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Frequently Asked questions
The following questions and answers are included to support you in better understanding the credentialing program, and your success with the application and evaluation process.
1. What is the benefit to a coach training agency to be ICF-credentialed?
Agencies who fulfill all requirements and are approved will be:
- Awarded the official "ICF Approved Coach Training Program (ACTP)" designation
- Listed and mentioned by the ICF as an approved coach training agency in all appropriate venues, such as: the ICF website, coach training agency referral lists, materials shared with national media for coaching articles, etc.
Based on the inquiries ICF is receiving from persons now researching coach training agencies, there is very high interest in which ones are credentialed by ICF. So, in addition to the items listed above, it is both a credibility and a competitive advantage to be ICF-credentialed.
2. What is the actual process for the application paperwork flow once the ACTP application is submitted to the ICF office?
Once the school has submitted 4 sets (one original & three copies) of the application to ICF, receipt will be confirmed, then the goal is to respond to each school applicant within 60 to 90 days. The ICF office will use a "yes/no" evaluative system to validate that each application contains specifically requested contents and appropriate signatures. This is to simply ensure the various required components have been submitted and that the application is complete enough to then be turned over to the next level of reviewers. There will be a consistent group of trained reviewers who will work from the application's thirteen categories which will include specific check-points based on requests in the application guidelines they will search for within the contents. Their reports and recommendation for approval or denial, or need for more information will be submitted to the ICF office. If more information is needed, the ICF staff will contact the school. Otherwise, the recommendation is submitted to the ICF Executive Committee. If approved at that level - it will go to the full ICF Board for approval at the next scheduled Board Meeting (generally monthly). Following this, an ICF staff person will communicate status of credential back to the ACTP applicant -- or denial and if there also is a recommendation for reapplication this will be communicated.
3. What's the criteria for ACTP approval?
The ICF will use the specifications laid out in the ACTP guidelines based on the documented support of the depth and breadth of the program as supplied by the school itself in it's application. We will also be seeking a case built by the school to evidence alignment with ICF's published language of coaching, ethical guidelines, and Standards of Conduct. ICF is actively looking for schools that can become credentialed and approach to this is inclusive vs. exclusive in the review process. It's the responsibility of the school to provide what supports the ICF guideline indicators to help us in this process of approval. (If you don't know to include something or not - it's more helpful to have more than enough vs. not enough for the reviewers.)
4. Once approved, are there any restrictions as to the use of a school's ACTP credential?
Provided you market the specific coach training program approved, there are no restrictions. For the training agency who offers only one coach training and certification track, the agency can indicate that it is an ICF approved agency without further qualification. If additional programs or certification tracks are added, they are not approved and once in place, the agency must then indicate on all materials, etc. the specific program that was originally approved.
Because the agency is already approved and has fulfilled many of the non-curriculum specific requirements, the pathway for approval of added certification tracks/programs is to document the new track/program and apply using the ACTP application. The application fee remains $750 for each program application.
For training agencies with multiple coach training programs, the ACTP credential can only be applied to the program submitted and approved. It is not a blanket credential to be used to cover or imply that programs not included in the application are included. For this reason, the ACTP designation cannot be used without this qualification to advertise or market a multiple program agency without specifically including or referencing the approved program.
5. Once ICF credentialed as a coach-specific training entity/school -- how will this standing be renewed?
ICF will provide a check-form update of reconfirmation of key points that the schools will be asked to fax or email back to ICF before their annual date of credentialing each year. It is optionally possible a more formal but simple review will also be conducted of their program through documented submission from them every three years.
6. What will the school's responsibility be after they are ICF-credentialed to the ICF?
To continue to meet the guidelines, plus align with the ICF's Standards of Conduct -- and to furnish any other new or revised processes or documents they use as their check-list for updates to ICF about their school's programs and policies.
7. What assurance do the school's have their proprietary program documentation and information will remain confidential when they submit this with the application process to ICF?
ICF fully realizes this is highly confidential information. Each reviewer has signed a confidentiality statement to this effect and has been instructed to return all application documentation to the ICF office along with their rating and review reports. ICF will return all copies, except the original, to the applicant. The permanent file will remain in a designated place ICF selects - and no one else will have access to this file. Information from that file will not be released to other inquirers.
8. What will the ICF be looking for in relationship to the question on the application asking if the school is in compliance with laws in their state?
The ICF is not in the business of enforcing laws - but we do want in the permanent file a record of the school's status of compliance with any laws relevant to it within it's city, county, state, country. This can be in the form of a copy of a business license, compliance with state educational institution guidelines, etc. If there are caveat's the school wants ICF to know about -- these are important to document on your letterhead and submit with your application. Example: if a school does not comply with a handicapped construction requirement on their school premises (for whatever reason) but the school consistently offers to meet at an accessible alter-location with any handicapped student -- then the school documents this and this information will be included in their file.
9. What are the ICF requirements for the credentialing or certification status of the staff and trainers of an applying school?
The training director of the program needs to be credentialed by ICF at the MCC level. Other than that, the school is responsible for their staff and trainers to meet their own criteria. This will be one of the sets of check-points the ICF will use in evaluating the school -- if it has a training program and supervision program in place for it's staff and trainers -- but ICF will not determine for each school what the components of that need to be.
10. How does a school prove compliance with intellectual copyright laws -- such as copyright and trademark laws in relationship to their training materials?
If the copyrights and trademarks are the school's - they can submit a letter attesting to their compliance to US Copyright Laws and/or include indication of their filings of these or a statement on letterhead they own these copyrights and trademarks, etc. If they are legally licensed to use materials by any other entity -- they would need to submit a document verifying this for their permanent file. If they license anything additionally following their initial ICF credentialing - they can submit this anytime to their file or when they renew or update.
11. We are just starting a new training agency, can we apply for the ICF credential?
New training agencies (in existence less than two years) must demonstrate with documentation that their training program either meets or exceeds all ICF ACTP application requirements. New agencies who formally apply and meet this criteria will be granted a pending status until the agency has completed two years of training. At this time, a review/audit of the agency's conformance to requirements will be conducted. Provided the agency has operated in compliance with ACTP application requirements and in integrity with its stated commitment to ICF standards, the agency will be granted full ACTP accreditation.
12. If it is necessary for ICF to send a reviewer to make a site-visit to help determine if a school is qualified, what is the recommended process:
ICF reserves the right to audit a school's program at ICF's discretion and expense. However, if a school specifically requests an on-site auditor, this is done at the school's expense. Ideally, the school would include enough documentation to enable a clear evaluation determination. If denied, or additional information is requested, the school has the option to re-apply with additional information, submit the requested information, or request a site visit to gather the additional information.
13. What are the qualifications of the ACTP ARC evaluation team?
They are experienced coaches who are either MCC's and/or who have been part of the process of developing the rating system since we initiated the planning of the program. They are all also knowledgeable about coach-specific training schools and their purposes and processes. |