CORE.org

		What is CORE?
		CORE (Council on Rehabilitation Education) is a specialized accreditation organization that is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and a member of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA). CORE accredits graduate programs which provide academic preparation for professional Rehabilitation Counselor Education (RCE). CORE also recognizes undergraduate programs in Rehabilitation and Disability Studies through the CORE Registry. The Registry includes programs that meet curriculum and outcome standards and guidelines for undergraduate programs in rehabilitation.

			Structure
			Purpose and Responsibilities
			Composition of CORE
			Composition of the Commission on Standards and
			Accreditation

			Structure and Functions In 1969, a group of rehabilitation professionals met to discuss the need for accreditation of rehabilitation counselor education (RCE) programs. After 2 years of planning, the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) was formed in 1971 and incorporated in 1972. Five professional rehabilitation organizations were represented on CORE: American Rehabilitation Association (ARA), formerly the International Association of Rehabilitation Facilities American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA) Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) National Council on Rehabilitation Education (NCRE), formerly the Council of Rehabilitation Counselor Educators National Rehabilitation Counseling Association (NRCA) Today, these five organizations—except ARA, which has been replaced by the National Council of State Agencies of the Blind (NCSAB) and two public members—comprise CORE and as such represent the professional and organizational constituencies concerned with the training, evaluation, and employment of rehabilitation counselors. CORE accredits approximately 104 university and college-based rehabilitation counselor education programs at the master’s degree level. Accreditation serves to promote the effective delivery of rehabilitation services to people with disabilities by stimulating and fostering continual review and improvement of master’s degree rehabilitation counselor education programs. CORE also recognizes, via the Undergraduate Rehabilitation Programs Registry, 27 undergraduate programs in Rehabilitation Services and Disability Studies that meet professional preparation guidelines established by CORE.
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			Purpose and Responsibilities Each new rehabilitation counseling education program is assessed in accordance with the Standards for Rehabilitation Counselor Education Programs, published by CORE, and accredited programs are periodically reviewed to ensure that they remain in substantial compliance. The Standards are not intended to limit program creativity or limit variability; programs may adopt innovative procedures or experiences that meet the Standards in a different manner. As stated in its bylaws, the mission of CORE is the accreditation of rehabilitation counselor education (RCE) programs to promote the effective delivery of rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities by promoting and fostering continuing review and improvement of master’s degree-level RCE programs. It may also serve to assist and advise in the development and refinement of university-based programs related to the education of persons for professional endeavors associated with the rehabilitation of people with disabilities. The accreditation process serves to: Promote a high standard of professional education in rehabilitation counseling and to foster program development based on a vocationally oriented, service-to-people attitude Encourage sound educational experimentation and innovations and to stimulate continuous self-study and improvement Reassess, redefine, and reevaluate program criteria as the needs of the profession and the public change Evolve a consultative model for developing programs Review admissions and other requirements of RCE programs to ensure that all qualified applicants may participate Foster mutual respect and cooperation between RCE programs and the programs of other helping professions Emphasize the vocational aspect of services in the broader context of human development and thereby help reduce dependency among all vulnerable consumer groups, especially individuals with the most severe and multiple disabilities Meet the personnel needs of public and private rehabilitation agencies Publish periodically a roster of recognized programs for members of the profession, the public, government agencies, and prospective students Enhance the position of mutual respect and acceptance of RCE programs in the academic community and on campus Develop an accreditation system based on the objective assessment of outcomes of the educational program.
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			Composition of CORE The Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) is composed of individuals appointed from CORE sponsoring organizations and two public members. The public members represent the consumer public and the public at large. The sponsoring organizations are professional organizations concerned with rehabilitation counseling and include the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association (NRCA), the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA), the National Council on Rehabilitation Education (NCRE), the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR), and the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB). All appointees are Certified Rehabilitation Counselors (CRCs), except the public members, and are appointed to four-year terms. CORE appointees may serve two consecutive terms. The Chair of the Commission on Standards and Accreditation is also a voting member of CORE.
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			Composition of the Commission The evaluation component of CORE is entitled the Commission on Standards and Accreditation (Commission). It is the responsibility of the Commission to evaluate programs for their compliance with standards and to recommend to CORE the granting of recognition. The Commission is comprised of at least 15 and no more than 20 individuals. The Commission shall consist of representatives of CORE’s sponsoring organizations, professional organizations associated with academic areas to be accredited, and other at-large nominees from rehabilitation organizations, consumer groups, and members of the public. Commission members must be members in good standing with the organization nominating them. All nominations must be ratified by a majority vote of the CORE membership. Membership shall be for a four-year term with a maximum of two full terms. In the event of a Commissioner resignation, the Commission member’s organization will nominate a new member. That nomination shall be ratified by a majority vote of the CORE membership and will begin a new term. Appointments to the Commission are made by CORE upon receipt of nominations from designated organizations or groups. All nominees must be Certified Rehabilitation Counselors. The sponsoring organizations are as follows: the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA), the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC), the National Association of Multicultural Rehabilitation Concerns (NAMRC), the National Association of Non-White Rehabilitation Workers (NANWRW), the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP), the National Council on Rehabilitation Education (NCRE), the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association (NRCA), the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA), and the Vocational Evaluation and Career Assessment Professionals (VECAP). The broad-based membership of CORE plus the varied composition of its Commission assures effective, impartial, and objective public representation in CORE’s evaluation, policy, and decision-making processes. This assurance is achieved by maintaining appropriate representation on CORE and the Commission of relevant publics including rehabilitation educators, rehabilitation counselors, the employers of rehabilitation counselors, the public served by rehabilitation counselors, and the public at large. CORE and the Commission do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, or marital status.
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