For the past two-to-three years, NAACLS has reviewed its educational resources to strengthen support for those serving as program directors of NAACLS-accredited programs. Beginning in August, NAACLS will also offer a Program Director Orientation. Given that the orientation’s timing is near the next NAACLS Workshop, we want to illustrate the differences between the two upcoming events. 

NAACLS Program Director Orientation 

As announced in previous NAACLS Board Reports, the NAACLS Board of Directors approved an orientation requirement in September 2025 for:  

• New program directors; and  

• Previously approved program directors who have not been associated with a NAACLS-accredited program for five years or more.  

Effective September 1, 2026, the above listed individuals are required to attend an orientation session via live broadcast or watch available on-demand recordings prior to submitting a Program Official Approval Form or Initial Application Packet. While required, attendance at the orientation does not satisfy the NAACLS Standard VII.A.1.d requiring PDs to demonstrate “knowledge of education methods and administration as well as current NAACLS accreditation procedures and certification procedures” alone. That requirement is met through attending NAACLS workshops, transcripts, letter from professional administrators documenting involvement in NAACLS Accreditation, etc. For the full list of acceptable documentation, please see the Standard Compliance Guide under Program Official Approvals.  

The NAACLS Program Director Orientations are free. They will be held virtually multiple times a year and will also be available to watch on demand. Orientations will last around two hours each.  

NAACLS Workshops 

While the details of the next workshop are still being finalized, the November 5, 2026 workshop will be offered in a hybrid format, available virtually and in-person in Chicago. 

NAACLS workshops provide an in-depth review of the accreditation standards and compliance requirements led by content experts. They also give program directors valuable insight from NAACLS Review Committee members, who regularly evaluate accreditation materials throughout the review process. 

There will be a registration fee associated with attending NAACLS’ workshops. 

Key Differences between Orientations and Workshops 

The Program Director Orientation will focus exclusively on policies and procedures, while standard interpretation and compliance will remain the focus of NAACLS Workshops. While some standard and review-related policies and procedures may be addressed during a workshop, the workshops’ primary goal is to provide educators at NAACLS-accredited programs with a better understanding of the standards and compliance requirements. 

Orientation sessions will be conducted by NAACLS Staff, while workshops will continue to be developed and led by our volunteer content experts. 

If you have questions about the NAACLS Workshops or NAACLS Program Director Orientations, please feel free to contact NAACLS Volunteer Manager, Michele Giannosa at mgiannosa@naacls.org.