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The Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA) was founded in 1999 by English language professionals as a specialized accrediting agency.  The purpose was to provide a means for improving the quality of English language teaching and administration through accepted standards. CEA conducts accreditation reviews in the U.S. and internationally.

Mission
The mission of the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA) is to promote excellence in the field of English language teaching and administration through accreditation of English language programs and institutions worldwide. CEA achieves its mission by using widely-held standards to foster continuous program development through a rigorous process of regular self-assessment and peer evaluation.

CEA Values

• Leading through Advancing Standards
  We lead by setting widely accepted standards in English language instruction and administration and by ensuring that the standards reflect current best practice in language teaching, learning, and administration.
• Advocating for Students
  We recognize the students’ need for appropriate, effective, language-learning opportunities. We believe that students have a right to the instruction and services promised by the program or institution.
• Respecting Differences
  We believe excellence takes many forms. We respect the variety of missions, goals, and models of English language programs and institutions. We recognize the rights and responsibilities of each program and institution to identify and implement its educational philosophy, methods and approaches in its cultural and economic environment while meeting the standards.
• Supporting Success
  We believe in the potential of each program or institution to achieve accredited status, and we support programs and institutions in their efforts to meet the standards.
• Promoting Continuous Improvement, Development, and Learning
  We believe that the standards and the accreditation process provide the basis for program self-evaluation, improvement, and, ultimately, development of quality programs for students. We encourage administrators, faculty, and staff in English language programs to become involved in a process that offers an opportunity for individual learning and growth. We also encourage continuous learning and growth for CEA volunteers and staff.
• Acting with Integrity and Care
  We are committed to serving our community with professional integrity. We strive to maintain open communication, transparency, accountability, confidentiality, respect, consistency, and fairness throughout the accreditation process. An ethic of care pervades the work of reviewers, commissioners, and staff.
• Embracing Collaborative Judgment
  We acknowledge the power of collaboration in both the program review and the decision-making process. We value the expertise of members of the profession, the wider professional community, and the accreditation professionals who participate in the process of self-study and review.

Scope
CEA's primary focus is the accreditation of English language programs and institutions. English language institutions accredited by CEA may offer other language-related programs such as TEFL training and foreign language courses. [More...]

Benefits of Accreditation
An English language program or institution, its administrative and teaching staff, and its students benefit directly from involvement in a comprehensive assessment of how effectively the program or institution meets its stated mission. By evaluating the quality of its programs and services with respect to the CEA Standards for English Language Programs and Institutions, which were drafted and approved by professionals in the field, the program or institution can gauge its effectiveness against benchmarks set by the profession. Through the on-going annual reporting and reaccreditation process, programs and institutions continue their commitment to high quality.

US Department of Education Recognition
CEA is recognized by the US Secretary of Education, which attests to the high quality of CEA as an accrediting agency. The recognition allows English language institutions in the United States to use CEA accreditation for purposes of certification to admit international students.