81 FR 71089 - Accrediting Agencies Under Review for Recognition by the U.S. Secretary of Education

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 199 (October 14, 2016)

Page Range		71089-71090
FR Document		2016-24893

This notice provides information to members of the public on submitting written comments for accrediting agencies currently undergoing review for purposes of recognition by the U.S. Secretary of Education. This solicitation of third-party comments concerning the performance of accrediting agencies under review by the Secretary is required by Sec. 496(n)(1)(A) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 199 (Friday, October 14, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 199 (Friday, October 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71089-71090]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-24893]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education


Accrediting Agencies Under Review for Recognition by the U.S. 
Secretary of Education

AGENCY: Accreditation Group, Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Call for written third-party comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides information to members of the public on 
submitting written comments for accrediting agencies currently 
undergoing review for purposes of recognition by the U.S. Secretary of 
Education. This solicitation of third-party comments concerning the 
performance of accrediting agencies under review by the Secretary is 
required by Sec.  496(n)(1)(A) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 
1965, as amended.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Herman Bounds, Director, Accreditation 
Group, Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 
400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 6C115, Washington, DC 20202, telephone: 
(202) 453-7615, or email: [email protected].
    Agencies Under Review and Evaluation: Below is a list of agencies 
currently undergoing review and evaluation by the Accreditation Group, 
including their current and requested scopes of recognition:

Applications for Renewal of Recognition

    1. American Podiatric Medical Association Scope of Recognition: The 
accreditation and preaccreditation (``Provisional Accreditation'') 
throughout the United States of freestanding colleges of podiatric 
medicine and programs of podiatric medicine, including first 
professional programs leading to the degree of Doctor of Podiatric 
Medicine.
    2. Commission on English Language Program Accreditation Scope of 
Recognition: The accreditation of postsecondary, non-degree-granting 
English language programs and institutions in the United States.
    3. The Council on Chiropractic Education Scope of recognition: The 
accreditation of programs leading to the Doctor of Chiropractic degree 
and single-purpose institutions offering the Doctor of Chiropractic 
program.
    4. Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology 
Scope of recognition: The accreditation of education programs in 
radiography, magnetic resonance, radiation therapy, and medical 
dosimetry, including those offered via distance education, at the 
certificate, associate, and baccalaureate levels.

Compliance Report

    Western Association for Schools and Colleges, Accrediting 
Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) Compliance report 
includes the following: (1) Findings identified in the

[[Page 71090]]

April 5, 2016 letter from the senior Department official following the 
December 2015 NACIQI meeting available at: https://opeweb.ed.gov/aslweb/finalstaffreports.cfm, (2) Findings identified in the January 4, 
2016 Secretary's appeal decision available at: http://oha.ed.gov/secretarycases/2014-10-O.pdf
    (3) The limitation on ACCJC's authority to approve single 
baccalaureate programs within the scope of accreditation of previously 
accredited institutions, as outlined in the April 5, 2016 letter from 
the senior Department official, (4) Review under 34 CFR 602.33.
    Scope of recognition: The accreditation and preaccreditation 
(``Candidate for Accreditation'') of community and other colleges with 
a primarily pre-baccalaureate mission located 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, 
which offer certificates, associate degrees, and the first 
baccalaureate degree by means of a substantive change review offered by 
institutions that are already accredited by the agency, and such 
programs offered via distance education and correspondence education at 
these colleges. This recognition also extends to the Committee on 
Substantive Change of the Commission, for decisions on substantive 
changes, and the Appeals Panel.

