Accreditation FAQ

Yes, but only if you hold Level 1 add-on accreditation. If you do carry a Level 1 add-on to your Level 2 accredited program, you may issue a Level 1 certificate as a pathway to the ACC credential. If you do not carry a Level 1 add-on to your Level 2 accredited program, then you may only issue a partial completion certificate to students. Partial completion certificates work in the same way a CCE certificate works for credentialing purposes.

Q: Can CCE programs be all asynchronous?

A: Yes - CCE courses can be entirely self-study but must include some Verification of Learning process for any self-study portions. This can take many forms, including a quiz, writing assignment, coaching demonstration, or even discussion at the subsequent live portions. As long as this is added, the content can qualify for Core and/or Resource hours. The designation as Core is determined by the curriculum, not the delivery method.

Q: What are the faculty/role requirements for accredited programs?

A: The requirements for different roles supporting accredited programs can be found in the Accreditation Code of Conduct.

Q: We have made some changes to our accredited program. What do we need to do to remain in compliance?

A: Program updates can be made through a major or minor modification form depending on the request.

Minor modification forms include updating:

· Organization policy documents

· Faculty List

· Delivery locations and languages

Major modification forms include updating:

· Organization policy documents

· Add/Remove accredited participant contact hours

· Faculty List

Q: Are there any record keeping requirements to remain in compliance with accreditation?

A: ICF Coaching Education does not have a policy that dictates what records must be maintained. However, the accreditation renewal cycle does require a list of current & past participants, as well as two passing performance evaluations. As such, those need to remain on file so that you can comply with this renewal requirement. Otherwise, defer to your state/local laws and regulations that may apply to record keeping.

Accreditation Portal

Q: I need help accessing my organization in the Accreditation Portal – who should I contact?

A: Various accreditation portal resources are available in the resource library. If these do not address your question, please contact your accreditation excellence manager for support.

Not sure who your accreditation excellence manager is? View the ICF Coaching Education team here.

Q: I’ve received an email that indicates someone wants to be added to my organization in the Accreditation Portal. What does this mean?

A faculty/staff member of your organization may request access to your organization profile in the Accreditation Portal to help manage related processes. You should only permit access to known individuals who are part of your organization. These notifications will be sent to the person designated as the Director of Education for the organization and access is only allowed if the DoE permits.

Q: What documents are available in my Accreditation Portal account?

A: Your accreditation portal account should have your organization’s accreditation approval paperwork, certificate guidelines, and scoring algorithms for final performance evaluations. You can find these resources under the Documents tab. If you do not see these resources in your account, please contact your accreditation excellence manager.

Certificates

Q: Are there any guidelines/requirements for the certificate of completion awarded to students?

Yes. A document outlining certificate guidelines is available in your accreditation portal account. For levelled accreditation, it is important to include the specific details as reflected in this document, permitting students to apply for their credential via the levelled pathway. Certificates that are absent of required information will result in a delay to the credentialing process. The certificate guidelines include details for both full completion certificates and partial completion certificates.

Q: I have a Level 2 accredited program. Can I award Level 1 certificates to students who have completed the first 60 hours?

Q: Can I award CCE certificates for students who have completed a portion of my accredited program?

A: Students who have completed a portion of your program requirements may be issued a partial completion certificate. Partial completion certificates work the same way that a CCE certificate works for credentialing purposes. It is important that the issued certificate is a partial completion certificate, and not a CCE certificate. Partial completion certificate guidelines can be found in your accreditation portal account.

Q: Where can I find/download accreditation logos for use on my program certificate?

A: Accreditation logos can be found in your approval paperwork within the accreditation portal. Please ensure you are following all relevant guidelines for use of logos within your accredited program.

Education Provider Credits for Credential Renewal

Q: Can I claim teaching hours as CCE’s for renewing my credential?

A: Yes, with exception. Developing coach-specific education and/or serving as an instructor of an ICF-accredited education program are both considered alternative CCE sources for the purpose of a credential renewal. Refer to the “Other” tab under “Accepted CCE Sources” on this page for detailed information.

Q: Can I claim mentoring/supervision hours as CCE’s for renewing my credential?

A: Yes. Mentor Coaching and Coaching Supervision both count as Core Competency activities. Up to 10 hours in Mentor Coaching may be used toward the required CCEs for renewal. Additionally, up to 10 hours of Coaching Supervision may be used toward the required Core Competencies CCEs. Full details can be found within the “Mentor Coaching/Supervision” tab under “Accepted CCE Sources” on this page.

Final Performance Evaluations

Q: Are there any resources to support students in their Final Performance Evaluation?

A: Yes. Refer students to the Minimum Skills Requirements by Credential as a resource that will provide an understanding of what assessors evaluate in relation to each ICF Core Competency. We recommend this resource for students, as opposed to sharing the ACC Bars or PCC Markers as those are specific tools for the assessor.

