Supplemental Instruction Program Earns Accreditation Via UMKC's International Center

After a rigorous data collection and reporting process, the university's Supplemental Instruction program has met the requirements for accreditation by the International Center for Supplemental Instruction at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. The accreditation is valid for three years, and the university joins just three other SEC schools — Louisiana State University, Mississippi State University and Texas A&M — in obtaining this national recognition.

Since 1973, Supplemental Instruction has been nationally recognized as an efficacious program supporting student success by helping students earn higher grades and lessen the likelihood of course withdrawals.

UMKC's International Center for Supplemental Instruction is an initiative that establishes key components that Supplemental Instruction programs across the United States should implement to be accredited. The group has established the Core Four criteria to assess national Supplemental Instruction programs:

• Staff trained by the International Center,
• Robust training and support of Supplemental Instruction leaders,
• Strong focus on Supplemental Instruction session planning and
• Class attendance and program evaluation, as demonstrated by class attendance by Supplemental Instruction leaders, session attendance by students and a demonstration that the SI program is in alignment with national trends of course DFW rates and increases in overall course grades.

The university's SI program demonstrated its adoption of the Core Four to achieve accreditation. For nearly a year, program staff collected data and supporting documentation to show it meets the International Center for SI's standards, which included attendance data, weekly meeting agendas, observation reports and SI leader session plans. The team also drafted a supporting document explaining why the university's SI program meets the center's rigorous standards and should be granted accreditation. 

"Earning accreditation through UMKC's International Center for SI is a significant milestone for our Supplemental Instruction program," said Laine Perez, Supplemental Instruction coordinator. "This accreditation demonstrates both that our program is in alignment with national standards and that our team is implementing nationally recognized, high-impact practices to improve student outcomes and support them in their academic journeys."

Learn more about Supplemental Instruction.