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Frequency of Reaccreditation
What to Do Between Accreditation Visits 6. The length of time between the initial accreditation and reaccreditation typically varies from 5-10 years, depending on the circumstances of the recommendation and policies of the agency. Usually, when a school/ program is accredited for the first time, a reaccreditation process (which involves the preparation as earlier discussed) is sooner than when the school/program has been reaccredited several times. Also, when some negative recommendations are made, the school/program may be required to submit a follow-up report addressing actions taken to improve the situation. Finally, schools/programs are also expected to notify the agency if they update the program in between accreditation visits. This notification may be a simple report if the change is relatively minor; a full self-study report may be required if the change is substantial. After an accreditation visit, the tendency is for everyone to take a deep breath and focus only on the business of teaching students. While this is understandable, continuing to improve the school/program DURING and AFTER the accreditation process is critical. To that end, maintaining an active evaluation process is mandatory! Good luck as you navigate accreditation. It is a worthwhile journey—for your school, students, and faculty.
About the author Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN , is a nationally recognized speaker and consultant with over 10 years of consulting experience, providing program development and other consultation services to nursing and health professions programs throughout the United States and Canada. Previously, she served as Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Services at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.
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