Community College Accreditation

In the United States, the intent of higher education accreditation is to ensure quality through the involvement of non-governmental accrediting organizations, the federal government and state governments. This collection of entities is known as the Triad. 

In Iowa, state accreditation is an evaluation process that seeks to confirm that Iowa’s community colleges offer acceptable levels of quality programs and services consistent with state standards and needs. Accreditation assures the public that its tax-supported educational institutions operate at expected levels of quality and compliance with state code especially given the community college mission to address the economic well-being of Iowa through workforce education and training and preparing community college students for additional educational opportunities.

Iowa Code and Iowa Administrative Code provide the legal framework for community college accreditation: 

The state process integrates the federally recognized accreditor of postsecondary education institutions accreditation process, (currently the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)), with the standards for community colleges identified in law and addresses the needs of the state not met by HLC’s accreditation process.

The state accreditation process includes two components:  

  1. Submission of required data to the Department by the community colleges and annual monitoring by the Department of all community colleges for compliance with state program evaluation requirements adopted by the State Board.
  2. A comprehensive, on-site evaluation conducted every ten years and an interim evaluation conducted midway between the comprehensive evaluations, which is typically at year five. The format, length and scope of the interim evaluation is determined by the Department based on the results of the most recent comprehensive evaluation, an analysis of Desk Review materials and annual outcomes data prepared by the Department.

The evaluation component includes: assurance of compliance with state statute and college outcomes at both the comprehensive and interim cycles and continuous improvement efforts at the comprehensive cycle only. The evaluation component is conducted by a review team of Department staff and community college peer reviewers. The evaluation process includes: 

  • A Desk Review of written materials submitted by the college. Iowa Code section 260C.47 uses the term “program audit report,” which is traditionally referred to as “Desk Review” during the accreditation process.
  • Assurance interviews conducted at an on-campus site visit for comprehensive evaluations or an on-site, virtual, or Desk Review-only visit for interim evaluations.
  • A final report that includes compliance findings, if applicable, strengths and recommendations for improvement for each accreditation standard and component.
  • State Board action on reaccreditation. Prior to the State Board’s vote on reaccreditation, the Department presents a summary of the accreditation report and college leadership presents a short overview of the college’s strategic initiatives and outcomes priorities. The college may also respond to the accreditation report.

State law establishes the accreditation standards for Iowa’s community colleges (281 IAC 21): 

  1. Quality assurance standards for faculty (faculty qualifications)
  2. Faculty load
  3. Special needs and protected classes
  4. Career and technical education program evaluation
  5. Facilities, parking lots and roads
  6. Institutional effectiveness and outcomes-based planning
  7. Quality Faculty Plan
  8. Senior Year Plus programs
  9. Student services 

The following resources are provided to support community colleges through the state accreditation process:

Iowa Community Colleges State Accreditation Guide

 

Standard 1: Quality assurance standards for faculty

 

Standard 2: Faculty load

  • The teaching loads of full-time instructors must not exceed the faculty load limits set forth in Iowa law as follows: 

a. Arts and sciences. The full-time teaching load of an instructor in arts and sciences courses will be 15 credit hours per traditional semester or the equivalent and will not exceed a maximum of 16 credit hours per traditional semester or the equivalent. An instructor may also have an additional teaching assignment beyond the maximum academic workload, provided the instructor and the community college administration mutually consent to this additional assignment and the total workload does not exceed the equivalent of 22 credit hours within a traditional semester or the equivalent.

b. Career and technical education. The full-time teaching load of an instructor in career and technical education programs will not exceed an aggregate of 30 hours per week or the equivalent. An instructor may also teach the equivalent of an additional three credit hours, provided the instructor consents to this additional assignment. When the teaching assignment includes classroom subjects (nonlaboratory), consideration will be given to establishing the teaching load more in conformity with that of paragraph 21.62(2)“a.”

 

Standard 3: Special needs and protected classes

 

Standard 4: Career and technical education program evaluation 

 

Standard 5: Facilities, parking lots and roads

 

Standard 6: Institutional effectiveness and outcomes-based planning

Each college is expected to demonstrate institutional effectiveness and outcomes-based planning through: 

  • A high-quality, board-approved strategic plan developed with input from internal and external stakeholders that guides decision making; is regularly reviewed and revised at least once every five years; contains a list of goals, objectives and metrics; includes regular progress tracking and communicates progress toward meeting plan goals.
  • Reviewing outcomes data regularly provided by the Department and illustrating how the data informs institutional decision making in order to meet the college’s strategic plan. 

 

Standard 7: Quality Faculty Plan 

 

Standard 8: Senior Year Plus programs

 

Standard 9: Student services 

A program of student services will be provided to meet the needs of students in the community college. Services will be reviewed periodically and incorporated into the college’s planning for effectiveness. The program of student services, at a minimum, will include the following functional areas:

  • A systematic onboarding process that includes recruitment, evaluation and support of college readiness, orientation to college processes and policies, and initial program and course selection.
  • Programs and resources to help students understand how to finance college, including access to federal, state and local financial aid to facilitate community college enrollment and completion.
  • A student-centered advising program related to career and academic goals focused on persistence, retention, completion, and transition to further education or employment.
  • Campus safety and security as required by Iowa Code chapter 260C; the federal Clery Act, 20 U.S.C. §1092(f); and 34 CFR Section 668.46.
  • Opportunities for students to participate in experiences and programs that supplement classroom learning experiences and provide an optimal climate for social and academic development.