Emerging Trends and Agile Accreditation Systems

• In Event: Artificial Intelligence as a Catalyst for Transforming Accreditation in Educator Preparation

Abstract

As artificial intelligence transforms how institutions collect, analyze, and act on data, accreditation systems must also evolve. This session examines the intersection of emerging AI trends and the development of agile accreditation models that can keep pace with innovation while safeguarding quality, equity, and trust.

Serving as chair, the presenter will open with an overview of recent advances in AI relevant to educator preparation—such as generative AI, predictive analytics, and automated performance evaluation. These technologies are rapidly shifting expectations around evidence, timelines, and documentation in the accreditation process. The session will consider how traditional quality assurance systems may be too rigid or slow to adapt to this technological acceleration.

Drawing on global and national examples, the presenter will discuss what it means to build agile accreditation systems. These systems are characterized by flexibility, responsiveness, stakeholder collaboration, and iterative cycles of evaluation and improvement. They are designed not only to meet compliance benchmarks, but to support innovation, creativity, and rapid response to change—whether driven by AI, shifting policy, or workforce demands.

The session will outline design principles for agile quality assurance in the age of AI:

-Modular evidence systems that accommodate diverse data sources.

-Real-time data visualization and feedback loops.

-Continuous stakeholder engagement and co-creation.

-Ethical review processes embedded into AI tool adoption.

The presenter will also share case studies of institutions piloting AI-informed accreditation models, including those using AI to streamline mid-cycle reviews, personalize feedback from evaluators, or support hybrid site visits. Lessons learned from these cases will illuminate how agility and rigor can coexist.

Participants will reflect on their own institutional capacity for agile change. Through guided discussion and peer exchange, attendees will identify opportunities to modernize their evidence systems, align their processes with emerging technologies, and respond to future accreditation shifts.

As chair, the presenter will also synthesize contributions from earlier speakers—connecting tools, ethics, and equity to broader systemic change. The session will close with a forward-looking dialogue on the role of AI in shaping the next generation of accreditation systems.

Outcomes include:
An understanding of emerging AI trends in educator quality assurance.

Design elements for building agile and future-ready accreditation systems.

Case study insights on adaptive evidence management and review practices.

Strategies for balancing innovation with transparency, trust, and accountability.

This session is ideal for institutional leaders, accrediting bodies, policymakers, and quality assurance professionals ready to reimagine accreditation in an AI-driven era.

Author

• Malina Monaco, Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation