Department of Education Selects ANSI to Join EQUIP: Educational Quality through Innovative Partnerships

NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Education (DoE) has selected globally recognized quality assurance entity (QAE) the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to join its higher education initiative, entitled Educational Quality through Innovative Partnerships (EQUIP).

As part of the Obama Administration's large-scale effort to provide low-income students with access to new models of education and training, in late 2015, the DoE requested submissions for the EQUIP pilot program, calling on partnerships from universities, private-sector education and training providers, and QAEs.

ANSI was selected as part of a team that includes the State University of New York (SUNY) Empire State College, and Flatiron School, a programming training bootcamp.

The EQUIP program has three main goals:

First, to learn whether partnerships such as these increase access to innovative and effective educational programs, particularly for students from low-income backgrounds;

Second, to assess quality assurance processes that are appropriate for non-traditional providers and programs; and

Third, to identify ways to protect students and taxpayers from risk in this emerging area of post-secondary education. 

Key to all of these goals is the ability to measure claims that training providers make, assess whether a student has achieved learning outcomes, and determine the value that students get from completing an educational program.

"The ability to measure, assess, and quantify the value of a training program is precisely what ANSI accreditation adds to the EQUIP program," said Turan Ayvaz, Director, ANSI Certificate Accreditation Program (CAP). "When a training provider earns ANSI accreditation, they are demonstrating to the marketplace that the certificates they award to their students represent the best in quality education and training."

ANSI-CAP accredits assessment–based education and training programs against the American National Standard ASTM E2659. The standard establishes guidelines for quality certificate program development and administration, and forms the foundation for a recognition system that enables consumers, employers, government agencies, and others to distinguish between qualified workers and those with less-than-quality credentials. And ANSI's accreditation process itself follows ISO/IEC 17011, the International Standard that defines quality third-party accreditation practices.

"This partnership leverages ANSI as a major stakeholder in educational success for all," said Dr. Ayvaz. "We are excited enter this partnership as a QAE to add value and assure quality education, which is integral for the U.S. workforce."

To find out more about ANSI-CAP and the EQUIP program please contact Dr. Turan Ayvaz, Director of ANSI's Certificate Accreditation Program, at [email protected], visit the ANSI Accreditation Services website, or watch the ANSI-CAP testimonial video.

About ANSI
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and the American quality of life by promoting, facilitating, and safeguarding the integrity of the voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations. The Institute represents the diverse interests of more than 125,000 companies and organizations and 3.5 million professionals worldwide.

The Institute is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and is a U.S. representative to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

SOURCE American National Standards Institute