ACCJC Lists Civic Responsibility as an Essential Learning Outcome for Student Success

In June, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges shared revised accreditation standards that include Civic Responsibility as an expected learning outcome. This revised standard, positioned under Student Success, lifts civic learning from recommended to expected in the general education framework.

• Standard 2: Student Success
  2.3. All degree programs include a general education framework to ensure the development of broad knowledge, skills, and competencies related to communication, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, information literacy, civic responsibility, and the ability to engage with diverse perspectives.

As ACCJC shared in their Connect newsletter, these 2024 adopted Accreditation Standards “reflect the diversity of ACCJC member institutions, are streamlined and clear, emphasize equity and inclusion, and are focused on student outcomes.”

The CLDE Coalition is partnering with all seven historically regional institutional accrediting commissions, including ACCJC, to help make civic learning part of what it means to earn a high quality college degree in the United States. The Higher Learning Commission added civic engagement to its accreditation standards in 2020. Read the HLC statement here: Civic Engagement, Regional Accreditation, and the Public Good