Washington, D.C., January 25, 2010 -- The Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), the nation's premiere accrediting association for distance learning institutions, has voted to extend re-accreditation to Penn Foster College, Penn Foster Career School, and Penn Foster High School at its January 16th meeting.

This award of re-accreditation was made after an exhaustive, year-long review of Penn Foster by the DETC, in which all aspects of the University were thoroughly evaluated by peer-group evaluators and independent curriculum experts. Under DETC policies, each accredited institution must be completely reevaluated not less than every five years, one of the most rigorous evaluation models in American higher education today.

The DETC Accrediting Commission has been listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency since 1959. DETC is also a recognized member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. (CHEA).

Accreditation is the nation’s principal means for students to be able to indentify reliable and reputable educational institutions. Accreditation is a badge of quality, and it assists institutions in attaining excellence by using a set of standards developed by peers. Accredited status means that an educational institution lives up to its promises to students and the public. It means that the degree or credential a student earns at an accredited school or college has real value. 

Founded in 1890, Penn Foster offers vocational diplomas, certificates, and Associate and Bachelor's degree programs in a wide range of fields including Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Computer Information Systems, Allied Health, Trade, Education, Automotive Studies, and others.

Said Penn Foster CEO, Stuart Udell, “On behalf of Penn Foster, I want to thank the students, faculty and staff for all their hard work, patience and trust they have placed in us throughout this re-accreditation.”

For addition information or questions please contact Connie Dempsey, Chief Academic Officer, Connie.Dempsey@PennFoster.edu.  For more on DETC, visit www.detc.org

About Penn Foster

Penn Foster College, Penn Foster Career School, and Penn Foster High School are part of Penn Foster, Inc., a global leader in online education. For more than 118 years, Penn Foster has been providing accredited career-focused degree and vocational programs in the fields of allied health, business, technology, education, and select trades. Nationally and regionally accredited Penn Foster High School (www.PennFosterHighSchool.com) and Penn Foster Career School (www.PennFoster.edu) are headquartered in Scranton, PA, with regional offices in Montreal, Canada. Penn Foster College (www.PennFosterCollege.edu) is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Penn Foster, Inc.
MEDIA CONTACT: Michelle Dempsey
Michelle.Dempsey@pennfoster.edu

Website: www.pennfosterinc.com