ARLINGTON, Va. – Ten years after it was first accredited by NASCUS, the Kansas Department of Credit Unions has earned its second five-year re-accreditation by the association. The state regulatory agency which regulates 95 natural person credit unions with total assets including corporate CUs of about $40 billion, earned its first five-year re-accreditation in 2000. Kansas Department of Credit Unions Administrator Jerel Wright said accreditation serves as a validation of our entire supervisory program. Accreditation is valid for a five-year period, subject to annual review. The review process allows the accredited agency and the NASCUS Performance Standards Committee to measure progress and improvement, and in some cases, identify where weaknesses may be beginning to develop. To earn NASCUS accreditation, a state regulatory agency must meet or exceed a score of 75% in each of six areas: Department Administration and Finance, Personnel, Training, Examination, Supervision, and Legislative Powers. The agency's qualifications and review team findings are audited by an Accreditation Audit Working Group and the NASCUS Performance Standards Committee, which makes the final recommendation for approval to the NASCUS board. NASCUS accredited states supervise more than 80% of state-chartered CU assets.