Abstract: Through content analysis and literature review, the study examines how accreditation standards advance college access and equity and their actual impact on creating change. Findings indicate that the accreditation agencies do address equity and access in their standards and accreditation movement has a positive impact on improving equity and access.
Profile: Roza Nalbandyan is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in Education and an MS candidate in Statistics at Stanford University. She also holds an Ed.M. in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Columbia University. Her primary research focuses on improving assessment, evaluation, and measurement practices as critical to increasing equity and quality in education. Her recent work includes examining accreditation standards and criteria as critical in addressing quality and equity in education and critical thinking assessment item comparability. Other work includes using IRT and statistical models to examine item order and school heterogeneity. Prior joining to Stanford, she worked in higher education for over six years. Most of her work was related to assessment, accreditation, and program evaluation issues in universities.
Dr. Son T. H. Pham, an educational researcher and administrator, earned his doctoral degree in educational leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University. His dissertation centered on the integration of artificial intelligence with education, striving to address this pivotal gap. Dr. Pham's broad research interests encompass assessment, accreditation, data analytics, AI workforce and career development, AIED for teacher preparation, post-foundational theories, and educational leadership. Presently, he serves as a Research & Operations professional at Nha Viet Institute in Boston, MA, where he continues to contribute his expertise and drive innovation in the field of education.
Golnar Fotouhi is a graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. in Research and Evaluation in Education program at the School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell. Currently, she serves as an Instructor of Record for the Sheltered English Immersion course, a master-level course that equips core content area teachers with the skills to teach emergent bilingual learners effectively. Her professional interests span a wide range of topics, including multilingual learners, teacher education, culturally and linguistically responsive teaching, teacher beliefs, and program evaluation. Through her diverse experiences, including winning the Inaugural AEA United States Student Evaluation Case Competition 2023 and securing third place in the World Evaluation Case Competition 2023, Golnar has developed a holistic understanding of educational practices and evaluation methodologies. She is particularly passionate about leveraging research and evaluation techniques to inform and enhance teacher preparation programs, ultimately improving outcomes for diverse student populations.
Roza Nalbandyan is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in Education and an MS candidate in Statistics at Stanford University. She also holds an Ed.M. in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Columbia University. Her primary research focuses on improving assessment, evaluation, and measurement practices as critical to increasing equity and quality in education. Her recent work includes examining accreditation standards and criteria as critical in addressing quality and equity in education and critical thinking assessment item comparability. Other work includes using IRT and statistical models to examine item order and school heterogeneity. Prior joining to Stanford, she worked in higher education for over six years. Most of her work was related to assessment, accreditation, and program evaluation issues in universities.