CAPTE Accreditation Portal
The CAPTE Accreditation Portal allows for the electronic submission of program documents. Since the Portal contains confidential program information, access is allowed only with the username and password provided to the program director. Programs with Candidacy Status can check contact information and submit the Self-study Report on the Portal.
Resource Documents
Accreditation Handbook
Provides the rules of procedure by which CAPTE operates, includes among other items:
- Candidacy Process (Part 7)
- Accreditation Process (Part 8)
- Substantive Change Rules (Part 9)
- Program Fees (Part 16)
- Evaluative Criteria (PTA; PT)
- CAPTE Position Papers
To access additional information regarding the On-site Visit process including the sample schedule, click here (.pdf).
Annual Accreditation Report (AAR)
Data about Candidate programs is collected annually in the Developing Program AAR and is used to monitor program development. The next Developing Program AAR is due December 1.
Aggregate Program Data
Includes demographic information accredited PT and PTA education programs and the numbers of accredited and developing programs.
Additional Resources
A list of useful CAPTE and APTA documents is provided, along with related Web pages.
Self-study Process
Any changes to the program's timeline to complete the program for the charter class must be reported to the Accreditation Department.
Candidate programs submit a Self-study Report and host an on-site visit as part of the process to obtain Accreditation status. Initial accreditation decisions are only made by CAPTE during their regularly scheduled meetings (Fall and Spring). The related on-site visit for initial accreditation decisions always occurs in the last term of the charter class and must occur no later than ten weeks prior to the CAPTE meeting. Exceptions to this requirement will not be considered by CAPTE. Since state licensing laws require graduates to be from CAPTE accredited programs, it is not advisable to have students graduate from a program prior to the program achieving accreditation. Although CAPTE has the ability for its decisions to be retroactive to the date of graduation, not all states will accept retroactive accreditation. In addition, graduation prior to accreditation delays the ability of students to take the licensing exam and, therefore, begin employment.
Self-study Reports are submitted electronically through the CAPTE Accreditation Portal. The required documents, including instructions for and access to the Portal documents, are provided to the program director in January in the year preceding the visit.
Self-study Workshops
APTA's Accreditation Department holds Self-study Workshops three times a year. These Workshops are held to discuss CAPTE's expectations for specific criteria as well as to address general accreditation and self-study processes.
Consultants
A list of educational consultants, if desired, can be obtained from Jody Frost, APTA Director of Academic/Clinical Education Affairs.
CAPTE Meetings & Visits
Upcoming CAPTE Meetings
Upcoming On-site & Candidacy Visits
Directory of Developing Programs
Programs should review their listing in the Directory of Developing Programs. Any changes should be reported to the Accreditation Department.