Other Links

This page provides links to the websites of various organizations and publications of interest regarding accreditation and higher education.

The National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC)

The National Board for Respiratory Care The National Board for Respiratory Care, Inc. is a voluntary health certifying board which was created in 1960 to evaluate the professional competence of respiratory therapists. The primary purposes of the NBRC and its Board of Trustees members are to provide high quality voluntary credentialing examinations for practitioners of respiratory therapy and pulmonary function technology; establish standards to credential practitioners to work under medical direction; issue certificates to and prepare a directory of credentialed individuals; advance medicine by promoting use of respiratory care in treating human ailments; support ethical and educational standards of respiratory care; and, cooperate with accrediting agencies to support respiratory care education. NBRC Resources 

The Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA)

ASPA provides a collaborative forum and a collective voice for the community of U.S. agencies that assess the quality of specialized and professional higher education programs and schools. ASPA represents its members on issues of educational quality facing institutions of higher education, governments, students, and the public. ASPA also advances the knowledge, skills, good practices, and ethical commitments of accreditors, and communicates the value of accreditation as a means of enhancing educational quality.

U.S. Department of Education (USDE)

The U.S. Department of Education is the agency of the federal government that establishes policy for, administers and coordinates most federal assistance to education. It assists the president in executing his education policies for the nation and in implementing laws enacted by Congress. The Department’s mission is to serve America’s students—to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. The Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) formulates federal postsecondary education policy and administers programs that address critical national needs in support of our mission to increase access to quality postsecondary education.

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)

CHEA is a private, non-profit, national organization that coordinates accreditation activity in the United States. It serves as a national voice for voluntary accreditation and quality assurance to the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, and to the general public, opinion leaders, students, and families.

The following links include national accrediting agencies that accredit institutions with respiratory care programs accredited by CoARC:

The Health Professions Accreditors Collaborative

The HPAC provides a forum for members to cooperate in areas of mutual interest to ensure that accreditors’ standards, policies and procedures support and prepare graduates for contemporary practice as part of interprofessional teams.

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