Standards Review

This is a site where you will have the opportunity to review and comment on the recently reviewed/revised/reformatted standards. The revised/reformatted standards will go into effect for the 2012 visit year.

The Online Review/Comment Process

• Each week a section of standards will be posted below for public review/comment.
• If you wish to make a comment, please make sure to cite the specific standard number on which you are making your comment.
• See below for dates when standards will be posted for comments.

A Brief Overview

• The Accreditation/Education Task Force determined the standards should focus on health, safety, and risk management.
• The National Standards Commission (NSC) and additional volunteers reviewed all standards to help identify redundant standards, as well as determine what standard did not meet the above stated criteria.
• ACA has been consulting with the Council on Accreditation (COA) since early 2010 to help develop processes that allow ACA to align our practices within accreditation industry standards.
• The current standards have been reviewed, and at times, re-written and reformatted for improved clarity.
• Subject matter experts have been and will continue to be consulted.
• Legal counsel has been and will continue to be consulted.
• Additional environmental scans and research have been conducted.

Revisions to ALL Sections Include

• We have changed the term "interpretation" to "contextual education" as that is what we are really providing: Additional education specific to the standard.
• In the "compliance demonstration," it more clearly specifies what the visitor should see/review.
• The standards focus on the PRACTICE vs. the policy/procedure. The written policy/procedure will be seen as part of the compliance demonstration.

What Now?

• All sections of the standards will be posted for review and comment by internal and external audiences for no less than 30 days.
• Comments will be read and evaluated for their content, concern, and merit.
• Additional revisions to standards will be made as the evidence informs.
• When complete, the NSC will recommend the National Board approve the standards in their entirety.
• Feel free to send comments directly to reviewcomments@ACAcamps.org [1].

Standards Post Dates

• Program (PD,PC, PH) — March 15 (Comment period closes April 19)
• Transportation — March 22 (Comment period closes April 26)
• Site/Food Service — March 29 (Comment period closes May 3)
• Operational Management — April 5 (Comment period closes May 10)
• Human Resources — April 12 (Comment period closes May 17)
• Health/Wellness — April 19 (Comment period closes May 23)
• Aquatics— April 26 (Comment period closes May 30)
• Program Trip — April 26 (Comment period closes May 30)