1. Contact your NCA CASI State Office to inform them of your interest in applying. The State Office will provide you with guidance and necessary materials.
2. Review the accreditation standards and begin compiling documentation regarding how the school is meeting the standards.
3. Submit the application form and the application fee toyour NCA CASI State Office.
4. Prepare the school self-study and submit required materials to your NCA CASI State Office.
5. Host an audit visit.

Review the Accreditation Standards & Compile Documentation
You will want to begin your work with a thorough review of the accreditation standards. Review the standards and determine how close the school is to meeting them. Note any areas in which the school does not meet the standards and project a plan to correct any deficiencies the school may have. Begin compiling documentation that you can share with the audit visit team as evidence of how your school is meeting the standards. Please call the state office if clarification on specific standards is needed.

Submit Application Forms and Fees
Your State Office will provide you with the necessary application forms and the current schedule of accreditation fees.

Prepare and Submit the School Self-Study
The State Office will provide a self-study form that will guide you through the process of reviewing the accreditation standards and gathering evidence for the audit visit team. You will need to submit the self-study materials to the State Office prior to the audit visit.

Host Audit Visit
Once the school's application materials have been reviewed by the State Office, an audit visit will be scheduled. During the audit visit, one or more NCA CASI representatives will visit the school to validate the information provided in the application materials. These visits usually last part of a day. The NCA audit visits may include meeting with the school leadership, touring the school, and reviewing evidence that you have gathered.

Procedures for Accreditation Decisions
How are accreditation decisions made? Using the information that the school submits and the results from the audit visit, the NCA CASI State Office will make a recommendation regarding accreditation to the NCA CASI Board of Trustees.

Three possible recommendations include:

1. Recommendation for accreditation: The school meets the quality standards. Any noted recommendations do not seriously impact the quality of the education being provided.
2. Recommendation for candidacy: The school does not yet meet the quality standards but has a plan in place to meet the standards within two years.
3. Recommendation that the school withdraw its application: At this time the school cannot meet the accreditation standards. The school is encouraged to apply again when ready.

Questions and Assistance
Your NCA State Office is available to help you at any stage in this process. If you need assistance, contact us at:
Phone: 800-525-9517
http://www.ncacasi.org

NCA CASI HOME : Steps Toward Accreditation