspire to the continuous refinement of our recognition as a valid and reliable authority”

18. ACCET in 2013 • 25% of all main campus members are IEPs (60 institutions) • 34% of all ACCET accredited sites are IEPs (225 sites) • 3 current commissioners are from IEPs or with IEP background • ACCET Assistant Executive Director with IEP knowledge/background • 3 ACCET staff members have ESL background

19. Recent IEP specific documents • 3.4 ASER IEP (4/2012) • 3. IEP Template (4/2012) • 18.IEP SAP (12/2012) • 18 IEP SAP Checklist (8/2103) • 31.ESL IEP Refund Policy (4/2010) • 50. I SEVP Compliance Checklist (8/2013)

20. SPRC Standards and Policy Review Committee Recent IEP Agenda Items: • Satisfactory Academic Policy • Completion standards • IEP Attendance Requirement Policy • Performance measurements-external testing • SEVP Compliance Checklist

21. Call For Comment • Please review the commission reports • Look for “Call For Comments” section on website and review draft revisions • Please DO send us your comments • They are thoroughly reviewed, discussed and taken into considerations • Your voice counts, but ONLY if you provide it

22. Accreditation…. IS a two-way street!