Every ten years, Miami Dade College undergoes a comprehensive self-study leading to reaffirmation of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The Commission is the recognized institutional accrediting body for institutions of higher education that award associate, baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral degrees in eleven southern U.S. states and Latin America. The U.S. Secretary of Education recognizes accreditation by SACSCOC in establishing eligibility of institutions to participate in programs authorized under Title IV of the 1992 Higher Education Act and other federal programs.

Reaffirmation of accreditation results from a thorough and careful evaluation of the educational quality of the institution. The findings of the institutional self-study are compiled and submitted to SACSCOC in a Compliance Certification Report. Based on this report, peer reviewers serving on an Off-Site Reaffirmation Committee evaluate the institution’s compliance with the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation, assessing both the delivery and the outcomes of the educational process. The committee may request additional information, and institutions may respond with a Focused Report.

Institutions also prepare a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) as part of the reaffirmation process. The QEP describes a course of action for enhancing educational quality, developed with the input of a broad base of stakeholders. An On-Site Reaffirmation Committee visits the institution to examine data and conduct interviews in order to evaluate the soundness of the QEP and ascertain whether the institution is in compliance with the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation.

The visiting committee report and the response of the institution to the committee’s findings are reviewed by the Committee on Compliance and Reports, a standing committee of SACSCOC. The Committee on Compliance and Reports recommends action on reaffirmation to the Executive Council, which in turn recommends action to the SACSCOC Board of Trustees. For more information about the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, including the criteria for accreditation, visit the website at http://www.sacscoc.org.