Application for an Expansion of Scope

    Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools Scope of 
recognition: The accreditation of private, postsecondary institutions 
in the United States offering predominantly allied health education 
programs and the programmatic accreditation of medical assistant, 
medical laboratory technician and surgical technology programs, leading 
to a certificate, diploma, Associate of Applied Science, Associate of 
Occupational Science, Academic Associate degree, or Baccalaureate 
degree, including those offered via distance education. This scope 
extends to the Substantive Change Committee, jointly with the 
Commission, for decisions on substantive changes.
    Requested Scope: The accreditation of private, postsecondary 
institutions in the United States offering predominantly allied health 
education programs and the programmatic accreditation of medical 
assistant, medical laboratory technician and surgical technology 
programs, leading to a certificate, diploma, Associate of Applied 
Science, Associate of Occupational Science, Academic Associate degree, 
Baccalaureate degree and Master's degree, including those offered via 
distance education. The scope extends to the Substantive Change 
Committee, jointly with the Commission, for decisions on substantive 
change.

Application for Renewal of Recognition--State Agency for the Approval 
of Nurse Education

    Missouri State Board of Nursing.
    Submission of written comments regarding a specific accrediting 
agency or state approval agency under review: Written comments about 
the recognition of a specific accrediting or State agency must be 
received by November 14, 2016, in the [email protected] mailbox 
and include the subject line ``Written Comments: (agency name).'' The 
email must include the name(s), title, organization/affiliation, 
mailing address, email address, and telephone number of the person(s) 
making the comment. Comments should be submitted as a Microsoft Word 
document or in a medium compatible with Microsoft Word (not a PDF file) 
that is attached to an electronic mail message (email) or provided in 
the body of an email message. Comments about an agency's recognition 
after review of a compliance report must relate to issues identified in 
the compliance report and the criteria for recognition cited in the 
senior Department official's letter that requested the report, or in 
the Secretary's appeal decision, if any. Comments about the renewal of 
an agency's recognition based on a review of the agency's petition must 
relate to its compliance with the Criteria for the Recognition of 
Accrediting Agencies, or the Criteria and Procedures for Recognition of 
State Agencies for Approval of Nurse Education as appropriate, which 
are available at http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.
    Only material submitted by the deadline to the email address listed 
in this notice, and in accordance with these instructions, become part 
of the official record concerning agencies scheduled for review and are 
considered by the Department and NACIQI in their deliberations.
    Electronic Access to this Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System 
at: www.thefederalregister.org/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well 
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF, 
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the 
site. You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1099b.

Lynn B. Mahaffie,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning, Policy, and Innovation, 
delegated the duties of Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary 
Education.
[FR Doc. 2016-24893 Filed 10-13-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 199 / Friday, October 14, 2016 / Notices 71089

