[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 25 (Thursday, February 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6127-6128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-2834]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Recognition of Accrediting Agencies, State Agencies for the 
Approval of Public Postsecondary Vocational Education, and State 
Agencies for the Approval of Nurse Education

AGENCY: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and 
Integrity, Department of Education (The Advisory Committee).

What Is the Purpose of This Notice?

    The purpose of this notice is to invite written comments on 
accrediting agencies and State approval agencies whose applications to 
the Secretary for initial or renewed recognition or whose interim 
reports will be reviewed at the Advisory Committee meeting to be held 
on June 9-10, 2003.

Where Should I Submit My Comments?

    Please submit your written comments by March 24, 2003 to Carol 
Griffiths, Chief, Accrediting Agency Evaluation, Accreditation and 
State Liaison. You may contact her at the U.S. Department of Education, 
room 7105, MS 8509, 1990 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20006, 
telephone: (202) 219-7011. Individuals who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay 
Service at 1-800-877-8339.

What is the Authority for the Advisory Committee?

    The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and 
Integrity is established under section 114 of the Higher Education Act 
(HEA), as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1011c. One of the purposes of the Advisory 
Committee is to advise the Secretary of Education on the recognition of 
accrediting agencies and State approval agencies.

Will This Be My Only Opportunity to Submit Written Comments?

    Yes, this notice announces the only opportunity you will have to 
submit written comments. However, a subsequent Federal Register notice 
will announce the meeting and invite individuals and/or groups to 
submit requests to make oral presentations before the Advisory 
Committee on the agencies that the Committee will review. That notice, 
however, does not offer a second opportunity to submit written comment.

What Happens to the Comments That I Submit?

    We will review your comments, in response to this notice, as part 
of our evaluation of the agencies' compliance with the Secretary's 
Criteria for Recognition of Accrediting Agencies and State Approval 
Agencies. The Criteria are regulations found in 34 CFR part 602 (for 
accrediting agencies) and in 34 CFR part 603 (for State approval 
agencies) and are found at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/accreditation/index.html. We will also include your 
comments with the staff analyses we present to the Advisory Committee 
at its June 2003 meeting. Therefore, in order for us to give full 
consideration to your comments, it is important that we receive them by 
March 24, 2003. In all instances, your comments about agencies seeking 
initial or continued recognition must relate to the Criteria for 
Recognition. In addition, your comments for any agency whose interim 
report is scheduled for review must relate to the issues raised and the 
Criteria for Recognition cited in the Secretary's letter that requested 
the interim report.

What Happens to Comments Received After the Deadline?

    We will review any comments received after the deadline. If such 
comments, upon investigation, reveal that the accrediting agency is not 
acting in accordance with the Criteria for Recognition, we will take 
action either before or after the meeting, as appropriate.

What Agencies Will the Advisory Committee Review at the Meeting?

    The Secretary of Education recognizes accrediting agencies and 
State approval agencies for public postsecondary vocational education 
and nurse education if the Secretary determines that they meet the 
Criteria for Recognition. Recognition means that the Secretary 
considers the agency to be a reliable authority as to the quality of 
education offered by institutions or programs that are encompassed 
within the scope of recognition he grants to the agency. The following 
agencies will be reviewed during the June 2003 meeting of the Advisory 
Committee:

Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies

Petition for Initial Recognition

    1. Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (Requested 
scope of recognition: The accreditation of postsecondary English 
language programs and institutions in the United States).
    2. Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (Requested scope of 
recognition: The accreditation and pre-accreditation throughout the 
United States of graduate-level, four-year

[[Page 6128]]

naturopathic medical educational programs leading to the Doctor of 
Naturopathic Medicine (N.D. or N.M.D.) or Doctor of Naturopathy (N.D.) 
degree.
    3. Teacher Education Accreditation Council (Requested scope of 
recognition: The accreditation throughout the United States of 
professional education programs in institutions offering baccalaureate 
and graduate degrees for the preparation of teachers K-12)

Petitions for Renewal of Recognition

    1. Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (Current 
scope of recognition: The accreditation of Montessori teacher education 
institutions and programs throughout the United States evaluated by the 
following review committees: the American Montessori Society Review 
Committee and the Independent Review Committee only.)
    2. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting 
Commission for Schools (Current scope of recognition: the accreditation 
and preaccreditation (``Candidate for Accreditation'') of adult and 
postsecondary schools that offer programs below the degree level in 
California, Hawaii, the United States territories of Guam and American 
Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Republic of the 
Marshall Islands.)
    Interim Reports (An interim report is a follow-up report on an 
accrediting agency's compliance with specific criteria for recognition 
that was requested by the Secretary when the Secretary granted renewed 
recognition to the agency.)
    1. Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges, Commission on 
Accreditation
    2. American Academy for Liberal Education
    3. Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc., Accreditation 
Commission
    4. American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on 
Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
    5. American Veterinary Medical Association, Council on Education
    6. Distance Education and Training Council, Accrediting Commission
    7. National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission Progress 
Report: A report on the agency's implementation of its new 
accreditation process.
    1. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting 
Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities.

State Agencies Recognized for the Approval of Public Postsecondary 
Vocational Education

Petition for Renewal of Recognition

    1. Missouri State Board of Education

State Agencies Recognized for the Approval of Nurse Education

Petition for Renewal of Recognition

    1. Missouri State Board of Nursing

Where Can I Inspect Petitions and Third-Party Comments Before and After 
the Meeting?

    All petitions and those third-party comments received in advance of 
the meeting, will be available for public inspection and copying at the 
U.S. Department of Education, room 7105, MS 8509, 1990 K Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20006, telephone (202) 219-7011 between the hours of 8 
a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, until May 16, 2003. They will 
be available again after the June 9-10 Advisory Committee meeting. An 
appointment must be made in advance of such inspection or copying.

How May I Obtain Electronic Access to This Document?

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe 
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: 
http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html.


    Authority: 5 U.S.C. Appendix 2

    Dated: January 31, 2003.
Sally L. Stroup,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 03-2834 Filed 2-5-03; 8:45 am]
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