Application and Review Process

Timeline Overview

The following instructions will provide an estimated timeline to complete for each step of the accreditation process. Depending upon your response time, the process may be completed in as little as ninety days or can take as long as 6 months.

Accreditation Process Steps

Submit Application and Program Video

The school submits their application and fee for accreditation to HVAC Excellence. In addition, the school shall submit a narrated program video (contact HVAC Excellence for submittal instructions), highlighting the following:

Diversity of equipment, trainers, and workstations available in the program's laboratories. (Inside and outside.)
Fire extinguishers, eye wash stations, first aid kits, emergency cutoff switches, and the mechanical exhaust system in the program's facilities.
Tool room and storage area, emphasizing the presence of test and diagnostic equipment, recording instruments, general hand tools, vacuum pumps, recovery equipment, brazing equipment, and the designated refrigerant storage area as applicable to the discipline being applied for.
Training library, which includes audio-visual equipment, books, slides, videos, and other resources.
Classroom area
Student computers
Instructor office(s)

Upon receipt of the application and video(s), the accreditation review board will determine if the program(s) are viable candidates for accreditation. When seeking accreditation of multiple disciplines, please provide separate videos for each program. If candidacy status is granted, the program(s) will be provided with an accreditation manual and will have one year to complete the review process as outlined in the manual.

Team Members Assigned

When a program is granted candidacy status, a member of the HVAC Excellence team is assigned to work with the school throughout the process. This team member serves as a point of contact and provides guidance and support to the school during the review period.

Submit Self-Study

A completed self-study of the program(s) seeking accreditation should be submitted electronically via the HVAC Excellence Upload Portal. It may also be submitted by shipping the completed self-study on USB flash drives to HVAC Excellence, Accreditation Department, 1350 W. Northwest Hwy, Mount Prospect, IL 60056. If the USB option is selected, please submit three drives, each containing the complete self-study. Once the self-study is received, the accreditation review board will carefully assess the documentation to determine if the program is ready for an onsite evaluation. The review board assessment takes approximately 45 days from the date of receipt of the self-study(studies). Download these resources here:

Accreditation Manual

Competency and Task List

Standards 7: Laboratory Resources

Onsite Visitation

If the review board finds the self-study and its accompanying documents acceptable, onsite evaluation assessors, (also referred to as Accreditation Specialists/Surveyors), will be selected. The assessors will work with the institution to schedule the onsite visit. Although the on-site visit is often completed in one day, other factors such as the complexity of the program, and the number of programs being evaluated may affect the amount of time required to complete the visit.

Final Determination

Once the assessors complete their evaluation, they will submit their recommendations to the accreditation review board. The review board will carefully assess the recommendations and supporting documentation to make a final determination regarding the accreditation status for each program seeking accreditation. This final decision-making process typically takes up to 45 days.

Onsite Visitation Process

Morning Conference

School Administrator Interview

Student Services Interview

Financial Services Interview

Review Standards with Instructor

Exit Interview

Final Determination

Morning Conference

This meeting serves as a platform for open discussion among school personnel and the assessors. It provides a forum to ask questions and better understand the onsite visitation process.

School Administrator Interview

This conversation provides insights into factors that impact the program, such as program management, resources, facilities, and overall support from the school administration.

Student Services Interview

This interview entails a discussion about admission standards, student placement records, transcript management, maintenance of health records, assistance in transitioning from school to work, follow-up on employment outcomes, and the availability of financial aid resources for students.

Financial Services Interview

Discussions may cover topics such as the funding sources available to the program, student fees, the process of formulating the annual program budget, distribution of grants and Perkins funds, and other financial considerations relevant to each program's operations and sustainability.

Review Standards with Instructor

The assessor will meet with faculty, students, and members of the program advisory committees. During this time, they will visit the classrooms, laboratories, storage areas, to validate all aspects of the self-study.

Exit Interview

Upon conclusion of the onsite evaluation, the assessors will once again meet with program instructor(s) and administrators. During this closing meeting, a summary of the assessor's findings will be discussed.

Final Determination

The HVAC Excellence Accreditation Review Board carefully evaluates the self-study(studies) and findings provided by the assessors to make a final decision regarding the accreditation status of each program seeking accreditation. This evaluation process typically takes up to 45 days.

Accreditation Fees

The accreditation process involves certain fees and expenses. An accreditation fee of $2,000 (for the first program seeking accreditation) is to be paid as follows:

A non-refundable fee of $500.00 is submitted with the application.
The remaining $1,500.00 is due after review and acceptance of the self-study but prior to scheduling the onsite visit.
A fee of $1,000 will be required for each additional program seeking accreditation.

The following expenses will be invoiced to the institution upon completion of the onsite evaluation:

$700.00 daily honorarium per assessor will be charged. Most onsite visits are completed in one day and require two assessors.
Travel expenses include actual airfare, car rental fees, fuel charges, personal vehicle mileage, baggage fees, airport parking, and transportation to and from the airport.
Lodging, including the actual expenses incurred for lodging and meals during the onsite visit will be invoiced to the institution.

Terms of Accreditation

The maximum accreditation award period from HVAC Excellence is six years. A training program or institution that receives a six-year accreditation will have met or, in many cases, exceeded all the accreditation standards. Schools seeking accreditation of multiple disciplines may be awarded different terms of accreditation for each program.

Compliance Corrections

In cases where compliance issues are identified, the program will be granted a 90-day period during which the issue is to be resolved. If the corrections cannot be resolved within this period, the program may submit an implementation plan detailing how each correction will be addressed and the resolution timeframe.

Annual Reporting Guidelines for Accredited Programs

Accredited programs must submit an annual accreditation report by December 1st each year. The purpose of this report is to document any significant changes and ensure the program remains compliant with accreditation standards. Examples of changes that should be reported include adjustments in instructional staff, curriculum updates, program hours, or the relocation of program laboratories.

If the annual report confirms continued compliance, the school will receive confirmation that its accreditation status remains active until the next annual reporting period or the accreditation expiration date, whichever occurs first.

Failure to submit the annual report by the deadline will result in a notice of non-compliance. The program will have thirty days to resolve the issue. If compliance is not achieved within this period, a letter will be sent to the school's chief administrator, notifying them of the intent to suspend accreditation.

Programs are exempt from submitting an annual report during their first 12 months and their final 12 months of accreditation.

Definitions

Candidacy

Granted to an educational program that has submitted its application, program video, and application fees. Candidacy status is limited to a maximum of one year. Any program that is in candidacy will be granted additional time of one year to complete their self-study if they can show extraordinary issues with compliance.

Notice

Issued by the accreditation review board when it has reason to believe that an accredited program is not in compliance with any of the standards. The program is required to address the stated compliance issues within a specified period or submit an approved plan of action.

Suspension

When a program fails to resolve compliance issues within the required time after receiving a notice, its accreditation is suspended until the situation is resolved.

Disclaimer: HVAC Excellence reserves the right to refuse accreditation... refund application fee if refused.

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PROGRAMMATIC ACCREDITATION