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Tri-Logos & Associates Services
State Authorization & SB 1247 Compliance
Many of the 50 states have regulatory agencies that oversee private postsecondary schools, colleges, and universities. In California, for example, most private postsecondary schools must be approved to operate by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE). Other state authorization agencies include New York’s Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision (BPSS), the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (MDHE), the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), and the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). State authorization (approval to operate) is generally a prerequisite to an academic institution’s applying for regional, national, or programmatic accreditation and, ultimately, becoming eligible to participate in Title IV financial aid programs. The Tri-Logos consulting team can guide you through the process of getting your academic institution approved to operate as a private postsecondary school in your state.
Also, for institutions that are already state-approved to operate, TLA can assist in maintaining approval in today’s increasingly strict regulatory environment. State agencies around the country are becoming stricter in enforcing regulations and citing or closing out of compliance institutions, so school owners are well-advised to be proactive in ensuring their businesses are not at risk. In California the BPPE’s enforcement division is currently conducting statewide Compliance Inspections of approved institutions, which consist of a comprehensive document request, followed by an announced site visit and a later unannounced site visit. The results of these inspections are posted on the BPPE website, where all violations are available for viewing by students and other interested parties. The TLA team can perform document reviews and staff training to help you prepare for (or respond to) a Compliance Inspection.
Finally, the TLA team can assist California degree-granting institutions come into compliance with the new regulations imposed by SB 1246 and SB 1247. The California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) will require that degree-granting institutions undergo accreditation as a condition of approval to operate. Colleges and universities that received BPPE approval to operate on or before January 1, 2015 will be required to submit an accreditation plan that identifies the U. S. Department of Education-approved accrediting agency from which the institution will seek accreditation and the process by which the institution will achieve accreditation candidacy or pre-accreditation by July 1, 2017, and full accreditation by July 1, 2020.
If you need help selecting the optimum accrediting agency for your degree-granting institution, preparing a compliant accreditation plan, as well as receiving expert guidance through the accreditation process, the Tri-Logos & Associates, Inc. consulting team can lead you to a successful outcome. We have experience with a wide range of U.S. DOE-approved commissions, including ACAOM (Oriental Medicine Programs), ACCSC, ACICS, DETC, WASC, and many others.
SEVIS I-17 Certification & Recertification
Do you want to enroll international students? Are you out of compliance with SEVIS regulations and concerned about the consequences? SEVP is improving its enforcement techniques, and schools that are out-of-compliance are being visited, audited, and shut down by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.
If your school is authorized under Federal Law to enroll non-immigrant alien students, you must be in compliance and be ready to apply for recertification and SEVIS II. Also, if you have never submitted an I-17 application for SEVIS approval, or if you have a change of location or ownership, TLA associates can assist you with these applications.
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) is currently conducting Out-of-Cycle Reviews of ESL & Intensive English Program schools (both stand-alone and combined programs are subject to review) to ensure compliance with the Accreditation of English Language Training Programs Act, Public Law 111-306. The TLA team can help your institution prepare a timely response to the evidence request, which must be submitted within 30 days of an institution’s e-mail receipt of a Review Notice.
Accreditation
Accreditation is a quality assurance process, whereby a United States Department of Education-recognized third-party (accrediting commission) certifies that your school meets or exceeds specific standards. In addition to enhancing an institution’s academic prestige, accreditation is a prerequisite for government student loan program eligibility, permission to issue SEVIS Form I-20 (in the case of IEPs), and granting recognized certificates and degrees. Further, accreditation increases the likelihood that an institution’s credits will be transferrable to other accredited institutions.
Below are some types of accrediting commissions with examples:
| National Commissions: | ACCET & ACCSC |
| Regional Commissions: | WASC/ACCJC, SACSOC, NWCCU, HLCNA, NEASC, and MSCHE |
| Programmatic Commissions: | NASM, NAST, NASD, ABHE, ACAOM, CEA, ABHES, TACCS, NASAD, ACPE, CAATS, NACCAS, etc. |
With each passing year the accreditation process becomes more serious, sophisticated, and comprehensive. Schools must meet a set of standards that covers management and finance, curriculum development and faculty preparedness, student achievement and satisfaction, an active and professional Advisory Board (Committee), and a host of student services: a full-time library, career services, and an alumni organization, to name a few. Further, schools must also have a relevant mission, with all departments and course offerings of the school working to achieve that mission. Finally, schools must demonstrate that faculty and staff have the experience, education, and on-going training necessary to carry out their job duties.
The TLA consulting team can help you choose the accreditation agency that is just right for your school. In addition to the step-by-step process whereby we guide you through initial accreditation and applications, we can also trouble-shoot problems you may have with specific compliance issues. The TLA team includes published writers who can also assist with an extensive review of your ASER/SER/Self-study to ensure that a comprehensive picture is given to the accreditation commission regarding every aspect of your institution. Our team members will also help you address any required responses to the commission and compliance issues.
