Build a High Quality Program for your Association

Associations across multiple sectors and industries are turning to certificate programs to give their members access to education and training that makes them more competitive and strengthens their responsibility to the general public. Often there are several competing certificate or educational programs in the same narrow field. How can your organization maintain the highest quality certificate program to stay relevant to the professions your association serves?

That’s where ICE’s Assessment-based Certificate Accreditation Program (ACAP) can help!

What is a Certificate Program?

A certificate program is a training program on a topic for which participants receive a certificate after attendance or completion of coursework. Certificate programs can be used to build capacity in a profession or to fill an ongoing skills gaps.

Learn more.

Why an Assessment-Based certificate program?

In 2012, ICE developed the 1100 Standard in order to provide guidance to organizations developing assessment-based certificate (ABC) programs. An assessment-based certificate (ABC) program includes a test or another form of assessment that confirms the participant learned the education objectives covered by the certificate program.

Learn more about how to get started.

Adhering to Best Practices

Assessment-based Certificate Accreditation Program (ACAP) provides the public assurance that an ABC program is following best practices through the ICE 1100 Standard, which gives organizations guidance on developing certificate programs. Getting a program accredited provides proof of an impartial, third-party validation that an organization’s program has met recognized national and international credentialing standards for development, implementation, administration, and maintenance of education and training.

The Standard specifies essential requirements for certificate programs and provides guidance to program providers, consumers, and others on what defines a high-quality program.

Learn more about the ICE 1100 Standards.

Get the Facts:

The ABCs of Assessment-Based Certificate (ABC) Program Accreditation: This ICE Digest article explains the ins and outs of an ABC Program, and walks you through the steps of the ACAP accreditation process.

Rescue Me: The Art of Reputation Recovery and Rebuilding Integrity: This case study article from ICE Digest shares how an accredited program can save your organization from public criticism and an organizational crisis.

Defining Features of Quality Certification and Assessment-Based Certificate Programs: This document provides a better understanding of the distinctions between assessment-based certificate programs, certificates of attendance or participation, and professional or personnel certification programs.

Assessment-Based Certificate Programs: Why They May Be Preferable: In this webcast, Brian Bontempo, PhD and Michelle Nolin, CPLP discuss considerations for creating a quality ABC program.

Assessment-Based Certificate Programs Webcast Series:This three-part educational webcast series provides information on the purpose of assessment-based certificate programs and the sound instructional design principles that should be integrated into them.

Meeting Examination Standards for Assessment-Based Certificate Programs, Part 1 and Part 2: This webcast series shares a set of psychometric guidelines to assist certificate program administrators with demonstrating compliance to the ICE 1100 Standard.

Contact ICE staff at 202-367-1165 or info@credentialingexcellence.org for more information on ACAP accreditation.