Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges

{{short description|501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States}} {{infobox organization | name = Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges | abbreviation = ACCSC | logo = accsc-logounit.png | image_alt = Logo of the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges | status = 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization | tax_id = 52-1828939<ref name= 990-2017/> | coordinates = {{Coord|38|53|33|N|77|05|05|W|display=inline,title}} | headquarters = Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. | purpose = To provide institutional accreditation for post-secondary career schools and colleges.<ref name= 990-2017/> | num_employees = 33<ref name= 990-2017>"[https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2017/521/828/2017-521828939-0ee39218-9.pdf Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Tax] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124141929/https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2017/521/828/2017-521828939-0ee39218-9.pdf |date=2020-11-24 }}". ''Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges''. Guidestar. June 30, 2017.</ref> | num_employees_year = 2016 | num_volunteers = 96<ref name= 990-2017/> | num_volunteers_year = 2016 | revenue = $7.71 million<ref>{{cite web | url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521828939/202341319349304679/full | title=2023 ACCSC 990 Report | date= May 11, 2023}}</ref> | revenue_year = 2022 | expenses = $6,56 million<ref>{{cite web | url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521828939/202341319349304679/full | title=2023 ACCSC 990 Report | date= May 11, 2023}}</ref> | expenses_year = 2022 | leader_title = Executive Director | leader_name = Michale S. McComis<ref name= board>"[http://www.accsc.org/About-Us/Who-We-Are-Leadership-Team-Biographies.aspx Leadership Team Biographies] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308145816/http://www.accsc.org/About-Us/Who-We-Are-Leadership-Team-Biographies.aspx |date=2019-03-08 }}". ''Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges''. Retrieved March 10, 2019.</ref> | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | leader_title3 = Chair of the Commission | leader_name3 = Vickie Clements<ref name= comm>"[http://www.accsc.org/About-Us/Who-We-Are-Commissioner-Biographies.aspx Commissioner Biographies] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190309121034/http://www.accsc.org/About-Us/Who-We-Are-Commissioner-Biographies.aspx |date=2019-03-09 }}". ''Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges''. Retrieved March 10, 2019.</ref> | website = {{URL|http://www.accsc.org}} }} The '''Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges''' ('''ACCSC''') is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States that provides national accreditation to private post-secondary educational institutions. It is recognized by the United States Department of Education as an independent accrediting agency.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg6.html |title=Accreditation in the United States: Regional and National Institutional Accrediting Agencies |publisher=U.S. Department of Education |access-date=February 28, 2012 |archive-date=April 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422023209/https://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg6.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Established in 1965,<ref name=year>{{cite web |title=Overview / About |url=http://www.accsc.org/About-Us/Overview.aspx |publisher=ACCSC Website |access-date=June 14, 2012 |archive-date=February 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130223113732/http://www.accsc.org/About-Us/Overview.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> the commission is headquartered in Arlington County, Virginia.

The U.S. Department of Education identifies the scope of ACCSC recognition as the accreditation of private post-secondary institutions offering non-degree programs or associate, bachelor's and master's degrees in programs that are "predominantly organized to educate students for occupational, trade and technical careers, and institutions that offer programs via distance education."<ref name=depteducation>"[https://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg6.html Accreditation in the United States: Regional and National Institutional Accrediting Agencies] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422023209/https://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg6.html |date=2021-04-22 }}". ''U.S. Department of Education''. Retrieved February 28, 2012.</ref>

In 2021, the accrediting agency received a 3-year renewal from the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI).<ref name="Inside Higher Education">{{cite web |last1=Gravely |first1=Alexis |title=For-Profit Accreditor Scrapes by Advisory Committee |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/07/28/committee-recommends-three-year-renewal-profit-accreditor?mc_cid=80bb04d658&mc_eid=92b3e8a476 |website=www.insidehighered.com |date=28 July 2021 |publisher=Inside Higher Education |access-date=28 July 2021 |archive-date=3 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203222637/https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/07/28/committee-recommends-three-year-renewal-profit-accreditor?mc_cid=80bb04d658&mc_eid=92b3e8a476 |url-status=live }}</ref>

ACCSC reports that it is "the institutional accrediting body for over 650 post-secondary, trade and technical schools that provide education to over 150,000 students."<ref>{{cite web |title=Overview for ACCSC |url=https://www.accsc.org/About-Us/Overview.aspx |website=www.accsc.org |publisher=ACCSC |access-date=27 July 2021 |archive-date=27 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727030026/https://www.accsc.org/About-Us/Overview.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> NACIQI reports that ACCSC "currently oversees 370 institutions that receive a total of $2.76 billion per year in Title IV funds."<ref name="Inside Higher Education"/>

==History== The University of Northern New Jersey, which claimed to have been accredited by the commission, never actually offered any classes. The University of Northern New Jersey was actually a front organization used by federal investigators to trap individuals engaged in student visa fraud.<ref>Robbins, Liz (April 6, 2016). "[https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/06/nyregion/new-jersey-university-was-fake-but-visa-fraud-arrests-are-real.html New Jersey University Was Fake, but Visa Fraud Arrests Are Real] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225094652/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/06/nyregion/new-jersey-university-was-fake-but-visa-fraud-arrests-are-real.html |date=2018-12-25 }}". ''The New York Times''. Retrieved January 13, 2019.</ref> The executive director of the ACCSC stated that it had listed the University of Northern New Jersey as being accredited on its website in order to cooperate with the federal investigation.<ref name="Robbins">Robbins, Liz (May 5, 2016). "[https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/06/nyregion/students-at-fake-university-say-they-were-collateral-damage-in-sting-operation.html Students at Fake University Say They Were Collateral Damage in Sting Operation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306050509/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/06/nyregion/students-at-fake-university-say-they-were-collateral-damage-in-sting-operation.html |date=2019-03-06 }}". ''The New York Times''.</ref>

The University of Farmington was another front organization used by federal investigators to trap individuals engaged in student visa fraud.<ref name="Warikoo">Warikoo, Niraj (November 27, 2019). "[https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/11/27/ice-arrested-250-foreign-students-fake-university-metro-detroit/4277686002/ ICE arrests 90 more students at fake university in Michigan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191129100012/https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/11/27/ice-arrested-250-foreign-students-fake-university-metro-detroit/4277686002/ |date=2019-11-29 }}". ''The Detroit Free Press''.</ref> Federal prosecutors said that over 600 students enrolled at the University of Farmington only to obtain a visa to the United States and not to actually study. The ACCSC also listed the University of Farmington as having been accredited.

==Student outcomes== At the NACIQI meeting for ACCSC in July 2021, Third Way reported that "40 percent of all ACCSC institutions enrolled low-income students who were failing to earn as much as a high school graduate even 10 years after enrollment."<ref name="Inside Higher Education"/>

==Government scrutiny== Three ACCSC clients, the Center for Excellence in Higher Education, owned by Independence University, Premier Education Group, and Vatterott College, have faced federal government investigations.<ref name="Inside Higher Education"/>

==See also== *List of recognized accreditation associations of higher learning

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{official website|http://www.accsc.org/}}

{{Postsecondary Institutional Accreditors in the United States}} {{authority control}}

Category:1965 establishments in Virginia Category:Educational organizations based in the United States Category:Organizations based in Virginia Category:Organizations established in 1965 Category:School accreditors Category:Organizations based in Arlington County, Virginia