Accreditation Decisions
 

COA meets two times each year (April and October) and utilizes special meetings, if necessary.

Current decisions of COA are reported on this webpage and decisions since October 2013, may be reviewed under the tab - Past COA Decisions. Effective in 2019, accreditation decision information is included in the ABFSE Directory of Accredited Programs.

Committee on Accreditation (COA) Actions:

April 2025
The Committee on Accreditation of the American Board of Funeral Service Education took the following actions regarding these funeral service/mortuary science education programs at the April 8-9, 2025 meeting in Kansas City, MO:

Re-accreditation for a period of seven (7) years

Arapahoe Community College, Littleton, CO
Reaccredited with the stipulation to reevaluate the professional license disclosure statement requirement. An updated assessment plan must be submitted with the 2025 Annual Report. A 3-year Focus Visit will be scheduled to review assessment activity.

University of Arkansas Community College – Hope/Texarkana, Hope, AR
Reaccredited with the stipulation to submit current clinical site inspection reports by September 1, 2025.

Community College of Baltimore County, Catonsville, MD
Reaccredited with no stipulations. A 3-year Focus Visit will be scheduled to review assessment activity. (reaccreditation from date of last review - 2023)

Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service, Houston, TX
Reaccredited with stipulations regarding calculation of the number of General Education credits, maintenance of digital clinical records, and updates regarding assessment and hiring of additional faculty and staff.

North Shore Community College, Danvers, MA
Reaccredited with no stipulations. Updated assessment plan is to be submitted with the 2025 Annual Report.

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
Reaccredited with two stipulations regarding Standard 6.2.1 (verification of preceptor credentials) and 9.5.2 (student opportunities to participate in governance). A 3-year Focus Visit will be scheduled to review assessment activity.

Vincennes University, Vincennes, IN
Following Probation and a deferred re-accreditation decision, the program is returned to good standing after addressing assessment issues. Re-accredited for a period of seven years from last reaccreditation. Next re-accreditation 2030.

Re-accreditation for a period of three (5) years

Mid-America College of Funeral Service, Jeffersonville, IN
Probation response accepted. Program returned to good standing and re-accredited for a period of five years from last re-accreditation in 2023.

Re-accreditation for a period of three (3) years

Nassau Community College, Garden City, NY
Program returned to good standing after satisfying unresolved issues that resulted in 'Show Cause' status. Re-accredited for a period of three years.

Probation - satisfied

Cypress College – Cypress, CA
Graduation rate issues are resolved and program is returned to good standing.

Distance Education substantive change application approved

Milwaukee Area Technical College, West Allis, WI
Program approved for distance education delivery (Hy-Flex model) following site visit.

State University of New York (SUNY), Canton, NY
Stipulations for Distance Education approval are satisfied.

Probation

Carl Sandburg College, Galesburg, IL
Violation of Standard 10.1 (lack of comprehensive assessment plan), Standard 3.2 (inadequate accreditation statement), Standard 10.7.2 (verify student outcome data statement) Standard 7.2 (maintain completed clinical site inspection reports).

Delgado Community College – New Orleans, LA
Violation of Standard 1.9.2. Interim Program Director does not possess the credentials established in the standards.

Eastwick College – Hackensack, NJ
Violation of Standard 10.7, substandard NBE pass rate & graduation rate.

Miami Dade College – Miami, FL
Violation of Standard 10.7, substandard NBE pass rate & graduation rate.

University of District of Columbia Community College – Washington, DC
Violation of Standard 10.7, substandard NBE pass rate & employment rate.

Other actions taken by the Committee on Accreditation in April 2025 did not affect the accredited status of the programs involved.

The following institutions/programs will be considered for scheduled re-accreditation and related action via a formal review by the Committee on Accreditation at the next scheduled meeting October 24-25, 2025 in Chicago, IL.

Re-accreditation

Arkansas State University – Mountain Home, Mountain Home, AR
Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis, IN
Jefferson State Community College, Birmingham, AL
Mercer County Community College, Trenton, NJ
Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, Pittsburgh, PA

Distance Education application

Kansas City Kansas Community College, Kansas City, KS

The above schedule is subject to change.

____________________________

Public comment regarding the above may be submitted to the ABFSE office prior to September 1, 2025.

Robert C. Smith III
Executive Director
992 Mantua Pike, Suite 108
Woodbury Heights, NJ  08097
Office: (816) 233-3747
Email: exdir@abfse.org

Download the above information

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Past COA Decisions
(all documents below are presented in PDF format)