Analytic Self-evaluation Report (ASER), Self-evaluation Report (SER) & Self-study Review Service
Are you confident your administrative staff or education consultant has written an ASER, SER, or Self-study that presents your institution in the best possible light? With many intensive English program (IEP) schools rushing to meet the Accreditation of English Language Training Programs Act mandate, this question must be on the mind of many school owners and administrators. Although the TLA team has extensive experience writing and evaluating the SERs required by a wide variety of accrediting commissions (regional, national, and programmatic), guiding ESL schools through the accreditation process is one of our areas of special expertise. Whether your IEP is undergoing ACCET or CEA accreditation, TLA is available to help. We offer a range of services, from Basic (review & recommendations) to Comprehensive (project management, extensive editing & rewriting, and staff training). Our ASER/Self-study Review Service is a cost-effective way for school owners and administrators to get help with the preparation of this essential document.
Mary Hagen, TLA’s CAO and Compliance Specialist, has served as an ESL Subject Specialist and Team Chair on more than 250 site visits for ACCET. She has also served on five task forces to set ESL accreditation standards (including two for ACCET) and two state task forces for ESL standards (California). Ms. Hagen is the author of six ESL textbooks, and she has established four postsecondary ESL programs (taking them from conception to accreditation). She is experienced in working with a wide variety of accrediting agencies, including CEA, ACCSC, NASM, NAST, ACICS, and WASC, and she has assisted in the writing and reviewing of countless SERs and ASERs in her more than fifteen years as an education consultant. Analytic Self-Evaluation Reports are complex documents that require a deep understanding of school policies and procedures, as well as accrediting commission requirements. Ms. Hagen is able to review SERs and ASERs from a position of vast experience and with a thorough understanding of what accreditation on-site teams and commissions are looking for.
If you need help preparing your ASER, SER, or Self-study, please contact the TLA team for pricing, turnaround time, and other details.
IT Services
Save capital and staff by leveraging software to manage your school and deliver your curriculum.
School Management Software
Automation saves money. Get organized and automated with School Management Software!
State and federal regulations, and the requirements of your accrediting commission put greater burden on your staff. School administration must be prepared to deliver detailed reports on admissions, attendance, financials, and much more. Putting together these reports by hand is prohibitively costly in time and materials. Compiling a year’s financial statements with paper records will almost always require outside help, such as costly accountants and consultants.
That’s why forward-looking schools are using School Management software to collect data, simplify safe storage, and automate reporting. A report that may take your staff days to compile may take a School Management System less than an hour. This means your staff can get back to what they do best: running your school!
We help you choose the best school management software based upon needs and budget, and can even help with implementation, training, and customization.
Interactive Distance Learning (IDL)
Reach more students, for less. Migrate your program to a distance learning format and reach students around the world.
Distance Learning is a new profit center for post-secondary schools. Distance Learning helps schools reach a wider student base, while cutting costs.
Designing and deploying a Distance Learning program which will pass accreditation is not a task to be taken lightly. It requires that the course is interactive, tracks attendance and outcomes, and delivers an experience similar to a classroom environment. Tri-Logos uses a popular standards-compliant distance learning platform to build your Interactive Distance Learning program. Your school’s staff benefit from good documentation, and a vast user-base.
We offer:
- Installation and Setup of IDL Software
- Distance Learning Curriculum Design
- Training for Faculty and Administrators
- Advice and Planning for IDL Initiatives
Tri-Logos will also check your existing IDL program for accreditability, or help you make changes to the program to meet criteria of state agencies or accrediting commissions.
Ensure the success of your IDL program. Let us build it for you!
Curriculum Development
In order to ensure positive student outcomes, academic institutions must offer the best curriculum available, and this curriculum must be reviewed and revised on a regular basis. The TLA team can demystify this process and help you and your faculty design and develop programs that provide students with the training and education they need to succeed. We have extensive experience in the following areas:
| Liberal Arts | English Language (IEP) | Humanities |
| Oriental Medicine | Nursing & Allied Health | Office Management |
| Art | Music | Theatre |
| Makeup Artistry | Photography | Hospitality |
| Theology | Computer Science | Business Management |
TLA also has the technical expertise to help your school develop or improve upon Distance Learning course offerings. Please refer to our IT services above.
Faculty and Administration Training
The TLA team is highly experienced at designing and conducting a wide range of staff training programs. We can assist your staff with the development of new policies and the revision of current school policies, while showing them how to implement best practices at your institution. Additionally, we can assist in establishing or updating your school’s file management system and related processes. This may also include revising existing forms and creating new forms, to facilitate administrative flow between departments and ensure regulatory compliance. Finally, we can prepare your staff to deal successfully with state authorization and accreditation agency site visits. (For example, the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education is currently conducting comprehensive Compliance Inspections at institutions throughout the state. These Inspections include both announced and unannounced site visits to schools, colleges, and universities that fall under the purview of the BPPE.)
Veterans Affairs Approved School Applications, California State Board Approvals & Other Services
VA Approved School Applications
Are you a school owner who wants to enroll veterans into your school programs? The TLA consulting team is experienced at guiding eligible academic institutions through the Veterans Affairs Approved School Application process.
California State Board Approval Guidance
Many California-based schools require specialized state board approval in addition to state authorization (BPPE approval to operate). Our team members can guide you through the process of securing approval for your school from the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT), the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN), the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC), the Board of Psychology (BOP), and many other organizations.
Articulation Agreements
Employment Training Panel (ETP)
Veterans
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