Understanding Accreditation


Educational accreditation is a process of external quality review created and used by higher education to scrutinize colleges, universities, and programs for quality assurance and quality improvement. Accreditation in the United States is more than 100 years old, emerging from concerns to protect public health and safety and to serve the public interest.

In the United States, accreditation is carried out by private, nonprofit organizations designed for this specific purpose. External quality review of higher education is a nongovernmental enterprise.

There are two types of educational accreditation: institutional and specialized.

Regional (Institutional) Accreditation

Institutional accreditation is provided by regional and national associations of schools and colleges. There are six regional associations, (Middle States Commission, New England Association, Higher Learning Commission, Southern Association, Western Association for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association for Senior Colleges and Universities). The regional associations are independent of one another, but they cooperate extensively and acknowledge one another’s accreditation. Several national associations focus on particular kinds of institutions (for example, trade and technical colleges, or religious colleges and universities). An institutional accrediting agency evaluates an entire educational organization in terms of its mission and the agency’s standards or criteria. As an institution, Illinois Central College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org) through 2030.

Specialized (Programmatic) Accreditation and State Regulatory Agencies

ICC programs have sought and received specialized (program) accreditation/approval. These include the following.

Accrediting and State Regulatory Agencies

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education

(ACOTE)

Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association, Inc.  (IAODAPCA)

American Culinary Federation Educational Foundation

(ACFEF)   

Illinois Board of Nursing

Automotive Service Excellence Educational Foundation (ASEF)

Illinois Community College Board

Associated Equipment Distributors (AED)

Illinois Department of Public Health

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)

in cooperation with the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC-STSA)

Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JCERT)

Commission on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Service Professions (CoAEMSP)

National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)

Commission for Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education

(CAPTE)

National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)

National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP)

icc program name

accrediting agency

accreditations status and contact

Automotive Technology [AAS]

Automotive Service Excellence Educational Foundation (ASEF)

January 2025

Program Director: Todd Fortier

Caterpillar Dealer Service Technology (CATTK) [AAS]

Associated Equipment Distributors (AED)

March 20, 2023

Program Director: Mark Matthews

Culinary Arts Management [AAS]

American Culinary Federation Educational Foundation (ACFEF)

December 3, 2026

Program Director: Charles Robertson

Dental Hygienist [AAS]

Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)

October 2028

Program Director: Nicole Breidel

Drug and Alcohol Counselor Trainings (DACT) [Certificate and AAS]

Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association, Inc. (IAODAPCA)

Fall 2023

Program Director: Dan Kelts

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) [Certificate] and Paramedic [AAS]

Commission on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Service Professions (CoAEMSP)

2023

Program Director: Mike Dant

General Motors Automotive Service Educational Program (GM-ASEP) [AAS]

Automotive Service Excellence Educational Foundation (ASEF)

January 1, 2025

Program Director: Trevor Imm

Horticulture Landscape Management [AAS], Horticulture Turfgrass Management [AAS], Horticulture- Landscaping [Certificate], Horticulture- Turfgrass Operations [Certificate]

National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP)

April 2023

Program Director: Corinne Brown

Licensed Practical Nurse [Certificate]

Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

Spring 2028

Program Director: Mischelle Monagle

Medical Assistant [Certificate]

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)

Fall 2028

Program Director: Cydney Bretsch

Medical Laboratory Technician [AAS]

National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)

October 31, 2030

Program Director: Vincent Strow

Music [AA]

National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)

2028 to 2029

Program Director: Julie Clemens

Occupational Therapy Assistant [AAS]

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)

2027/2028

Program Director: Jennifer Haines

Physical Therapist Assistant [AAS]

Commission for Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)

Spring 2026

Program Director: Julie Feeny

Radiographer [AAS]

Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JCERT)

Fall 2025

Program Director: April Tatham

Registered Nurse [AAS]

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

Spring 2028

Program Director: Mischelle Monagle

Respiratory Therapist [AAS]

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)

Spring 2026

Program Director: Mary Beth Cregger

Surgical Technologist [AAS]

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAEO) in cooperation with the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC-STSA)

Spring 2029

Program Director: Sonja Conton