Accreditation

Institutional Accreditation

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is a regional accreditation agency that accredits degree granting institutions of higher education. Accreditation assures quality by verifying that the institution meets standards and is engaged in continuous improvement.

Illinois Valley Community College has been accredited by the HLC since 1929, with reaffirmation of accreditation in 2016-2017. As of 2017, Illinois Valley Community College participates in the Open Pathway toward accreditation, focusing on quality assurance and institutional improvement.

More information on the accreditation process and the HLC is available through their website.

Open Pathway

The Open Pathway toward accreditation is designed for institutions that consistently meet the accreditation criteria and do not require extensive monitoring by the HLC in order to maintain their accreditation status. Each accreditation cycle is ten years.

Institutions document their adherence to the Criteria for Accreditation in their Assurance Review, which is completed during the fourth and ninth years of the 10-year cycle and is reviewed by trained HLC peer reviewers. 

In addition to meeting the Criteria for Accreditation, institutions are required to submit and implement a Quality Initiative. The Quality Initiative is a multi-year institutional project designed to promote quality improvement within the institution. The Quality Initiative is reviewed, approved, and evaluated by trained peer reviewers during years five through nine of the ten-year accreditation cycle.

Finally, in year 10, institutions are visited by trained peer review teams who verify the institution's compliance with federal mandates as well as the evidence documenting that the institution meets the Criteria for Accreditation.

Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) State Recognition

Illinois Valley Community College has been recognized for meeting the required standards since 1966, with ICCB recognition continuation affirmed in 2025. Recognition is a statutory term describing the status of a district which meets instructional, administrative, financial, facility, and equipment standards as established by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) (Section 805/2-12f and 805/2-15). Community colleges must be recognized to be eligible for state funding. Based on a five-year cycle, ICCB staff conducts recognition evaluations to assure that colleges are in compliance with these standards. All colleges are evaluated on a select number of standards during the same five-year cycle.

Specialized Program Accreditation

IVCC's programs are accredited by:

• The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)
• The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP)
• Automotive Service Excellence Education Foundation (ASE)

For more information on IVCC's accreditation, please contact:
Dr. Vicki Trier
Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Vicki_Trier@ivcc.edu
815-224-0405

Dr. Kathy Hart
Dean of Institutional Effectiveness
Kathy_Hart@ivcc.edu
815-224-0540