What We Do

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In the U.S. – Credentialing – Organizational Accreditation

Students, volunteers, and donors want to trust that the services provided by a literacy program are high quality. Accreditation can provide this assurance.

ProLiteracy offers the only national accreditation service in the adult basic education and literacy field. The accreditation process requires local organizations to plan and evaluate their services using nationally recognized standards. The system is designed for programs in which volunteers provide most of the tutoring.

Once a program is accredited, students, volunteers, board members, and funders can feel confident that the organization is worthy of the time and money they invest in it.

See a list of accredited organizations.

Benefits of Accreditation

• By focusing on outcomes and performance measures, the accreditation process helps programs to improve their services to adult learners and to secure funding.
• Accreditation strengthens an organization's structure and stability.
• It reduces liability risk as decision-makers become aware of weaknesses and problem areas.
• An accredited organization can promote itself as "An Accredited Program of ProLiteracy."

Accreditation Standards

Accreditation Brochure

Guide to ProLiteracy Accreditation (available for free download only to organizational members)

        Learn how to become a ProLiteracy member.

Steps to Accreditation

• Step 1 Self-evaluation

  Organizational members of ProLiteracy download the Guide to ProLiteracy Accreditation and compare their policies and practices against the 16 standards.

• Step 2 Application

  A member organization completes a formal application, submits required documents, and pays the $400 accreditation fee. Organizations have one year from the application approval date to complete the process.

• Step 3 Documentation

  The member organization shows that it meets all the standards and submits checkpoint information. Proliteracy provides all necessary materials, as well as accreditation-related technical assistance and support.

• Step 4 Site Review

  ProLiteracy assigns a site review date and an impartial reviewer. The reviewer conducts a one-day review.

• Step 5 Accreditation Review Committee Decision

  The Accreditation Review Committee (impartial volunteer literacy professionals) determines accreditation based on program documentation and the site reviewer's report. If all of the standards are met, the organization is awarded four-year accreditation. If all standards are not met, the organization submits one of the following:

  • a program improvement plan
  • an appeal of the decision
  • written notice of decision to discontinue the accreditation process

Please e-mail questions to ProLiteracy at accreditation@proliteracy.org or call Tammie Roberts at (315) 422-9121