Accreditation
New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) is the regional accreditation agency for colleges and universities in the six New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The Commission is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a reliable authority on the quality of education for the institutions it accredits.
The Commission is also recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), affirming that its Standards and processes are consistent with the quality, improvement, and accountability expectations that CHEA has established.
The University of Maine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias, are accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) as part of the Commission’s accreditation of the University of Maine System.
Maine Department of Education Accreditation
The UMaine Machias Education program participates in the Maine Department of Education accreditation process. To receive accreditation, schools must meet specific standards in the areas of core values, curriculum, instruction, assessment, school culture and leadership, and school and community learning resources.
The accreditation process includes a period of self-study and a site visit by a committee of educators from across Maine This process generally takes place every five years. The Education Program’s initial accreditation was in 1970 and its most recent passing review was in 2014. That accreditation has been extended through spring 2021.