Standards for Accreditation

Accreditation Handbook—Chapter XIV: Standards Development and Implementation

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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.

Standards Review and Revisions

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. 

Revised Standards for Accreditation: Effective October 1, 2025

The CAA approved revisions to the Standards for Accredication [PDF] that will go into effect on October 1, 2025, for all applications and annual reports that are submitted on or after this date. The CAA appreciates the feedback provided during the two rounds of peer review for the proposed revisions during May–July 2025. The CAA reviewed all comments and suggestions, and then approved final edits at its meeting in July 2025. Read the new side-by-side comparison [PDF] to see the changes that were made.

The CAA approved revisions to Standard 3.4 A/B Person- and Family-Centered Care. The revisions will be reflected in all forms and materials, which will be released as soon as they are available.

Programs are expected to continue to comply with the standards currently in effect through September 30, 2025. Programs scheduled for site visits in Fall 2025 will be evaluated under the 2017-revised standards.

Resources

The CAA developed the following resources to support programs during the transition.

• Guidance for Standard 3.4 A/B Person- and Family-Centered Care [PDF]
• Side-by-side comparison [PDF] for changes implemented January 1, 2023

Also, members of the CAA and accreditation staff will be addressing questions in a special series of info sessions.

• Register for Session #1: August 22, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. EDT
• Register for Session #2: September 5, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. EDT

When Will CAA Review Programs Under 2025 Revised Standards?

All reports and applications submitted after October 1, 2025, must address the revisions in the standards. The CAA will apply these revisions to its decisions in 2026. Direct questions about the implementation of the standards revisions to caareports@asha.org. 

Accredited Programs

Candidacy Programs

Candidacy Applicants

Past Standards Revisions

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:

• August 1, 2020
  • Revisions to the Requirements for Review
    • Standard 1.8 Equitable Treatment
    • Standard 1.9 Public Information
    • Standard 4.10 Verification of Student Identity for Distance Education
  • Side-by-side comparison of changes implemented August 1, 2020 [PDF]
• January 1, 2023
  • Revisions to the Requirements for Review
    • Standard 1.1 Institutional Accreditation
    • Standard 1.9 Public Information
    • Standard 3.1A Audiology Curriculum
    • Standard 3.1B Speech-Language Pathology Curriculum
    • Standards 3.4A and 3.4B Diversity Reflected in the Curriculum
    • Standards 3.8A and 3.8B Clinical Education—Client Welfare
    • Standard 5.2 Program Assessment of Students
    • Standard 5.7 Employment Rate
    • Standard 5.8 Analysis of Student Outcome Measures
  • Professional Practice Competencies listed under Standards 3.1A and 3.1B were streamlined and reorganized.
  • Side-by-side comparison of changes implemented January 1, 2023 [PDF]

Resources

• Documentation Guidance [PDF]
• Side-by-Side Comparison [PDF] of the 2017 and 2008 standards
• Standards Compliance Trends