Info for:

Summary and Effective Date of Process Changes

2025-2026

 

Handbook of Policies and Accreditation Procedures REV 05/20/2026

Length of Accreditation:

Effective May 2025

Accreditation Type Prior Policy New Policy
Initial 3 Years 4 Years
Reaccreditation 3 or 7 Years 4 or 8 Years

Progress Report Requirements:

Effective May 2025

Finding Requirement
Met No Progress Report Necessary
Opportunity for Improvement/Partially Met
or
Critical Concern/Not Met

Year 2 (4 year accreditation or reaccreditation)
Year 3 (8 year reaccreditation)

  1. All criteria need to be deemed complete after review of the progess report
  2. Program placed on probation (one year) if still not complete
  3. Accreditation council will review if not complete at the end of probation: Loss of accreditaton is possible. CHEA requirement states program must meet all criteria within 4 years.

Progress Report Submission Dates:

Effective Fall 2027

Submission Season Prior Policy New Policy
Spring February 1 February 1
Fall September 1 August 1

New Findings Language:

Effective for site visits utilizing new 2026 standards

Finding Definition
Met

The program provided clear evidence for all standard review elements.

  • All review elements are addressed
  • Strong, well-documented evidence
  • Effective, sustained implementation
  • Ongoing review and refinement
  • Continuous improvement (monitoring and evaluation) is evident
  • Stakeholder feedback is used effectively
Opportunity for Improvement

The program evidence is incomplete. There are identifiable areas where planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and/or documentation must be strengthened to meet the standard review element.

  • Minor gaps in clarity, depth, or consistency
  • Some elements are underdeveloped or inconsistently applied
  • Improvement efforts are present but not fully embedded
Critical Concern

The program has significant deficiencies in evidence provided to meet the standard review elements, with limited or no evidence. Weak, missing or inadequate evidence of:

  • Planning
  • Implementation
  • Monitoring
  • Evaluation and/or
  • Documentation requiring immediate and substantive attention
  • Misalignment with standard intent
  • Consultative recommendations will be replaced with Suggestions from the Site Visit Team.
  • Programs can self-proclaim areas within their program they believe should be reviewed by the site visit team as a strength.

Site Visit Schedule:

Effective for ALL site visits starting Fall 2026

Day Activity Purpose
12 weeks prior to the site visit

Self-Study and Evidence Due

Site Visit Logistics Form
  • Self Study must now be submitted in the CAMP system 12 weeks prior to the site visit (previously 8 weeks)
  • All evidence files are required to be submitted in CAMP at the same time as the self study
  • Send completed Site Visit Logistics form to CAHME Staff
  • Site Visit Readiness Checklist no longer applicable
30 days prior to the site visit LMS Access
Learning Management System (LMS) access available 30 days prior to the site visit date.
Tuesday of the Site Visit

Previously Records Review

Now Site Visit Team Travel Day
  • Document review now completed digitally prior to visit by the entire site visit team. Program Director must be available for virtual communications during records review. Timeline of records review to be agreed upon between SVT and program director.
  • Reduces one night of travel and expenses for the Coordinator.
Wednedsay of the Site Visit
Confirmation of Standards Compliance
  • Morning: faculty sessions validate, triangulate data in self-study with questions, examples et.
  • Student meetings
  • Afternoon: Faculty sessions continued; Stakeholder Meeting 
  • If validation has been completed, additional time can be used for peer support to the program
Thursday of the Site Visit
Report Out
  • Meet with University Leadership
  • Informal PD and faculty discussion and brainstorming and/or resourcing. Peer-to-peer feedback on program strengths and areas for improvement.
  • Formal report out

30 Calendar Day LMS Access:

Effective for ALL site visits starting Fall 2026

Explanation: CAHME has long utilized LMS access as part of the accreditation process to help Site Visit Teams better understand how programs demonstrate criteria in practice and to support programs in providing comprehensive evidence of their educational quality, student support, competency assessment, and continuous improvement activities.

Previous Policy: LMS Access previously was required at least one week prior to the site visit with an LMS Document Review Day happening on Day 1 of the site visit. With the move to 30 day LMS access, CAHME is removing the additional day needed on-site by the site visit team. This is taking the site visit from 3 days to 2 days.

New Policy: 30-Day LMS Access is the preferred option, but additional options have been approved by the CAHME Board of Directors in the event that 30-Day LMS Access can not be granted. The chart below summarizes those options and explains the operational adjustments needed as well as additional program financial responsibilities.

Exception Option Program Responsibilities Operational Adjustments Program Financial Responsibilities
The program provides a shortened (less than 30 calendar days) LMS Access Window

LMS access must be granted at least one week prior to the site visit.
  • An additional Coordinator will be assigned to the site visit team to ensure that LMS materials can be thoroughly reviewed within the shortened access timeframe.
  • On-site document review day, taking site visit from two days to three days
  • All travel and meeting expenses associated with the additional on-site document review day and additional Coordinator

Limited LMS Access (Defined as anything less than full access as defined in the CAHME LMS Data and Access Need Memorandum)

2021 Standards Version

2026 Standards Version
  • The program must supplement LMS access with external documentation repositories containing all materials necessary for accreditation review as defined in the CAHME Accreditation Site Visitor LMS Data and Access Needs Memorandum.
  • Materials will be labeled with CAHME standard and criterion to support efficient review.
  • An additional Coordinator will be assigned to the site visit team due to the increased time and effort required to review and navigate materials provided outside of the LMS, in order to appropriately distribute the workload among the team
  • On-site document review day, taking site visit from two days to three days
  • All travel and meeting expenses associated with the additional on-site document review day and additional Coordinator
  • Any additional review required to verify evidence may result in additional fees.
No LMS Access
  • The program must provide all LMS-based instructional materials and evidence externally through a secure repository (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive, SharePoint, or another secure file-sharing platform).
  • Materials must include all LMS evidence required for review as outlined in the CAHME Accreditation Site Visitor LMS Data and Access Needs Memorandum.
  • Materials must be organized by CAHME standard and criterion to facilitate review by the site visit team.
  • Materials due 12 week prior to the site visit (to align with self-study submission)
  • An additional Coordinator will be assigned to the site visit team due to the increased time and effort required to review and navigate materials provided outside of the LMS, in order to appropriately distribute the workload among the team
  • All travel and meeting expenses associated with the additional document review day
  • Any additional review required to verify evidence may result in additional fees.