The Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) is pleased to announce final approval of the Amendments to the 2022 Accreditation Standards and Criteria. The amended standards were approved on February 10, 2025 and are effective January 1, 2026. Programs submitting Self-Study Reports (SSRs) in 2026 and thereafter will be under the Amended 2022 Accreditation Standards and Criteria.
The PAB Standards Committee sincerely thanks all the organizations, programs, and individuals who provided important feedback during the process of amending the accreditation standards. Through multiple townhalls (virtual and in-person), written feedback posted through PAB’s website, and letters from PAB’s sponsoring organizations, the Standards Committee benefitted from your participation, honesty, and commitment to education and the profession. We took all of the feedback seriously and engaged in deliberative conversation about how best to move forward given the constraints faced by many programs and units across the US and the changing terrain of accreditation. The amended standards provide flexibility to programs on how best to achieve program goals while also providing a baseline threshold for core curriculum expectations. We look forward to working with programs to ensure program and student success.
Reason For Amending the Standards
Recent Supreme Court decisions[1] and the proliferation of State anti-DEI legislation prompted PAB to engage legal counsel in reviewing the 2022 Accreditation Standards. The current DEI language in the 2022 standards has created uncertainty for program administrators and Site Visit Teams, such that the interpretation of the 2022 standards may run counter to PAB’s expectations. PAB standards respect institutional autonomy as they relate to admission practices and DEI efforts “consistent with applicable law and institutional policy;” however, PAB also recognizes the need for flexibility and clarification with regards to assessment of DEI related standards.
Accredited university planning programs educate and prepare students for a globally connected world and advance the practice of planning through a greater understanding of complex systems, practices and policies that may lead to inequities. PAB will continue to expect accredited programs to demonstrate a commitment to DEI, however, those strategies and efforts may vary by institution. While the current political climate, in some places, may present challenging circumstances, PAB encourages programs to engage in new or innovative strategies to address the ideas and intentions embedded in DEI concepts within their programs and the curriculum.
In this light, PAB revised the following to clarify and align with its expectations: Criterion 1A. Strategic Plan; Standard 2. Students; Criterion 2B. Student Diversity; Standard 3. Faculty; Criterion 3B. Faculty Diversity; Criterion 3G. Professional Development; Standard 4. Curriculum and Instruction; Criterion 4A. Guiding Values; Criterion 4B1a. General Planning Knowledge in Global Context / Planning History and Theory; Criterion 5E. Promotion and Tenure.
Other Revisions include:
- In Preconditions to Accreditation, the residency guideline was reinstated with minor modifications.
- Change “department” to “unit” to better reflect the various governance structures.
- Simplification of language in criteria 2C, 2D, 3A, and 4B1c.
- Criterion 4D. Student Learning Outcomes Assessment was expanded to include additional detail for this criterion, specifically to clarify the definition of direct measures of student learning outcomes and how assessment results should be used to improve programs.
[1] Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, no.-20-1199, and Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. University of North Carolina et. al, No. 21-707
Second Comment Period
The second and final comment period was held November 1 – December 1, 2024. Thank you to all that participated in this important process.
Transparency Matters: Addressing Upcoming Changes to the 2022 Accreditation Standards
On November 8, 2024, at the ACSP national conference in Seattle, PAB hosted a session on Draft 2 of the Amendments to the 2022 Accreditation Standards. The presentation is available here.
On June 25, 2024, PAB hosted a town hall to discuss the proposed amendment to the 2022 Accreditation Standards. Access the recorded presentation here.
On February 9, 2024, PAB hosted a town hall to discuss the upcoming amendment to the 2022 Accreditation Standards, particularly regarding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). All interested stakeholders were encouraged to join and share any concerns and/or expectations. Access the recorded presentation here.
Accreditation Standards Amendment Timeline
The process and anticipated timeline for amending the standards, as specified in the operating procedures of PAB, is as follows:
- June 10, 2024: Draft 1 of Amendment to Accreditation Standards approved by PAB
- June 14 – July 14: First 30-day public comment period; all comments posted to PAB website
- Fall 2024: Draft 2 of Amendment released to APA/AICP, ACSP and the public
- November 1 – December 1: Second 30-day comment period, including advisory recommendations from AICP Commission/APA Board and ACSP Governing Board
- February 2025: PAB releases final Accreditation Standards
