ACOTE® had a highly productive meeting from December 6-8, 2024. During this session, they made several key policy updates, completed strategic planning resulting in a refreshed vision and mission statement, and successfully reviewed and voted on over 300 program actions.
While we make every effort to send out action letters promptly, due to the high volume of actions, it typically takes 4-6 weeks after the ACOTE meeting to process them. We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding during this process!
ANNUAL REPORTS – DUE FEBRUARY 7, 2025
**ALL Accredited Programs must complete an Annual Report. All program directors should have received an email notification which includes the link to complete the report. If you did not receive the email, contact the Accreditation Department. Once the report is started it will only maintain data for 30 days, after which the user must either submit or re-save. The timer is reset every time the user re-saves the form. Once the report is submitted the link will no longer be active. Following submission of the report, you will receive an immediate confirmation email including a PDF attachment of the data you submitted.
Please note that the Annual Report uses a logic-based design, therefore additional questions may appear or may be skipped based on your answers. For a comprehensive list of the questions refer to the Annual Report Guide posted on the ACOTE website.
New this year, minor program changes must be reported in the Annual Report. To help determine what qualifies as a minor change, refer to ACOTE Policy IV.B.1. Additions and Changes.
As part of the Annual Report review process, ACOTE reviews the faculty profiles, therefore ensure the FACUTLY tab in the eAccreditation system is accurate and current. In addition, program websites are reviewed to ensure compliance with Standards:
- A.4.2. Publication of Program Outcomes
- A.4.3. Publication of ACOTE Information
- A.4.4. Published Policies and Procedures
For more information see the Sample Program Webpage.
Programs with Candidacy and Preaccreditation Status: An abbreviated Annual Report is due to ACOTE February 7, 2025. You should have received an email notification with a link to complete the report.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
ACOTE has completed its five-year strategic planning process which led to a refreshed Vision and Mission, as well as the development of core values.
VISION: Lead, innovate, and advance occupational therapy education in a global environment.
MISSION: Support quality, inclusion, and innovation to advance entry-level occupational therapy education.
VALUES: Quality; Innovation; Collaboration; Inclusion; Integrity
POLICY CHANGES AND CLARIFICATIONS
New ACOTE Policy IV.E.6. Certification Exam Pass Rate: ACOTE has created a Certification Exam Pass Rate policy to clearly and formally present to programs. The policy outlines the steps taken if the program’s certification exam pass rate falls below 80%. Additionally, the policy details the procedures for addressing noncompliance citations, requesting extensions, probation and the potential withdrawal of accreditation.
ACOTE Policy V.A. Fees: ACOTE voted to eliminate the annual fee for additional locations. However, programs that deliver instruction at locations separate from the primary site will incur an on-site fee to cover the costs associated with sending the additional team member(s) to these off-site locations.
ACOTE Policy ACOTE Policy IV.B.1. Additions and Changes: Programs that have Candidacy Status must request approval for any significant changes to their program. Please refer to the Additions or Changes policy for more information.
ACOTE Policy IV.A.2. The On-Site Evaluation: ACOTE voted to revise the way Strengths are recorded on the ROSE report. Reviewers will assess the strengths of the program as a whole, rather than focusing on the strengths of individuals or specific groups. This change will take effect immediately and will be mandatory for all reports submitted after July 31, 2025.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Visit the ACOTE website and navigate to NEWS/EVENTS for more information and to register for upcoming events.
Conversation with ACOTE
ACOTE will be providing program directors, faculty, and other communities of interest an opportunity to have a conversation with ACOTE. Register here to attend the session on January 23, 2025, 8:00 pm Eastern Time.
Interim Report Workshop (virtual)
The Interim Report Workshop provides an overview of the Standards reflected in the Interim Report and overall expectations of an Interim Report. Workshops are scheduled for January 14, and February 20, 2025, from 10:00-2:00pm Eastern Time. Register to attend one of these informative workshops here or visit our website and navigate to News/Events.
Self-Study Workshop
We have slots available for upcoming Self-Study Workshops. The Self-Study Preparation Workshop is designed to meet the needs of program directors and faculty preparing for an upcoming self-study review and new program directors wanting to understand more about the accreditation process. Dates and registration information can be found here.
ACOTE HAS MOVED
As a reminder, please update your website and published materials used by the institution to maintain compliance with ACOTE Standard A.4.3. Publication of ACOTE Information. Programs must be in compliance by July 31, 2025.
NEW ADDRESS:
7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E
Bethesda, MD 20814
The ACOTE phone number remains the same.
REMINDERS
- Ensure your “FACULTY” tab in the eAccreditation portal is updated.
- Notification to ACOTE Requirements: Standards A.1.5. Notification Requirements requires programs to Inform ACOTE within 30 days of the resignation of the program director or appointment of a new or interim program director.
- It is the responsibility of the program director to remain current with the most recent Standards Interpretive Guide and ACOTE policies located on www.acoteonline.org. Updates to these documents are reported on the ACOTE® website after each ACOTE® meeting.
RESOURCES
The ACOTE website (www.acoteonline.org) is a valuable resource for information. You can find information on program numbers, past ACOTE actions, past newsletters, frequently asked questions, forms, templates, and much more. The Accreditation Department is also a good resource. Please do not hesitate to contact the accreditation department at accred@aota.org if you have any questions or concerns.
