COE accreditation resources for vocational schools and colleges. Download our free eligibility and readiness assessments. Learn about the application process.
COE Resources for the Initial Applicant
The Council on Occupational Education (COE) is an institutional accrediting body recognized by the US Department of Education. Need assistance? We are available to help you with the entire accreditation process. Visit our COE Consulting page to learn about our consulting services and request a complimentary consultation. This page includes an overview for new applicants organized in the following sections:
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COE Eligibility Self-Assessment.
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COE Accreditation Process.
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COE 2026 Training and Events.
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From Licensed to Accredited in 4 Milestones.
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COE Manuals and Standards.
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COE Readiness Self-Assessment.
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Completing COE Applications.
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Preparing for COE Visits.
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Aligning Your Institution with COE.
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What to Expect After Approval.
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Download Our Free COE Guides.
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Reference Pages and Publications.
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Our COE Consulting Services.
1 - COE Eligibility Self-Assessment
Interested in pursuing COE accreditation? Download our free COE Accreditation Eligibility Self-Assessment to determine where your institution stands.
2 - COE Accreditation Process
The initial COE accreditation process can be summarized as follows:
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School submits a Candidacy Intent Letter.
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School attends the Candidate Workshop.
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School submits the Candidate Application.
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COE conducts the Candidate Onsite Visit.
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COE awards Candidacy Status.
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School attends required workshops.
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School submits Self-Study and Exhibits.
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COE conducts Preliminary Onsite Visit.
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COE conducts Full Onsite Visit.
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School responds to the Team Visit Report.
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COE grants Accreditation Status.
For detailed information on the accreditation process, visit COE’s Seeking Accreditation Page. You may also want to review COE’s Handbook of Accreditation, available on the COE's Handbooks Page.
3 - COE 2026 Training and Events
2026 COE EVENTS AND TRAINING
Spring Candidate Academy - April 1-2, 2026
Spring Accreditation Institute - April 29-20, 2026
Fall Candidate Academy - Sep 30 - Oct 1, 2026
Fall Annual Meeting - November 10-12, 2026
2026 COE COMMISSION MEETINGS
The 2026 Council of Occupation commission meetings are scheduled for March 5 & 6, June 3 & 4, September 3 & 4, and December 9 & 10.
4 - From Licensed to Accredited in 4 Milestones
Accreditation is probably the most challenging and rewarding experience your institution will ever go through. The tasks to be accomplished are grouped into 4 distinctive milestones:
1 - Aligning with COE Standards.
2 - Implementing Annual Evaluations.
3 - Issuing Your First Strategic Plan.
4 - Preparing the Accreditation Documents
Download our Licensed to Accredited Reference Guide for a description of the internal process your institution will go through to achieve each milestone. We are available to assist you in successfully completing them all. Each one builds the foundation for the next. No skipping!
5 - COE Manuals and Standards
COE Standards are published in their Policies and Rules Manual, available on COE's Handbooks Page. The 2026 Manual was published on January 1st. Accreditors usually review their standards annually. We recommend staying up-to-date with COE's publications and adjusting your institution's policies accordingly.
6 - COE Readiness Self-Assessment
There are many elements that play a role in an institution's road to accreditation status. We invite you to download our free COE Readiness Self-Assessment. It includes 39 items we see as key players for any institution to achieve and maintain accreditation. Feeling overwhelmed? No worries. This page includes tips and reference guides to assist you to achieve your goal.
7 - Completing COE Applications
BEFORE YOU START
Accreditors update their publications and applications on an ongoing basis. Schools are expected to submit applications and forms using the latest version available on COE’s website. We recommend checking The Council on Occupational Education website often to confirm the application, forms, policies, and instructions you are working with are the latest version.
HOW TO PREPARE COE CANDIDATE APPLICATION
COE’s Candidate Application requires your institution’s basic information for the Commission to determine the school eligibility to start the accreditation process. Exhibits include, among others, financials, licenses, catalog, budget, and a strategic plan. This application must be submitted within twelve (12) months of attending the Candidate Academy Workshop. The Candidate Application is available for download at COE’s Applications and Forms Page.
