The CAA has adopted Standards for Accreditation as necessary conditions for accreditation of eligible graduate education programs. Compliance with all standards represents the minimum requirement for accreditation, regardless of mode of delivery, including distance education. All CAA reviews and decisions, including candidacy, are based on the program’s compliance with the CAA’s Standards for Accreditation.
As a recognized accrediting agency by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, the CAA is required to conduct a comprehensive review of its standards on a periodic basis and does so every 5 to 8 years. The CAA also may conduct an interim review on an as-needed basis to provide clarification or to ensure continued compliance with recognition criteria. When revisions are identified through either a comprehensive or an interim review, the CAA will initiate action to make the changes and complete that process, which will include opportunity for stakeholders to review proposed changes and offer comment.
Driven by a demonstrated need to ensure the Standards continue to support the program’s ability to provide educational and clinical opportunities to students related to individualized person- and family-centered care, while enabling programs to comply with federal laws, varying state laws, and evolving federal policies, the CAA conducted an interim review of Standard 3.4A/B which speaks toward diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In accordance with policies and procedures stated in the Accreditation Handbook (p.78), the CAA is conducting a widespread peer review about the proposed revisions to Standard 3.4 A/B. Read the side-by-side comparison [PDF] of the 2017 revised standards (2023) and the 2025 proposed changes.
Individuals may provide their peer comments about the proposed revisions through the online survey by July 10, 2025.
Alternatively, individuals may submit written peer comments by July 10, 2025, in one of the following ways:
By email to accreditation@asha.org (preferred)
By First-Class mail to:
Accreditation Peer Review Comment
Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA)
c/o ASHA
2200 Research Blvd. #321
Rockville, MD 20850
After the last comprehensive review, the CAA implemented revised Standards for Accreditation of Graduate Education Programs in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology on August 1, 2017.
Interim and annual reviews were conducted and revised standards were implemented on the following dates: