BAYSIDE PROJECTS

COE accreditation resources for vocational schools and colleges. Download our free eligibility and readiness assessments. Learn about the application process.

The Council on Occupational Education (COE) is an institutional accrediting body recognized by the US Department of Education. It is ideal for career and trade schools offering diploma programs and occupational associate degrees.

This page includes an overview for new applicants organized in the following sections:

COE Eligibility Self-Assessment.
COE Accreditation Process.
COE 2024 Meetings and Due Dates.
From Licensed to Accredited in 4 Milestones.
COE Manuals and Standards.
COE Readiness Self-Assessment.
Completing COE Applications.
Preparing for COE Visits.
Aligning Your Institution with COE.
What to Expect After Approval.
Download Our Free COE Guides.
Reference Pages and Publications.
Our COE Consulting Services.

COE Accreditation Resources

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 in all 50 US states and are accredited by the Better Business Bureau with a BBB A+ Rating. Count on us for help with your career school needs.

Request a free consultation by calling 786-618-2277, emailing [email protected], or completing the free session request form. We are available to assist your school with the COE accreditation process.

YOUR INSTITUTION’S OPERATING ANNUAL CALENDAR

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.

HOW TO PREPARE THE STRATEGIC PLAN

12 – Reference Pages and Publications

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:

COE COMPLETE CONSULTING PACKAGE

1 - COE Eligibility Self-Assessment

The Council on Occupational Education Accreditation Free Reference Guides

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.

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.

PREPARING FOR A COE ACCREDITATION VISIT

COE STARTER CONSULTING PACKAGE

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.

HOW TO PREPARE COE SELF-STUDY

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:

Policies and Procedures Manual.
Operations Manual.
Meeting Guidelines.
Survey Guidelines.
Sample Student and Employee Files.
Catalog Review.
Ten Zoom Training Sessions.

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.

ATTENDING COE WORKSHOPS

7 - Completing COE Application

CONDUCTING MEETINGS COE COMPLIANT

REQUEST A COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION

PREPARING A RESPONSE TO COE'S TEAM VISIT REPORT

HOW TO PREPARE EXHIBITS FOR A COE ACCREDITATION VISIT

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:

Institutional Advisory Committee (annually)
Occupational Advisory Committee (annually)
Financial (quarterly)
Academic (quarterly)
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.

4 - From Licensed to Accredited in 4 Milestones

Better Business Bureau A + Accreditation Seal

COE Standards are published in their Policies and Rules Manual, available on COE's Handbooks Page. COE's 2023 Manual was published this past July. Accreditors usually review their standards annually. We recommend staying up-to-date with COE's publications and adjusting your institution's policies accordingly.

Besides the line items normally included in an operating budget, a category should be reflected for each school department, such as admissions, human resources, technical infrastructure, student services, financial, learning resources, academics, placement services, institutional planning, distance education, operations, and maintenance.

HOW TO PREPARE COE CANDIDATE APPLICATION

13 – COE Consulting Services

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.

6 - COE Readiness Self-Assessment

Interested in pursuing COE accreditation? Download our free COE Accreditation Eligibility Self-Assessment to determine where your institution stands.

8 – Preparing for COE Visits

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.

3 - COE 2024 Meetings and Due Dates

Check Sheets are the backbone of your accreditation process. They align with COE’s Standards and provide an organized method for schools to present documentation and demonstrate compliance with each required criterion. Check Sheets are available on COE’s Applications and Forms Page. You must download the correct version for Check Sheets change every year to reflect reviews of COE’s policies and standards. Visits scheduled for 2023 will use the check sheets released in 2022.

2 - COE Accreditation Process

9 – Aligning Your Institution with COE

10 – What to Expect After Approval

11 – Download Our Free COE Guides

BEFORE YOU START

CREATING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ALIGNED WITH COE

5 - COE Manuals and Standards

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:

Course Survey (end of term)
Student Survey (end of the academic year)
Graduate Survey (upon graduation)
Employer Survey (upon student employment)
Employee Survey (annually)
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

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.

Nursing Programs
Associate, Bachelor, Master, and Doctor in Nursing Degrees, Practical Nursing, PN to RN Bridge Program, RN to BSN Bridge Program, Nursing Assistant (CNA).

Allied Health Programs
Home Health Aide (HHA), Nursing Assistant (CNA), Phlebotomy, Electrocardiography (EKG), Medical Assistant, Billing and Coding, Patient Care Technician (PCT), Dialysis, Pharmacy, and Dental Assisting.

Beauty Programs
Cosmetology, Full Specialist, Nail Technician, Facial Specialist, Aesthetician, Barber, Restricted Barber, Massage, Permanent Makeup, Tattoo Professional, Electrology and Laser.

English as a Second Language (ESL)
English programs for speakers of other languages.

Degree Programs
Business & Management Degrees
Education Degrees
Technology Degrees
Health Sciences Degrees
Undergraduate: Associate & Bachelor Degrees
Graduate: Master & Doctoral Degrees
College Credit Certificates
Onsite and Online Colleges & Universities

Additional Programmatic Areas
Can't find the program you are considering for your new institution or accreditation? Let us know through our comment form. The list above only includes the most common areas of consulting. We will be happy to let you know if we are available to assist you with your specific program niche.

Stacked wooden blocks with blue arrows shoring growth with a natural green background

CONDUCTING SURVEYS COE COMPLIANT

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:

Module 1 - Aligning with COE Standards.
Module 2 - Implementing Annual Evaluations.
Module 3 - Issuing Your First Strategic Plan.
Module 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.

The initial COE accreditation process can be summarized as follows:

School submits a Candidacy Intent Letter.
School attends the Candidate Workshop.
School submits the Candidate Application.
COE conducts the Candidate Onsite Visit.
COE awards Candidacy Status.
School attends required workshops.
School submits Self-Study and Exhibits.
COE conducts Preliminary Onsite Visit.
COE conducts Full Onsite Visit.
School responds to the Team Visit Report.
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.

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.

COE COMMISSION MEETINGS

March Meeting, applications due Jan 24, 2024

June Meeting, applications due Apr 24, 2024

September Meeting, applications due Jul 24, 2024

December Meeting, applications due Oct 30, 2024

Most applications may be submitted anytime, provided the institution is not on probation or show cause. Candidate applications may be submitted within 12 months of attending the Candidate Academy.

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.

COE Pages and Publications

Bayside Projects Related Pages

YOUR INSTITUTION’S BUDGET

EMPLOYEE FILE BEST PRACTICES

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:

Milestone 1 - Aligning with COE Standards.
Milestone 2 - Implementing Annual Evaluations.
Milestone 3 - Issuing Your First Strategic Plan.
Milestone 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!

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.

CHOOSING THE CORRECT CHECK SHEETS

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.

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.

OUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE

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.

COE Accreditation Resources​​