HOW TO PREPARE COE SELF-STUDY
The Self Study is a narrative format document that, along with the Exhibits, will demonstrate your institution's compliance with COE standards. We have prepared a reference guide that includes recommended steps for Self-Study preparation, the Self-study sections, and references. Download our COE School Guide – Preparing the Self-Study.
HOW TO PREPARE EXHIBITS FOR A COE ACCREDITATION VISIT
Digital Exhibits will demonstrate your institution’s compliance with COE standards. The accreditation visiting team will review each criterion narrative response in the Self-Study and its corresponding Digital Exhibit following the visit Check Sheets. Take all the time necessary to prepare your Exhibits, for the visiting team needs to see proof of compliance. Download our COE School Guide– Preparing Exhibits for a list of our recommendations.
HOW TO PREPARE THE STRATEGIC PLAN
This may be the first time your school is preparing a Strategic Plan. This plan includes the short and long-term goals of the institution. Once the first Strategic Plan is issued, we recommend a quarterly review. We have prepared a Strategic Plan Reference Guide to help you get started. Download our COE School Guide – Preparing the Strategic Plan.
8 – Preparing for COE Visits
PREPARING FOR A COE ACCREDITATION VISIT
Follow all instructions received from the visit coordinator and COE staff on how to prepare for your school visit. Involve all personnel of the institution in this process. Have backup documentation and files readily available. Team members will interview all personnel listed in your catalog, students, contact graduates and employers. Organization is the key to a successful visit.
PREPARING A RESPONSE TO COE'S TEAM VISIT REPORT
Once the onsite visit has been completed, the institution will receive an Official Visit Team Report. The institution must submit a response demonstrating how each non-compliance finding has been addressed and resolved. Accreditation status will not be granted unless all non-compliance issues have been resolved to the Council’s satisfaction. Institutions have 30 days to submit a response. We recommend reviewing COE’s Workshop Presentation regarding preparing a response to findings of non-compliance and following the instructions you will receive along with the Visit Team Report.
9 – Aligning Your Institution with COE
ATTENDING COE WORKSHOPS
Attending COE workshops is first in order to get your accreditation process to a good start. Even when only one full-time employee is required to attend the workshops to comply with COE standards, we recommend that the Chief Administrator, Accreditation Liaison Officer, and Director of Education attend annually. Workshops are conducted during the COE Summer Conference and the COE Annual Meeting.
CREATING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ALIGNED WITH COE
A successful accreditation process starts with aligning your school’s policies and operations with COE standards. For many institutions, this is the first time an official policy manual will be issued. Rest assured; your hard work will be well rewarded. Many sections of the Self-Study refer to your institution’s policies and procedures. Copies of policies and plans are required for many of the Exhibits. Download our COE School Guide – Policies and Procedures Manual and COE School Guide - Operations Manual.
CONDUCTING MEETINGS COE COMPLIANT
Conducting and properly documenting meetings is how institutions demonstrate the involvement of staff, faculty, and advisory members in all areas of your institution. It also shows how the institution's evaluation is incorporated into the school's annual operation cycle. Recommended meetings for COE schools:
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Institutional Advisory Committee (annually)
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Occupational Advisory Committee (annually)
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Financial (quarterly)
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Academic (quarterly)
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Strategic Planning (quarterly)
You will use meeting minutes in many of the Exhibits to be prepared for the accreditation visit. Download our COE School Guide – Annual Meetings.
CONDUCTING SURVEYS COE COMPLIANT
Surveys are an excellent medium to collect feedback from students, graduates, employers, staff, faculty, and advisory members. Ensure your surveys include statements addressing COE's evaluation expectations. Survey reports are presented at school meetings for annual evaluation and are required as part of the Digital Exhibits. Recommended surveys for accredited institutions:
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Course Survey (end of term)
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Student Survey (end of the academic year)
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Graduate Survey (upon graduation)
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Employer Survey (upon student employment)
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Employee Survey (annually)
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Policies and Procedures Survey (annually)
Download our COE School Guide – Annual Surveys. We recommend Survey Monkey for running your school's surveys and preparing the reports for meetings.
STUDENT FILE BEST PRACTICES
Student files should follow a standardized checklist. Create a list of students by reporting year and conduct an internal audit. Elements to audit: enrollment agreement, entrance exams, admission documentation, student orientation, transcripts, diplomas, SAP reports, leave of absence, attendance, academic evaluations, advising forms, tutoring forms, grievances, externship completion documentation, ledger cards, refund calculations, and exit interviews. Download our COE School Guide – Graduate Student File Documents and COE School Guide – Withdraw Student File Documents.
EMPLOYEE FILE BEST PRACTICES
Personnel files are as important as student files. Audit all administrative and faculty files, including full-time and part-time. Elements to audit: employment applications, resume, official transcripts, licenses, copies of valid ID, job descriptions, new employee acknowledgment forms, employee orientation, faculty orientation, contact with community employers, annual performance evaluation, staff development plan, annual certificates of eight (8) hours of continuing education completion, class observations, personnel advising forms, personnel grievances. Download our COE School Guide – Employee File Documents.
YOUR INSTITUTION’S BUDGET
Besides the usual list of line items your CPA will recommend for the annual operating budget, it must include categories for each one of the areas of evaluation by ACCSC: academics, admissions, learning resource systems, financial, human resources, technical infrastructure, institutional planning, student services, operations, and maintenance. Once an institution starts the accreditation process, the projected budget should be revised against the actual quarterly with your CPA.
YOUR INSTITUTION’S OPERATING ANNUAL CALENDAR
An annual calendar will help you stay in compliance all year long. Choose a month/week for each activity to be performed at your institution. Remember to include: deadlines with regulatory agencies, meetings, surveys, inventory reviews, reports, issuing the revised strategic plan, teacher planning days, training, annual employee performance evaluations, and class observations. Download our COE School Guide – Annual Operating Calendar.
10 – What to Expect After Approval
Staying in compliance after accreditation is achieved is all about keeping it going steady as you did during the initial accreditation process: conducting the meetings and surveys, preparing the reports, preparing a revised annual budget, issuing a revised strategic plan, attending The Council on Occupational Education yearly meetings and workshops, annual employee evaluations, training, class observations, annual data reporting and renewals as per all regulatory agencies. Once accreditation is achieved, you may be able to start the Title IV application for the programs that qualify. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the Title IV application process and third-party financial aid processor services in advance. Your institution may also consider applying with Homeland Security for SEVP Certification to grant International Student Visas.
11 – Download Our Free COE Guides
Reference guides are one of the many resources we provide our consulting clients. We have prepared one for each key player in COE's accreditation journey. We invite you to download them free of charge:
13 – Our COE Consulting Services
COE STARTER CONSULTING PACKAGE
We are available to help you accomplish the first step of your accreditation journey: aligning your institution's operations with best practices and COE standards. This consulting package includes:
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Policies and Procedures Manual.
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Operations Manual.
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Meeting Guidelines.
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Survey Guidelines.
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Sample Student and Employee Files.
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Catalog Review.
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Ten Zoom Training Sessions.
COE COMPLETE CONSULTING PACKAGE
This consulting package includes four modules that align with COE's accreditation process. This approach allows your institution to commit to one objective and consulting fee at a time. You may cancel our services at any time without penalties. Each module focuses on one of the Licensed to Accredited Milestones and includes ten (10) Zoom training sessions:
1 - Aligning with COE Standards.
2 - Implementing Annual Evaluations.
3 - Issuing Your First Strategic Plan.
4 - Preparing the Accreditation Documents.
Interested in learning more? Contact us for a complimentary consultation. Clients that have already completed the COE Starter Consulting Package only contract Modules 2 through 4.
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Ready to take the first step? Schedule a complimentary phone or Zoom consultation to discuss your goals, explore our services, and see if we're the right fit for your organization. Request your complimentary consultation by calling 786-618-2277, completing our Complimentary Consultation Request form, or emailing info@baysideprojects.com.
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We hope the information included on this page has answered your questions regarding COE eligibility and the application process. Still needing assistance? We serve clients nationwide. Request your complimentary consultation by calling 786-618-2277, completing our Complimentary Consultation Request form, or emailing info@baysideprojects.com. We are available to assist your school with the COE accreditation process.