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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 19 / Monday, February 1, 2021 / Notices 7. Midwifery Education Accreditation Council. Scope of Recognition: The accreditation and pre-accreditation throughout the United States of directentry midwifery educational institutions and programs conferring degrees and certificates, including the accreditation of such programs offered via distance education.
8. National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences Inc., Scope of Recognition: The accreditation throughout the United States of postsecondary schools and departments of cosmetology arts and sciences and massage therapy.
Compliance Report Under 34 CFR
602.31c Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools ACICS
Pursuant to the November 21, 2018
Decision of the Secretary, Docket No.
16440 available at https
surveys.ope.ed.gov/erecognition/
PublicDocuments under NACIQI
meeting date: 6/23/2016 for ACICS, ACICS submitted a compliance report on December 19, 2019 on issues identified in the Decision related to the agencys compliance with criteria in 34
CFR 602.15a2 and 6. The Department staffs review has identified continued noncompliance with 34 CFR
602.15a2. The ACICS compliance report was originally scheduled for the July 2020 NACIQI meeting, but the Department published a notice in the Federal Register on June 25, 2020 85
FR 38132; Document Number 2020
13286, announcing that it was rescheduled for the February 2021
NACIQI meeting.
Inquiries Under 34 CFR 602.33
1. ACICS
a. 34 CFR 602.33 review in response to ACICS monitoring report. Pursuant to the November 21, 2018 Decision of the Secretary, Docket No. 16440
available at https surveys.ope.ed.gov/
erecognition/PublicDocuments under NACIQI meeting date: 06/23/2016 for ACICS, ACICS submitted a monitoring report on issues identified in the Decision related to the agencys compliance with the Criteria in 34 CFR
602.15a1, 602.16a1i and vii, and 602.19b. In its review of the monitoring report, the Department staff noted that one or more deficiencies may exist in the agencys compliance with the Secretarys Criteria for Recognition or the agencys effective application of those Criteria, and therefore processed the monitoring report in accordance with the review procedures set forth in 34 CFR 602.33. The review has
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identified noncompliance with the Criteria in 34 CFR 602.15a1 and 602.19b.
b. 34 CFR 602.33 review initiated by inquiry letter dated June 19, 2019 letter available at https www.ed.gov/
accreditation/acics. The initiation of the review was based on information from media coverage of ACICSs presentation to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation concerning its financial situation and its review of two institutions, Virginia International University and San Diego University for Integrative Studies. The review has identified noncompliance with the Criteria in 34 CFR 602.15a1, 602.16c, and 602.17c and e. It should be noted that the new accreditation regulations effective July 1, 2020 changed 602.16c to 602.16d. There are no substantive changes to these two paragraphs of 602.16, just a change in the paragraph lettering.
c. 34 CFR 602.33 review initiated by inquiry letter dated February 24, 2020
letter available at https www.ed.gov/
accreditation/acics. The initiation of the review was based on information from media coverage alleging that ACICS accredited Reagan National University, an institution not actually in operation. The review has identified noncompliance with the Criteria in 34
CFR 602.15a1 and 2, 602.17c, 602.18c, and 602.19b. It should be noted that the new regulations effective July 1, 2020 changed 602.18c to 602.18b3. There are no relevant substantive changes to these two paragraphs of 602.18, just a change in the paragraph lettering.
Subcommittee on Student Success The subcommittee will provide an interim report on its work that focuses on 602.16, Accreditation and preaccreditation standards, paragraph a1i.
Submission of requests to make an oral comment regarding a specific accrediting agency under review, or to make an oral comment or written statement regarding other issues within the scope of NACIQIs authority:
Opportunity to submit a written statement regarding a specific accrediting agency under review was solicited by previous Federal Register notices published on March 4, 2020 85
FR 12778; Document Number 2020
04410, May 5, 2020 85 FR 32031;
Document Number 202011372, June 9, 2020 85 FR 35295; Document Number 202012351, and November 5, 2020 85
FR 70594: Document Number 2020
24595. The period for submission of such statements is now closed.

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Additional written comments regarding a specific agency or state approval agency under review will not be accepted at this time. However, members of the public may submit written statements regarding other issues within the scope of NACIQIs authority for consideration by NACIQI
in the manner described below. Oral comments may not exceed three minutes.
Oral comments about an agencys recognition when a compliance report has been required by the senior Department official or the Secretary must relate to the criteria for recognition cited in the senior Department officials letter that requested the report, or in the Secretarys appeal decision, if any. Oral comments about an agency seeking expansion of scope must be directed to the agencys ability to serve as a recognized accrediting agency with respect to the kinds of institutions or programs requested to be added. Oral comments about the renewal of an agencys recognition must relate to its compliance with the Criteria for the Recognition of Accrediting Agencies, which are available at http
www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/
index.html. Written statements and oral comments concerning NACIQIs work outside of a specific accrediting agency under review must be limited to the scope of NACIQIs authority as outlined under section 114 of the HEA.
To request to make a third-party oral comment of three minutes or less during the March 35, 2021 meeting, please follow either Method One or Method Two. To submit a written statement to NACIQI concerning its work outside a specific accrediting agency under review, please follow Method One.
Method One: Submit a request by email to the ThirdPartyComments@
ed.gov mailbox. Please do not send material directly to NACIQI members.
Written statements to NACIQI
concerning its work outside a specific accrediting agency under review and requests to make oral comment must be received by February 17, 2021 and include the subject line Oral Comment Request: agency name, Oral Comment Request: subject or Written Statement: subject. The email must include the names, title, organization/affiliation, mailing address, email address, telephone number, of the persons submitting a written statement or requesting to speak, and a brief summary not to exceed one page of the principal points to be made during the oral presentation, if applicable. All individuals submitting an advance request in accordance with
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