Standards procedure: developing a standard of excellence in agency accreditation.

Editor's note: This is the first of a four-part series concerning agency accreditation for public recreation and park departments in the U.S. This initial installment focuses on the importance of agency accreditation. Subsequent articles will discuss in more detail the specifics of the accreditation process; tips and tricks for successfully negotiationg of the accreditation process, and techniques used in overcoming constraints, concerns and misconceptions about accreditation.

In 1989, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration created a devoted committee of park and recreation practitioners to develop standards for the agency accreditation process. This diverse group of experienced and recognized professionals created the ten categories of standards to allow park and recreation agencies to compare their practices to a professional model. (By 1994, the standards and agency accreditation process had been formalized by NRPA and its partners through the development of the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies.)

The commission recognized the value of NRPA's academic accreditation effort in making the park and recreation discipline more professional, and wanted to apply a similar system of standards development and application to professional practice. Applying 156 standards that were agreed upon by practitioners and educators in the discipline, the thinking went, would allow an agency to measure its effectiveness and efficiency in meeting the leisure and recreation needs of its constituents. Accreditation supports an agency's goal of being more accountable to taxpayers while improving the delivery of recreational services.

Growing Professionalism

In essence, academic and agency accreditation processes reflect the progression of the recreation management discipline in advancing the professionalism and accountability of our field. The model of professional practice at the right illustrates the progression of the discipline over time. Initially, academic programs and agencies were unaccredited, and employees didn't hold professional certifications. Upon implementing the academic accreditation and certification programs by NRPA, agencies might begin to employ a higher percentage of certified employees who had attended accredited institutions. With the development of agency accreditation, the culmination of this effort will result in a recreation agency that is accredited, and that employs people who have graduated from accredited institutions and who have achieved certified park and recreation professional status.

With this model of professional practice in mind, it's evident that the agency accreditation process is the last step in the professionalization of the field and is integral to recreation's evolution as a discipline.

Discover the Benefits

The benefits of agency accreditation have been well documented. Although today only 35 agencies are formally accredited, at least another 33 have accreditation applications pending. Is accreditation worth the effort? Recent research of recreation and park administrators representing accredited agencies indicates that it is. Twenty-four agencies (94 percent of accredited agencies at the time) were surveyed to determine if the directors thought that the accreditation process was essential and if it enhanced the quality of their services to the public. The results were overwhelmingly in favor of the process, supporting the position of NRPA about the benefits of the accreditation effort for the public.

First, the public is assured that they're being offered well-administered programs and services in accordance with approved professional practice. Applying a body of standards to an agency is a concept that the public understands, and when the agency meets or exceeds these standards, the stature of the agency is enhanced. Constituents become proud of their recreation departments when they know the departments have received external recognition as a high-quality governmental service. As budgetary constraints become more prevalent, this public recognition and support becomes more essential.

The benefits of accreditation for the agency are now a matter of record. After performing accreditation self-studies, directors report that their agencies can provide evidence of increased efficiency and accountability City or county administrators and elected officials tend to better understand the role and function of the recreation agency, and are more likely to support the budgetary requests of the department. Equally important, the park and recreation department recognizes its strengths and weaknesses, and long-range program and facility planning are helped by the process. The increased sense of pride from this accomplishment permeates both the staff and the public at large.

Finally, administrators report that the increased benefits of the accreditation process to the public and to the agency contribute to the professionalization of the discipline. It's seen as an essential evolutionary component of the park and recreation profession as it distinguishes itself as a unique public service dedicated to the enhancement of the quality of life of citizens in the counties, towns, and cities of the U.S.

A Model of Professional Practice

Accredited Agencies

Certified Employees * Employees Graduate from Accredited Institutions

Some Accredited Agencies

Some Certified Employees * Some Employees Graduate from Accredited Institutions

Non-Accredited Agencies

Non-Certified Employees * Few Graduates from Accredited Institutions

Kevin Riley is an assistant professor of recreation management at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. Paul Gaskill is a professor in the recreation management program at Appalachian State University. Judy Weiss, CPRP, is the parks, recreation and facilities manager for Scottsdale, Ariz. Last year, she was appointed chair of the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies.