Application Process & Timeframe
How do I start?
The entire application process involves a number of steps including the initial online application and the Effectiveness Rating and Improvement System (ERIS) assessment.
The initial online application submission will vary for each provider and may include providing the following:
- Contact information
- Program information
- Program accreditation information, if applicable
Click on How To Apply to find step by step instructions to help you complete the initial online application.
What happens after I submit my initial application?
After submission of the initial online application, COA will review the information. Providers who are accredited by a national accrediting body currently recognized by the Department of Defense will automatically be deemed an Approved Provider.
You will be notified by COA that you have completed the application process and you will not complete an ERIS assessment nor undergo a site visit.
The national accrediting bodies currently recognized by the Department of Defense are:
- Council on Accreditation (COA)
- Council on Accreditation (COA) / National Afterschool Association (NAA) – Effective September 2008, COA assumed the role from NAA of accrediting after school programs
- National Accreditation Commission (NAC)
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
- National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)
- National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA)
What happens if my program doesn’t automatically qualify?
If your program does not automatically qualify, you will continue with the next key component of the application process: the Effectiveness Rating and Improvement System (ERIS) assessment. Please click on Application Submitted, What Next? for details on how to complete the ERIS assessment.