commercial delivery, or hand delivery. finance data that has been included in SUMMARY: This notice provides
Please note that comments submitted by the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) information to members of the public on
fax or email and those submitted after since FY 1982 (school year 1981–82). submitting written comments for
the comment period will not be NPEFS provides function expenditures accrediting agencies currently
accepted. Written requests for by salaries, benefits, purchased services, undergoing review for purposes of
information or comments submitted by and supplies, and includes federal, recognition by the U.S. Secretary of
postal mail or delivery should be state, and local revenues by source. The Education. This solicitation of third-
addressed to the Director of the NPEFS collection includes data on all party comments concerning the
Information Collection Clearance state-run schools from the 50 states, the performance of accrediting agencies
Division, U.S. Department of Education, District of Columbia, American Samoa, under review by the Secretary is
400 Maryland Avenue SW., LBJ, Room the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, required by § 496(n)(1)(A) of the Higher
2E–347, Washington, DC 20202–4537. Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For NPEFS data are used for a wide variety amended.
specific questions related to collection of purposes, including to calculate FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
activities, please contact NCES federal program allocations such as Herman Bounds, Director, Accreditation
Information Collections at states’ ‘‘average per-pupil expenditure’’ Group, Office of Postsecondary
NCES.Information.Collections@ed.gov. (SPPE) for elementary and secondary Education, U.S. Department of
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The education, certain formula grant Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Department of Education (ED), in programs (e.g. Title I, Part A of the Room 6C115, Washington, DC 20202,
accordance with the Paperwork Elementary and Secondary Education telephone: (202) 453–7615, or email:
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. Act of 1965 (ESEA) as amended, Impact herman.bounds@ed.gov.
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general Aid, and Indian Education programs). Agencies Under Review and
public and Federal agencies with an Furthermore, other federal programs, Evaluation: Below is a list of agencies
opportunity to comment on proposed, such as the Educational Technology currently undergoing review and
revised, and continuing collections of State Grants program (Title II Part D of evaluation by the Accreditation Group,
information. This helps the Department the ESEA), the Education for Homeless including their current and requested
assess the impact of its information Children and Youth Program under scopes of recognition:
collection requirements and minimize Title VII of the McKinney-Vento
the public’s reporting burden. It also Homeless Assistance Act, and the Applications for Renewal of
helps the public understand the Teacher Quality State Grants program Recognition
Department’s information collection (Title II Part A of the ESEA) make use 1. American Podiatric Medical
requirements and provide the requested of SPPE data indirectly because their Association Scope of Recognition: The
data in the desired format. ED is formulas are based, in whole or in part, accreditation and preaccreditation
soliciting comments on the proposed on State Title I Part A allocations. On (‘‘Provisional Accreditation’’)
information collection request (ICR) that December 10, 2015, an amendment to throughout the United States of
is described below. The Department of ESEA, the Every Student Succeeds Act freestanding colleges of podiatric
Education is especially interested in (ESSA), was signed into law. This medicine and programs of podiatric
public comment addressing the request is to add two new items to the medicine, including first professional
following issues: (1) Is this collection NPEFS data collection (to report current programs leading to the degree of Doctor
necessary to the proper functions of the expenditures disaggregated by source of of Podiatric Medicine.
Department; (2) will this information be funds and to align with the State and 2. Commission on English Language
processed and used in a timely manner; LEA report cards required by ESSA) and Program Accreditation Scope of
(3) is the estimate of burden accurate; to conduct the annual NPEFS collection Recognition: The accreditation of
(4) how might the Department enhance of state-level finance data for FY 2016– postsecondary, non-degree-granting
the quality, utility, and clarity of the 2018. English language programs and
information to be collected; and (5) how Dated: October 11, 2016. institutions in the United States.
might the Department minimize the Kate Mullan, 3. The Council on Chiropractic
burden of this collection on the Acting Director, Information Collection Education Scope of recognition: The
respondents, including through the use Clearance Division, Office of the Chief Privacy accreditation of programs leading to the
of information technology. Please note Officer, Office of Management. Doctor of Chiropractic degree and
that written comments received in [FR Doc. 2016–24891 Filed 10–13–16; 8:45 am] single-purpose institutions offering the
response to this notice will be BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
Doctor of Chiropractic program.
considered public records. 4. Joint Review Committee on
Title of Collection: NPEFS 2016–2018: Education in Radiologic Technology
Common Core of Data (CCD) National DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Scope of recognition: The accreditation
Public Education Financial Survey. of education programs in radiography,
OMB Control Number: 1850–0067. Office of Postsecondary Education magnetic resonance, radiation therapy,
Type of Review: A revision of an and medical dosimetry, including those
existing information collection. Accrediting Agencies Under Review offered via distance education, at the
Respondents/Affected Public: State, for Recognition by the U.S. Secretary certificate, associate, and baccalaureate
Local, and Tribal Governments. of Education levels.
rmajette on DSK2TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Total Estimated Number of Annual
Responses: 56. AGENCY: Accreditation Group, Office of Compliance Report
Total Estimated Number of Annual Postsecondary Education, U.S. Western Association for Schools and
Burden Hours: 5,334. Department of Education. Colleges, Accrediting Commission for
Abstract: The National Public Call for written third-party
ACTION:
Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)
Education Financial Survey (NPEFS) is comments. Compliance report includes the
an annual collection of state-level following: (1) Findings identified in the

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Document Modified: 2016-10-14 00:01:26

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Call for written third-party comments.
Contact		Herman Bounds, Director, Accreditation Group, Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 6C115, Washington, DC 20202, telephone: (202) 453-7615, or email: [email protected]
FR Citation		81 FR 71089