Accreditation Resources
In Virginia, accreditation means the process of external quality review used by higher education to scrutinize colleges, universities and educational programs for quality assurance and improvement. The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by a postsecondary school meets acceptable levels of quality. The U.S. Department of Education maintains a list of regional, national and programmatic accrediting agencies recognized as reliable authorities concerning the quality of education offered by the postsecondary schools and programs they accredit. In order for a school to participate in the federal Title IV student financial aid program, it must be accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Learn more at www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.
Student Enrollment Agreement
All SCHEV-certified schools are required to enter into an Enrollment Agreement with each student pursuant to 8VAC40-31-160(D)(2). This document must contain 13 specific requirements, and a copy of the Enrollment Agreement signed and dated by both the student and a school official should be retained in each student's file. Check out PPE's Compliance Guidelines Module or our Enrollment Agreement Template for more detailed guidance on how to ensure your document meets regulatory requirements.
Career College Advisory Board
The Career College Advisory Board (CCAB) was established in 2004 by the Council to provide advisory services in academic and administrative matters and other issues related to private proprietary postsecondary education schools. Any private proprietary institution of higher education or academic-vocational non-degree school certified by SCHEV to operate in Virginia is eligible to have a representative on CCAB.
National Association of State Administrators and Supervisors of Private Schools
The National Association of State Administrators and Supervisors of Private Schools (NASASPS) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve and promote effective state regulation of private postsecondary education. NASASPS strives to provide policy leadership, promote best practices and advocate for quality private postsecondary options for students. Learn more at www.nasasps.org.