Minnesota West Community & Technical College’s Concurrent Enrollment “REACH” Program Reaccredited by NACEP

Worthington, MN (June 10, 2024) - The Accreditation Commission of the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) granted initial accreditation to three dual and concurrent enrollment programs and re-affirmed accreditation to 10 dual and concurrent enrollment programs during the 2023-2024 cycle at colleges and universities nationwide, one of which is Minnesota West Community and Technical College.

“Congratulations to all the institutions receiving NACEP accreditation. Your commitment to meeting these standards shows the value your institution has for providing high school students with rigorous coursework that will help ease their transition from high school to postsecondary,” shares Mike Altomari, Associate Chair of the NACEP’s Accreditation Commission. There are a total of 134 NACEP-accredited programs across the country, spanning 26 states.

“We are thrilled to have received reaccreditation from NACEP. Minnesota West is thankful for our high school partners and the work everyone puts into the concurrent enrollment program to offer this quality educational opportunity for students,” stated Interim Dean of Liberal Arts and K-12 Partnerships, Kent Dahlman.

As the nation’s only accrediting body for these unique and impactful educational partnerships, NACEP’s standards serve as the model criteria for ensuring parity in faculty, course content, student outcomes, and support. Receiving NACEP accreditation means an institution has met the nation’s most rigorous standard in concurrent enrollment program development, management, and evaluation across multiple, multifaceted program areas. Amy Williams, NACEP Executive Director stated, “There are thousands of great programs in the nation, but only 134 actually took the step to open up their policies and practices for an independent review.

To earn NACEP accreditation, concurrent enrollment programs conduct a self-study, document how their programs adhere to NACEP’s sixteen standards, and undergo a rigorous peer-review process conducted by a team of representatives from NACEP accredited programs as well as the members of the NACEP Accreditation Commission. NACEP’s accreditation is valid for five years for initial accreditation and seven years for programs that are reaccredited between accreditation reviews; programs commit to upholding NACEP’s standards and report annually on program practices across the sixteen standards.

Dr. Michael Beam, Chair of NACEP’s Accreditation Commission, expresses, “Many thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who make this process possible, specifically the Accreditation Commissioners, the Peer Review Team Leads, and Members. None of this work and support is achievable without their strong collaboration efforts and time commitment.” He adds, “On behalf of the Accreditation Commission, I want to congratulate all of the newly accredited and re-accredited programs, as they have successfully demonstrated their commitment to NACEP’s standards for high-quality programming.”
NACEP will recognize these programs and their accomplishments at the 2024 National Conference in Orlando, FL. To learn more about this event, visit https://www.nacep.org/national-conference/.

About NACEP
The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) is the leading membership organization supporting programs that successfully transition students from high school to college through college credit-bearing courses. We promote quality programming through national standards, accreditation, and professional development. Our members offer college courses to high school students through a variety of delivery methods and use a range of terms such as concurrent enrollment, dual enrollment, dual credit, and early college. NACEP’s national member network of close to 500 institutions includes colleges and universities, high schools/school districts, and state agencies actively sharing the latest knowledge about best practices, research, and advocacy.