Q: What are the process/role requirements for Final Performance Evaluations?

A: When scoring the final performance evaluation, to preserve fairness and objectivity in the process, only the Directors of Education should have access to, and apply, the Level 1 or 2 formula to determine participant outcome in a performance assessment. While an assessment outcome should be based on the markings provided by trained evaluators, participant success and the application of the scoring rubric should be limited to a Level 1 or 2 Director of Education. If this DOE is the same person as the evaluator (or any other faculty role), due to limited faculty members, then this would be accepted by ICF accreditation.

Q: How long am I required to retain completed final performance evaluations?

A: ICF Coaching Education does not have a policy related to record storage. Accredited organizations will be required to submit up to 2 recordings as part of the renewal process. Beyond this, we recommend that you consult with local/state laws as it related to official business record keeping.

Q: Is there an official template for the Final Performance Evaluation?

A: No specific template/format is required for the final performance evaluation and accredited organizations may choose the format that best fits the unique need of their program.

Q: Can a peer-to-peer coaching session be submitted for the final performance evaluation?

A: Level One and Two education offerings must administer a final performance evaluation in a formal testing environment, meaning a formal coaching session between the participant and a client. The final performance evaluation must, at a minimum, contain an actual observation of coaching at least one half-hour (30 minutes) in length which is graded as a final performance evaluation.

Q: What client consent is required to record a session for the purpose of submitting the recording for the final performance evaluation?

A: Final Performance Evaluation and Guidelines information may be found here. Specifically, before recording a client, you must receive their written permission to use the recorded session for performance evaluation purposes. The permission is to be kept on file and made available to ICF upon request. Submitting a recording without the permission of the client is a violation of the ICF Code of Ethics and may result in the denial of an ICF Credential and/or other disciplinary actions.

Q: I have a Level 1 program. Why is the PCC Marker Training the required training for assessment?

A: The PCC Marker Training is the minimum requirement for all Level 1 and Level 2 programs. The PCC Marker Training provides a much more robust curriculum which includes not only an overview of the markers, but an overview of assessment generally, including mitigating bias, providing feedback, and overall assessment leading practices.

We recommend that all Level 1 providers also complete the ACC BARS training, but it is not required at this time. The ACC BARS training is much shorter and provides an overview of the BARS statements relevant to assessment at the ACC level. Many Level 1 providers find this helpful in assessing students at the ACC level.

Q: Can I use the PCC Markers for Level 1 Performance Evaluations?

A: While you can integrate the PCC Markers into your Level 1 accredited program, it's important to note that the performance evaluation standard assumes the coach is at the ACC or above skill level, hence the importance of also incorporating the ACC BARS and scoring rubric. If a coach in a Level 1 program doesn't quite meet the PCC skill level but is at the ACC skill level, it's advised not to fail the participant's performance evaluation solely for not reaching the PCC skill level.

Q: A Level 2 participant did not pass the Final Performance Evaluation at the PCC Level, but they would have passed if being assessed at the ACC level. Can we allow them to pass at the ACC level.

A: If your organization has an approved Level 1 accreditation, then yes, students that do not meet the PCC level performance evaluation but pass and meet all requirements for ACC can be awarded the Level 1 certificate.

ICF Training

Q: I have a new faculty member that needs to take the PCC Marker Training. Where can they find/register for this course?

A: The ICF Learning Portal is responsive to the specific user. As such, there is not a direct link to the PCC Marker Training as this training will only appear for users who are eligible to enroll. Follow these steps to find the training:

1. Login to the ICF Learning Portal.

2. Select “Catalog” along the top navigation bar.

3. Select “Course Topic” from the left side filtering menu.

4. Select “Credentials & Standards.”

If the user is eligible to enroll in the PCC Marker Training, it will appear in this filtered list of trainings.

NOTE: Follow these same steps to find the ACC Bars Training for those who wish to enroll in that course.

Q: Is the ACC BARS Training required for Level 1 Programs?

A: Currently, the PCC Marker Training is required for accreditation compliance. The ACC BARS training is highly recommended, but not required.

Mentor Coaching

Q: What credential are mentor coaches required to hold when mentoring students?

A: Mentor coaches must hold the same or higher credential as the credential that the mentee is pursuing. For the ACC Credential, the Mentor Coach must be a current ICF Credential-holder in good standing at the PCC or MCC level, or be at the ACC level in good standing and have renewed their credential at least once.*

*The ACC Level is the only level in which one renewal cycle is required in order to serve as mentor coach.

Note: ICF Membership is not required in order to serve as mentor coach – only that the mentor coach holds the appropriate active credential. Should a mentor coach wish to be on the Mentor Coach Registry - in that case, membership is required and the member needs to have held a credential for at least 3 years.

