The Commission is authorized by the U.S. Department of Education as a reliable agency of accreditation and must go through a periodic review process. ACCJC is also recognized by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), a non-profit organization of colleges and universities, which recognizes, coordinates, and periodically reviews the work of its member accrediting bodies and the appropriateness of existing or proposed accrediting bodies and their activities
Accreditation
Accreditation Status of Merritt College
Merritt College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education.
The following documents provide further details about Merritt’s current accreditation status:
Current Accreditation Documents
- ACCJC Letter Confirming Midterm Progress (June 2025)
- ACCJC Reaffirmation Letter (January 2023)
- Peer Review Team Report (November 2022)
- ACCJC Updated Evidence Letter (September 2022)
- Merritt College Follow-Up Report (September 2022)
- ACCJC Action Letter (January 27th, 2022)
- Merritt College Follow-Up Report (January 2022)
- ACCJC Action Letter (June 2021)
- Peer Review Team Report (June 2021)
- Special Site Visit Team Report (January 2021)
- ACCJC Letter, Deferred Action on Accreditation Status (February 2021)
- Merritt College Special Report (November 2020)
- ACCJC Letter, Peer Review Visit Team Chair (May 2020)
- ACCJC Letter, Probation (January 2020)
- ACCJC Letter, Special Report (January 2019)
- Peralta 5-Year Integrated Fiscal Plan (December 2019)
- Merritt College Letter (December 2018)
- ACCJC Letter, Midterm Report (June 2018)
- ACCJC Letter, Reaffirmation of Accreditation (January 2018)
Merritt College has completed its comprehensive Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER) in support of accreditation reaffirmation. The final ISER and ACCJC letters announcing the Visiting Team can be accessed via the links below:
ISER & ACCJC Letters
ISER Summary Slides
Google Slides of ISER SUMMARY
Part I – Intro
Part 2 – Standard I
Part 3 – Standard II
Part 4 – Standard III
Part 5 – Standard IV
Merritt College 2021 ISER Video Summaries:
Accreditation Process
Merritt College maintains accreditation by meeting standards established by the ACCJC. Throughout the continuous six-year accreditation review cycle, the College engages in internal evaluation, external evaluation by its peers, Commission evaluation, and institutional self-improvement. This process results in the publication of several review instruments, including a comprehensive institutional self-evaluation report (ISER), an external evaluation report, and a midterm report, as well as annual reports and annual fiscal reports.
Merritt College began a new accreditation cycle in the 2020-2021 academic year. Teams of faculty, classified staff and administrators gathered evidence, drafted an ISER and hosted a site visit. Merritt College community members can assist the ACCJC in their consideration of Merritt College’s application for reaffirmation of accreditation by submitting comments here: ACCJC Third Party Comments
Programmatic Accreditation
Merritt College offers six career education (CE) programs accredited by external agencies.
Program-specific Accreditors
1. Bioscience/Histotechnician
2. Community Social Services/Substance Abuse
3. Fire Science
6.Radiologic Science
- Accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)
- 5600 North River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, Illinois, 60018
- (773) 714-8886 / info@naacls.org
2. Community Social Services/Substance Abuse
- Accredited by the California Association for Drug/Alcohol Educators (CAADE)
- 5230 Clark Avenue, Suite 3, Lakewood, California, 90712
- (707) 722-2331 / California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators
3. Fire Science
- Accredited by the California State Board of Fire Services (SBFS)
- 2551 Harvard Street, Suite 441, Sacramento, California, 95815
- (916) 568-3800 / https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/boards-committees/state-board-of-fire-services
- Approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN)
- 1747 North Market Boulevard, Suite 150, Sacramento, California, 95834
- (916) 322-3350 / https://www.rn.ca.gov
- Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
- 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, Illinois, 60606
- (800) 877-1600 / acend@eatright.org
6.Radiologic Science
- Accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)
- 20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois, 60606
- (312) 704-5300 / mail@jrcert.org
What is accreditation?
Accreditation is a status granted to an educational institution that has been found to meet or exceed stated criteria of educational quality. Institutions voluntarily seek accreditation, and it is conferred by non-governmental bodies.
Accreditation has two fundamental purposes:
- To assure the quality of the institution, and
- To encourage institutional improvement.
How does the Commission determine if an institution meets accreditation standards?
An institution seeking initial accreditation prepares an extensive report on itself based on the criteria set forth in the document on Eligibility Requirements for Accreditation. This period of extensive self-study is followed by an on-site visit by a team of peers selected by the Commission. Based on its findings, the team makes a recommendation to the Commission regarding the accreditation status of the institution. The team will recommend denial, further candidacy, or initial accreditation. The Commission then acts to determine accreditation status, communicating its decision to the institution. Once accredited, an institution is expected to comply with the eligibility requirements and accreditation criteria continuously and must be evaluated periodically.
How often are colleges evaluated?
Colleges maintain accreditation through continuous adherence to accreditation criteria as set forth by the Commission. Colleges follow a six-year cycle during which institutional review is continuous. These reviews include an Annual Report, an Annual Fiscal Report, a Midterm Report, completion of a comprehensive institutional self-study, and an evaluation review by a team of peers. The Commission frequently requests other reports.
Do colleges ever lose accreditation?
Loss of accreditation occurs infrequently. Commission practices, which include periodic institutional self-study, peer evaluation, and Commission action, are designed to foster education excellence and continuous improvement at each institution. The processes of peer evaluation and follow-up offer support and guidance to institutions that need to improve practice in order to meet accreditation standards or policy requirements. Most institutions are able to correct any errant practices and retain institutional accreditation.
However, the primary purpose of accreditation is quality assurance to the public. Termination signals the Commission believes the institution lacks sufficient quality to be accredited. The Commission may terminate accreditation if an institution has taken action that places it significantly out of compliance with Commission standards or has not satisfactorily explained or corrected matters of which it has been given notice. Termination of accreditation is subject to a request for review and appeal. The institution’s accredited status (including the sanction last issued by the Commission) continues pending completion of any review or appeal that is filed.
What are the benefits of accreditation?
Accreditation provides both tangible and intangible benefits:
- It certifies to the public that an institution meets or exceeds specific standards of quality;
- It facilitates institutional eligibility to participate in Title IV student financial aid programs; and
- It provides a process of periodic self and peer review.
These activities are a positive force in improving institutional effectiveness. Many institutions rely in part on regional accreditation in their decisions to recognize transfer credit.
Does accreditation mean that credits and degrees can transfer to another institution?
While it is typically true that many institutions recognize transfer credits only from regionally accredited institutions, the basic principle underlying issues of transfer is that each institution is responsible for determining its own policies and practices in regard to transfer and award of credit. The Commission requires that institutions have a policy on transfer of credit by which the institution certifies that courses accepted for credit from sending institutions achieve student learning outcomes comparable to its own courses.
Does the Commission rank colleges?
Since each college is unique and has its own mission, the Commission does not rank colleges. The responsibility of the Commission is to accredit colleges based on standards of good practice in higher education.
Can the Commission recommend a college to a student?
The Commission does not recommend colleges. Specific information about colleges can be located in the many references books found in libraries. Other valuable sources of information are high school or college counselors and advisors, or college admissions officers.
What happens to a student’s records when a college closes?
Commission policy states that when a college is closing, all academic, financial aid, and other records should be prepared for permanent filing. The college should arrange with the state department of higher education, another appropriate agency, or another college or university for the filing of student records. Notification regarding the location of records and their accessibility should be sent to all students, including where possible, a copy of the student’s record.