Accreditation
Oglala Lakota College works hard to stay on the cutting edge of educational excellence, and in doing so, keeps up with all the newest accreditation standards as put forth by the Higher Learning Commission.
Oglala Lakota College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
The goal of accreditation is to ensure that all coursework provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality.
About Accreditation
Accreditation is your assurance that the College meets the highest quality standards established by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Oglala Lakota College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission that governs the entirety of the college academic programs, degree offerings, and services.
Programmatic or specialized accreditation applies to specific programs or coursework within an institution and is often associated with professional organizations. Oglala Lakota College maintains specialized accreditation in Social Work, Education, and Nursing.
Programs that require licensure may require an additional accrediting and approving body in the state where individuals choose to gain licensure. The Nursing and Education programs are approved by the South Dakota Board of Nursing (SDBON) and the South Dakota Board of Education to ensure candidates who graduate are eligible for licensure.
Each accreditation holds standards associated with their purpose and oversight.
Education
OLC Educator Preparation Program Self-Study Report 2019
OLC K-8 Elementary Education Program Report 2019
SD DOE Elementary Education Recognition Report 2019
OLC Birth-Grade 3 Early Childhood Education Report 2019
SD DOE Early Childhood Education Recognition Report 2019
Nursing
Graduates from the Oglala Lakota College of Nursing are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and become registered nurses. The OLC Nursing program is monitored and approved by the South Dakota Board of Nursing. OLC Nursing graduates are eligible for employment at most of South Dakota's healthcare organizations except for the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital systems.
South Dakota Board of Nursing (SDBON)
SDBON Ongoing Approval February 2024
NLN Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA)
"Update to accreditation status (June 2023). The National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA) Board of Commissioners met on June 14-15, 2023 and placed the Oglala Lakota College Associate Degree in Nursing Program on probationary status for a period of one year (June 2023 – June 2024). Full information regarding the probationary status is provided on the NLN CNEA website, under the June 2023 Board of Commissioners actions: https://cnea.nln.org/board-of-commissioner-actions."
Notice to current and prospective students: in the event the OLC Nursing program does not hold accreditation status with CNEA, the OLC Nursing program will continue to operate, and graduates of the OLC Nursing program will have the opportunity to sit for the licensure exam.
OLC maintains full accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission and South Dakota State Board of Nursing. The current CNEA probationary status will not negatively impact the value of the OLC AA in Nursing. The OLC Nursing Department strives for greatness, and will work diligently with students to increase the NCLEX pass rate, with hopes to regain full accreditation with CNEA in the near future.