Q: Am I required to offer mentor coaching through my program?

A: Some programs offer mentor coaching through their program while others do not. Students may access the Mentor Coach Registry to find a qualified mentor coach. Note that a coach does not have to be on the mentor coach registry in order to serve as a mentor coach, they only need to hold the required credential.

Q: Can mentoring or coaching within a class count toward experience hours?

A: A client coaching hour is 60 minutes of actual coaching with a client who has hired the applicant as a coach and not in any other capacity. (Mentor coaching or coaching supervision is not accepted as a client coaching.)

Q: When does mentoring need to occur?

A: ICF requires the mentoring take place for a period of 3 months or longer as one of the credentialing applicant requirements. It is not required that this take place in the 3 months immediately preceding the credentialing application, rather, it can occur at any point throughout the education as long as it occurs for a 3 month period or longer.

Q: If a student has completed Level 1 and wants to move to Level 2 – are they required to repeat mentor coaching?

A: If a student completed (within the Level 1 program), 10 hours of mentor coaching with a PCC or MCC credentialed mentor the hours can be transferred into the Level 2, and it would meet the mentoring requirement.

If the student completed (within the Level 1 program), 10 hours of mentor coaching with an ACC mentor coach, the student would need to retake 10 hours of mentor coaching by a PCC or MCC credentialed mentor.

Q: Does time spent listening to a recording count toward a mentoring hour?

A: Only the time spent in interactive dialogue and delivery of feedback with the Mentor Coaching client may count toward the 10 hours of Mentor Coaching required for a credential. Time spent listening to a recording and preparing for a Mentor Coaching session may not be counted toward the 10-hour requirement.

Q: Can I provide digital feedback (instead of written feedback) to mentees?

A: Mentee feedback may be given in either writing or digital format that is easily accessed by the mentee. A video record of feedback is permitted if accompanied by a transcript, and similarly, is accessible by the mentee. Accessibility is the important piece here in ensuring that the mentee can receive/engage with the feedback with whatever technology/software solutions that they utilize.

Q: Are there any resources to support mentor coaching responsibilities?

A: Yes. Please refer to the Mentor Coaching Duties and Competencies for detailed information related to mentor coaching responsibilities.

Preparing Students for Credentialing

Q: What resources can I provide to students who have completed my program and are ready to pursue a credential?

A: Candidate guides by credential level are available within the ICF Coaching Education resource library.

· ACC Candidate Guide

· PCC Candidate Guide

· MCC Candidate Guide

Q: How can I support my students in preparing for the ICF Credentialing Exam?

A: Sample exam questions are available on the ICF website to help credential applicants prepare for the exam.

The ICF Credentialing Exam is managed by the ICF Credentials & Standards team. Detailed information about the exam is available on the ICF website here.

Note: Only credential applicants are eligible to sit for the exam. Accredited providers cannot take the exam for the purpose of preparing students for the exam.

Q: Are there any resources available for helping my students develop their ethics skills?

A: Yes, the ICF website hosts various ethics case studies to help support the development of ethics in coaching.

Q: I have a student who requires exam accommodations. What options are available to them?

A: Various exam accommodations are available to support credentialing applicants. It is important to inform your students that accommodations must be requested in writing and uploaded to their credential application prior to scheduling the exam appointment.

Q: How soon after completing my program do students have to pursue credentialing?

A: A student may pursue credentialing at any point after completing the requirements for the credential being sought. Education does not expire – so the coach-specific education obtained within the accredited program will be accepted at any point in the future as earned education hours toward the credential.

Q: Who should my students contact for support?

A: The ICF Support team manages all requests for support and ensures that the best team member is connected to the specific support need. Students may contact support@coachingfederation.org with their inquiries.

Transfer Students

Q: What prior learning can we accept for students wishing to enroll in our program?

A: Each accredited organization should have a transfer of credit policy that details what program requirements can be waived based upon a student’s prior learning. ICF policy does dictate the following:

· If the prior learning took place within a non-accredited ICF program, up to 1/3 of program hours can be accepted.

· If the prior learning took place within an accredited ICF program, all hours can be accepted.

There should also be some method of verification of learning within the transfer of credit policy, to include documentation of education hours completed, any mentor coaching hours completed (including the mentor coach's ICF credential level), and any additional details or documentation on an as-needed basis that confirms and verifies prior learning and studies.

To determine if the prior learning took place within an accredited organization, you may consult the Education Search Service to search for the organization’s accreditation status.

Q: If a student transfers into my program, and completes it, will they be able to pursue their credential via the levelled pathway? Or will the portfolio pathway be required?

A: If a student is accepted into your program and completes all program requirements, thereby being awarded a levelled certificate of completion, then they will be able to pursue their credential via the pathway.