The National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences (NACCAS) is an autonomous, independent accrediting commission constituted as a nonprofit Delaware corporation, with its main office located in Alexandria, Virginia. The Commission’s origins date back to 1969, when two accrediting agencies in the field merged to form the Cosmetology Accrediting Commission (CAC). CAC changed its name to “NACCAS” in 1981. NACCAS is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a national agency for the institutional accreditation of postsecondary schools and departments of cosmetology arts and sciences, including specialized schools. It presently accredits approximately 1,300 institutions that serve over 120,000 students. These schools offer over thirty(30) courses and programs of study that fall under NACCAS’ scope of accreditation.