Accreditation
Coastline College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and College.
ACCJC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) as a reliable authority regarding the quality of education offered by the institutions it accredits in keeping with the Higher Education Act of 1965. ACCJC is also recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which has established criteria that define a quality review system for accrediting agencies. ACCJC accredits institutions in the United States, its territories, and affiliates, with a primary mission of granting associate degrees; institutions accredited by ACCJC may also award certificates and other credentials, including bachelor's degrees, if those credentials are within the institution's mission and authorized by their governmental authorities. ACCJC may also accredit non-domestic institutions with a primary mission of granting associate degrees. Additional information about accreditation, including the filing of complaints against member institutions, can be found on the ACCJC website.
- ACCJC Address / Contact Info
- Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)
- 331 J Street, Suite 200
- Sacramento, CA 95814
- (415) 506-0234
- accjc@accjc.org
Coastline's Paralegal Program has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1985. The American Bar Association approval process can be found in the ABA guidelines most recently published September 2021. Each ABA approved program must go through a re-approval every seven years. An interim report is due to the ABA every three years through that seven-year cycle. Coastline's most recent re-approval occurred in 2021. An interim report will be submitted for approval in 2024. The next cycle for Coastline’s ABA re-approval will occur in 2027. A directory of ABA approved programs can be found on the ABA’s website. If you have any questions regarding Coastline’s ABA approval, please contact program coordinator Stephen Barnes (sbarnes@coastline.edu) or the ABA directly.
What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is a process for evaluating and assuring the quality of education used by the American higher education community. Each institution affiliated with the ACCJC voluntarily undergoes a seven-year cycle of institutional self-evaluation and professional peer review, measuring itself against the Accreditation Standards. Based upon reports and peer review, the Commission determines the accredited status of an institution, which is made public through Commission announcements.
Self-Evaluation Visit
Coastline Community College wishes to announce that it will host an ACCJC evaluation team visit February 25-28, 2019. The review will be based on the Institutions Self Evaluation Report (ISER) and how well the College meets ACCJC's Eligibility Requirements, Accreditation Standards, and the Commission Policies. The visiting team will have opportunities to conduct interviews of employees and students to validate information provided in the ISER. The final evaluation of the College, including ACCJC's recommendations for accreditation, will be received in a formal written document in July, 2019. The letter and Evaluation Report will be published online at that time.
Current Accreditation Documents
- Certificate of Accreditation (2019-06-28)
- ACCJC Reaffirmation of Accreditation (2021-02-01)
- ACCJC Letter (2019-06-28)
- ACCJC External Evaluation Team Report 2019 (2019-06-27)
- Institutional Self-Evaluation Report 2019 (2018-12-21)
Past Accreditation Documents
- ACCJC Substantive Change Application Approval Letter (2022-09-26)
- Substantive Change Application Competency Based Education Program (2022-08-02)
- Midterm Report 2016 (2016-03-15)
- Follow-Up Report March 2015 (2015-03-15)
- Statement of Accreditation Status (2015-02-11)
- ACCJC Follow-Up Visit April 6 2015 (2015-02-11)
- Certificate of Accreditation (2014-07-15)
- ACCJC Reaffirmation Letter (2014-07-03)
- Follow-Up Report Spring 2014 (2014-03-15)
- ACCJC Letter - July 3, 2013 (Corrected) (2013-07-03)
- Self Evaluation Report Addendum I 2013 (2013-03-05)
- College Status Report on SLO Implementation 2013 (2013-02-19)
- CCC Self Evaluation Report Spring 2013 (2012-12-07)
- ACCJC June Report (2010-06-30)
- Midterm March Report (2010-03-15)
- ACCJC June Report (2009-06-30)
- Progress Report (2009-03-01)
- Progress Report (2008-03-15)
- Final Accreditation (2007-07-12)
- 2006-2007 Accreditation Certificate
Related Pages
College Contact
If you have any question regarding accreditation at Coastline, please contact the College’s Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO), Dr. Aeron Zentner (azentner@coastline.edu).