“Appendix B” Walkthrough Webinar
BRETT JONES RESEARCH AND OUTCOMES REPORTING MANAGER
NACCAS WEBINAR SPEAKER
OVERVIEW
Exempted Students Restricted Variances Disclaimers
EXEMPTED STUDENTS Graduation
Student attests in writing that they chose to withdraw (drop) from school for reasons related to COVID-19. Remove from the cohort grid and place on the Exempted Students List. Reason: “COVID.”
EXEMPTED STUDENTS
Licensure
Student attests in writing that they previously sat for all parts of the exam and failed one or more portions of the exam and that they elected not to retest for reasons related to COVID-19. Include them on the cohort grid and mark “N/A” in columns 9-10.
Placement
Student attests in writing that either they elected not to pursue employment within their field of study for reasons related to COVID-19, were unwilling to obtain licensure for reasons related to COVID-19, or were unable to secure employment as employers were closed or had limited capacity for reasons related to COVID-19. Include them on the cohort grid and write “I (COVID)” in column 6 of the cohort grid.
Attestations Must be maintained by the institution Must be completed by student Must include student’s full name, signature, and date the attestation was completed One of the following methods of identity verification must be included: Notarized; OR Accompanied by copy of student’s photo ID; OR Accompanied by (i) a separate written attestation by a School Official validating the student’s signature AND (ii) a copy of the document(s) used for validation Please refer to the definition of “Electronic signature or E-signature” in NACCAS’ Glossary for details regarding usage of electronic signatures.
EXEMPTED STUDENTS Attestations
COVID-19 ATTESTATION Student Name: Steve Rogers Please complete the applicable information below: Graduation I chose to withdraw from school for reasons related to COVID-19 Licensure I previously sat for all parts of my licensure exam, failed one or more parts and chose not to retest for reasons related to COVI0-19 Placement I chose not to pursue employment within my field of student for reasons related to COVI0-19 I was unwilling/unable to obtain licensure for reasons related to COVI0-19 I was unable to secure employment as employers were closed or had limited capacity for reasons related to COVI0-19 Student's Signature: Steve Rogers Date Attestation Completed: 11/1/2021
STEVE ROGERS
ATTENTION! The license MUST be scanned directly on the form to be considered compliant.
STUDENT ID
X
COMPLIANT EXAMPLE OF AN ATTESTATION
missing
COVID-19 ATTESTATION Student Name: Steve Rogers Please complete the applicable information below: Graduation I chose to withdraw from school Licensure I did not pass my licensure exam Placement I have not obtained employment I obtained employment in a different field of student Student's Signature: Steve Rogers Date Attestation Completed:
NON-COMPLIANT EXAMPLE OF AN ATTESTATION
What is a Restricted Variance?
RESTRICTED VARIANCES
Institutions with one or more outcomes (graduation, placement, and licensure) below NACCAS minimum threshold, based on the annual reports due most recently, shall be required to comply with monitoring (see Section 5.0(d) below). Monitoring: Depending on the number of years the institution has had a low outcome, and in accordance with Section 8.18 of these Rules, the Commission may monitor the institution through a process including requiring the institution to undertake one or more of the elements listed below: (Participate in training on strategies for improving outcomes and reporting; (Submit a preliminary annual report with back-up documentation; (Conduct a student retention study; (Submit a plan for improvement and/or supplement to a plan for improvement; (Undergo a consultation visit.
A variance to a NACCAS’ Rules regarding the Annual Report Sections 5.0(c) and 5.0(d)
To qualify for the “Placement Variance” Professional services facilities employing the graduates were either (i) closed or (ii) operating at limited capacity for a cumulative period of at least six (6) months between January 1, 2020 and November 30, 2021, as a result of state and/or local municipality mandates (the “Services Facilities Requirement”).
RESTRICTED VARIANCE
RESTRICTED VARIANCE Licensure
To qualify for the “Licensure Variance” Licensure testing facilities for the institution’s graduates were either (i) closed or (ii) operating at limited capacity for a cumulative period of at least six (6) months between January 1, 2020 and November 30, 2021, as a result of state and/or local municipality mandates (the “Testing Facilities Requirement”) If an eligible institution that elects to use the Licensure Variance also has a noncompliant placement rate, it may also elect to utilize an alternative restricted variance with respect to placement (the “Alternative Placement Variance”). Note: The Alternative Placement Variance does not require that the institution satisfy the Services Facilities Requirement (on previous page)
EXEMPTED STUDENTS Licensure continued ...
What happens if an institution satisfies the Testing Facilities Requirement but has a compliant licensure rate? It is not eligible for the Licensure Variance or the Alternative Placement Variance; but Unlicensed graduates may be counted as “ineligible for placement” if they graduated (i) during the period when the state’s licensure testing facilities were closed or operating at limited capacity or (ii) within six (6) months prior to the date on which the state’s licensure testing facilities were ordered to close or begin operating at limited capacity. Included on cohort grid and list as “I (COVID Unlicensed)” in column 6.
The “Restricted Variance Jurisdictions List” is located in the “Annual Report Information” page of the NACCAS website
UTILIZING RESTRICTED VARIANCES
Restricted Variance Jurisdiction Questionnaire CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
Documentation will need to be submitted for Commission review.
Contact bjones@naccas.org for instructions if a state/local jurisdiction is not included on the List or is not approved for a Restricted Variance.
ANNUAL REPORT FILING
In the Annual Report, indicate which restricted variance(s) (if any) will be utilized. If your state or local jurisdiction is not approved at the time of filing the annual report, upload the applicable documentation (contact NACCAS prior to uploading documentation)
Institutions must include one of NACCAS' established disclaimers when publishing its outcome rates. When not utilizing these flexibilities When utilizes these flexibilities Published rates exclude applicable students Rates are not published
DISCLAIMERS
If electing not to utilize any of the available COVID-19 exemptions and/or variances, institutions must include the following statement: “The institution’s accrediting agency requires that any adjustments made to its student outcomes rates due to the COVID-19 Pandemic must be disclosed.As student achievement at this institution has not been significantly impacted by the Pandemic, the outcome rates reported do not reflect any such adjustments related to COVID-19.”
DISCLAIMERS (NOT UTILIZING FLEXIBILITIES)
If electing to utilize one or more of the available COVID-19 exemptions and/or variances, institutions must include the following statement: “The institution’s accrediting agency has allowed flexibilities to the institution in the publication of its student outcome rates if the COVID-19 Pandemic has significantly impacted the ability of students to successfully graduate, sit for licensure and/or obtain employment. Any rates reported below that have been modified in accordance with these flexibilities have been adjusted in one of the following manners as indicated."
DISCLAIMERS (UTILIZING FLEXIBILITIES)
DISCLAIMERS (UTILIZING FLEXIBILITIES CONTINUED...)
In addition, the institution must include the following appropriate footnote for each institutional and/or programmatic rate, as applicable: “Some students who previously enrolled at this institution and were unable to successfully graduate, sit for licensure and/or obtain employment attested that they were unable or unwilling to do so specifically due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Students who made such attestations have been excluded from the calculation of this rate.” “As State and/or local restrictions with respect to the COVID-19 Pandemic have significantly impacted the ability of this institution’s students to sit for licensure and/or obtain employment, this rate has not been published."
November 23, 2021 3:00 PM - 5:00PM EST TO REGISTER CLICK HERE
ANY QUESTIONS?
Brett Jones (703) 600-7600 x191 bjones@naccas.org