Program Development, Planning, and Review Standard

Program Development, Planning, and Review Standard 1:

The program, along with key stakeholders, evaluates its program components, student assessment practices, student services, policies, activities, student learning outcomes, and program outcomes, at a minimum of every three years. The program implements program revisions based on the evaluation for continuous quality improvement.

Guidance

Program evaluation and continuous program improvement are important components of quality programs. Administrative and Fiscal Capacity Standard 2 addresses stakeholder input, including input from current and former students and family members. This standard addresses how that input and other ongoing program evaluation is used for continuous improvement.

Required for Review

• Provide a description of the evaluation process, including metrics used for evaluation, stakeholders involved, the agency or individual responsible for conducting the evaluation, and the timing of evaluation.

• Provide documentation of program evaluation, including stakeholder involvement.

  • Provide the most recent program evaluation or summary report of the evaluation

• Provide the date the last program evaluation took place and the schedule for the next evaluations.

• Share evidence that program policies and practices are informed by the evaluation data.

Program Development, Planning, and Review Standard 2:

The institution verifies that students who receive federal financial aid meet the definition of a student with an intellectual disability in the Higher Education Act (HEA) law and regulations.

Guidance

Only students with an ID may receive federal financial aid under the CTP program provisions of the HEA. Institutions provide evidence to accrediting agencies that only students with an ID receive Title IV aid under the HEA provisions for students with ID. Records must be retained for seven years.

The definition of ID in the HEA is in the glossary. It includes obtaining a record from a local educational agency that the student is or was found eligible for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). If the educational record does not identify the student as having an ID, then the institution must obtain documentation as outlined in the HEA regulations and described in Student Services Standard 1.

Required for Review

• Provide documentation that only students with ID are receiving federal student aid.

• Explain the process used for verification of ID.

  • Provide the program’s admissions policy, including student documentation of ID

• Indicate where records are stored and for how long the records are retained.

---