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The American Academy for Liberal Education (AALE) is a not-for-profit educational accreditation organization based in Alexandria, VA. Its website is www.aale.org.

Contents

1 Accreditation 2 History 3 References 4 External Link Accreditation

In the United States, AALE provides accreditation for post-secondary liberal arts programs and institutions that offer general education programs in the liberal arts. Its main goal is to foster greater appreciation and support for liberal education both among its members and the public-at- large. AALE also accredits K-12 charter schools and independent schools throughout the United States.

AALE provides accreditation for higher education programs and institutions outside the United States, assisting them in promoting general education and the pursuit of liberal arts learning.

History

AALE was formed in 1992 by Jacques Barzun, Columbia University emeritus professor; E.O. Wilson, Harvard University; and Lynne Cheney, former US Secretary of Education, among others.

AALE’s emphasis on promoting general education and the pursuit of liberal arts learning is reflected in the Standards and Criteria it uses to evaluate the way applicants for membership carry out their liberal education mission. The Standards stress a coherent liberal arts curriculum, the importance of all faculty being engaged in the teaching of introductory and general education courses as well as the assessment of liberal arts learning performance through extensive writing across the curriculum. In 1997, based on its Standards and Criteria AALE sought and gained recognition by the United States Department of Education (USDE) Office of Postsecondary Education as an accreditor that could allow members to participate in programs authorized under the Higher Education Act and other U.S. federal programs, especially the Title IV federally funded loan program available to students at US institutions. AALE remained USDE recognized for Title IV funding purposes through December of 2010. A one year limitation of scope ended in December 2007 with the USDE recognizing the validity of AALE’s standards.

In November 2010, AALE voluntarily withdrew from USDE recognition as an agency providing its members with eligibility for Title IV funding. The AALE currently focuses its resources on program accreditation as the primary means of affecting its goal of promoting liberal arts learning through general education.

References “Higher Education Homepage” (http://www.aale.org/highered/index.html), AALE website (accessed March 1, 2013) “Member and Applicant List” (http://www.aale.org/highered/index.html), AALE website (accessed March 1, 2013) “Jacques Barzun” (http://barzuncentennial.murphywong.net/) (accessed March 1, 2013) “American Academy for Liberal Education-American Education”, published 1-03-11 (http://american-education.org/85-american-academy-for-liberal-education.html) (accessed March 1, 2013) See AALE Standards and Criteria at the Academy website, as cited above. “Federal Register Part IV” (http://www.ifap.ed.gov/fregisters/attachments/09229804.pdf) (accessed March 1, 2013) “Secretary of Education Decision American Academy for Liberal Education 08-03-O” (http://oha.ed.gov/secretaryindex.html) (accessed March 1, 2013) “Secretary of Education Decision American Academy for Liberal Education 08-03-O” (http://oha.ed.gov/secretaryindex.html) (accessed March 1, 2013) “Report of the Meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity” (http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/naciqi-dir/fall-2010-report.pdf) (accessed March 1, 2013).

External Link www.aale.org