NLN Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA) Gains Full Recognition from the U.S. Department of Education
May 25, 2021
Washington, DC, May 25, 2021 - The National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA), which promotes excellence and integrity in nursing education globally, has now earned designation as an official accrediting agency of the U.S. Department of Education. With this recognition, CNEA joins other accrediting agencies deemed qualified to monitor the academic quality of postsecondary and educational programs for federal purposes. The recognition, approved this week by Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, is for a five-year period.
The scope of CNEA’s accreditation activities include the pre-accreditation and accreditation of nursing education programs in the United States that offer a certificate, diploma or degree at the practical/vocational, diploma (RN), associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral levels, including programs offered via distance education. To date, 115 programs across 29 states representing all program types have been pre-accredited or accredited by CNEA. All those currently accredited by CNEA can now boast accreditation by a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency.
“By requiring all onsite program evaluators to be schooled in the National League for Nursing’s four core values – caring, diversity, integrity, and excellence – we have created an accreditation process guaranteed to shift the paradigm in nursing education,” said CNEA Board of Commissioners Chair Joan Darden, PhD, RN, ANEF, Professor Emerita at Darton State College in Albany, Georgia. “Our influence on quality nursing education will undoubtedly continue to grow as new applicants CNEA accreditation must demonstrate how CNEA’s accreditation standards are incorporated into their program culture and content.”
CNEA Executive Director Teresa Shellenbarger PhD, RN, CNE, CNEcl, ANEF said, “This is thrilling news, the culmination of a process initiated over seven years ago by calls we received from nursing programs across the spectrum of higher education that were long seeking an alternative values-driven accreditation service for nursing education. All of us at CNEA are pleased that Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona recognized that CNEA is in full compliance with the department's recognition criteria. This is a tremendous victory that not only benefits CNEA but the entire programmatic accrediting community.”
Shellenbarger added, “Thanks to Dr. Judith Halstead, founding executive director of CNEA, Dr. Cathleen Shultz, founding commission chair, and our dedicated commissioners, committee members and on-site program evaluators, we have achieved this important goal. The entire community of nurse educators, deans and directors, and most of all students, are now in a position to benefit from their fine work guiding nursing programs to meet the rigorous standards of excellence that CNEA accreditation represents.”
