The Overall Process
To Be Accredited, CEASD Member Schools Must:
- Meet all the CEASD Accreditation Standards, and
- Engage in and demonstrate processes of continuous improvement, and
- Demonstrate quality assurance through a peer review site team visit.
The process includes:
- Requesting a CEASD Accreditation,
- Conducting a thorough self-assessment and submitting a Self-Study report with supporting evidence,
- Hosting a CEASD validation team onsite visit to the School campus,
- Following the site visit, the Team Chair sends a draft report to the School to clarify and correct any “errors of fact”.
- The CEASD Final Report and accreditation recommendation is reviewed and voted on by the CEASD Board during a regular Board meeting,
- Official notifications and Accreditation Certificates are presented at the annual CEASD Conference.
Timeframes
- The School submits their Application for Accreditation to the CEASD National Office. If the School plans for a joint visit with a regional accreditation body, the CEASD National Office must be informed.
- The School should plan to spend a minimum of one to one and a half years for their School’s Self-Study process.
- The School submits their completed Self-Study to CEASD Accreditation Coordinator for an initial review at least 6-8 weeks prior to the scheduled/requested visit.
- The School hosts a CEASD validation team for 3.5 days onsite (typically a Sunday afternoon through Wednesday) unless specified differently to accommodate a regional joint accreditation timeframe.
Fees and Expectations
The School pays a fee to CEASD ($3,000 as of 2025) that is due after the school receives its Final Accreditation Report. In addition, schools are responsible for the expenses involved in hosting the Visiting Team. Visiting Team costs include individual accommodations, meals and travel. No honoraria are paid to any CEASD accreditation team member; they serve as volunteers.
Contact the National Office to discuss methods of payment. The CEASD Accreditation Chairperson and the National Office can work with member schools to assist in preparation of a budget for accreditation costs. CEASD recognizes that each school or program has unique procedures for handling reimbursement of costs for travel, meals and housing. It is the School’s responsibility to communicate any special arrangements to the National Office. CEASD also works with schools to keep the costs as low as possible, however, it is important that a school budget appropriately for this important activity.
CEASD is often asked if team members need private hotel rooms or if they can stay on a school campus. CEASD strongly recommends private hotel rooms. Serving on a Visiting Team is an intense and exhausting activity often requiring late evening meetings and other reading and writing activities. Private hotel rooms are essential to support our professionals in their work through the process.
There may be additional fees if a school receives Accreditation with Stipulations ranking, because this requires a one-year review and/or revisit of 1-2 original team members, including their travel expenses, payable at the conclusion of the re-visit.