ATS Executive Director Frank Yamada to retire in 2028

After nearly a decade of service as ATS executive director, Frank M. Yamada will retire on June 30, 2028. Yamada has guided the Association through a period of significant change within theological education, including demographic shifts, technological transformation, evolving regulatory requirements, financial and enrollment pressures, and the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. He remains actively engaged in advancing the Association’s mission and supporting member schools during the transition period.

COA and ATS begin structural separation planning following final federal rule

We recently shared that the US Department of Education (USDE) was considering new regulations regarding accreditor independence and that the Commission on Accrediting (COA) and The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) submitted a public comment expressing both support for accreditor independence and concern about certain provisions of the proposed rule. 


On October 29, 2026, the USDE finalized the regulation. While we continue to review the details and implications, the final rule makes clear that COA and ATS, while already two separate corporations, must further separate operations to comply with the new requirements. Federal implementation timelines require the separation to be completed by July 1, 2027.


COA and ATS began evaluating potential scenarios well before publication of the final rule and are prepared for this transition. We will approach the work with care and transparency during this period of significant change.


This text is part of a larger email sent to our entire membership on November 3, 2026. We have also established a dedicated webpage, ats.edu/structural-separation, to provide updates about the structural separation process.

New Canvas courses support schools in key Standards areas

Two new, self-guided Canvas courses are now available to help leadership, faculty, and staff at member schools strengthen their work related to Standard 2: Planning and Evaluation and Standard 10: Institutional Evaluation. Work through the modules at your own pace for support in these important areas. These courses are designed to be especially useful for schools three years in advance of their comprehensive visit, but may be engaged at any point in a school’s accreditation cycle or while preparing for initial accreditation.

2026 Pathways Annual Gathering highlights: preparing the way together

Nearly 600 grantees, collaborators, consultants, and theological education leaders gathered in Indianapolis this September for the 2026 Pathways Coordination Program Annual Gathering. Grounded in the theme Wayfinders and inspired by Isaiah 40:3–5, participants came together to explore new possibilities, strengthen relationships, and learn from one another as they seek new and innovative ways to prepare leaders for ministry in a rapidly changing world.

ATS to host two-part Disrupting Trauma webinar series 

This webinar will be presented in Spanish. 
Ya está abierta la inscripción para Más allá de la concientización: Pedagogías disruptivas en contextos de trauma, una serie de seminarios web en dos partes para la comunidad de escuelas teológicas de ATS. Las sesiones serán el 10 de noviembre y el 9 de diciembre, de 4 a 5:15 p.m. (hora del este), con un panel distinto en cada una.


Acerca de la serie

En muchas comunidades latinas, incluida la educación teológica, el trauma suele quedar en silencio, a veces bajo la expectativa de que basta la fe para sanar las heridas más profundas. Esta serie ofrece un espacio para nombrar esas experiencias, cuestionar las dinámicas de poder que sostienen el silencio y convertir el creciente interés en prácticas pedagógicas concretas que integren la fe, el cuidado y la responsabilidad comunitaria.

Register for the next installment in the ATS Global Conversations webinar series

Join us Friday, November 13, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET, for the next installment in our ATS Globalizing Conversations webinar series, "Global Theological Education: Lessons, Reflections, and Practice." In partnership with the International Council for Evangelical Theological Education (ICETE), this webinar will explore the challenges and opportunities emerging from the global practice of theological education. ICETE Executive Director Michael A. Ortiz will invite participants to consider what it means to pursue quality theological education as a shared responsibility.

Registration is open for the 2027 Student Personnel Administrators’ Network (SPAN) Conference

Join us in New Orleans, March 9–11, as we explore this year’s theme, Pivots in Practice: Adaptive Leadership for the Now and Next. We’ll explore the practical pivots shaping the work of SPAN professionals: changing student needs and demographics, mental health and belonging, hybrid learning environments, vocational discernment, crisis response, and collaboration across institutional silos. Through peer learning, candid conversation, and actionable strategies, participants will consider how the practice and principles of adaptive leadership can help us equip ourselves and our communities to respond to today’s realities while also preparing for the future.

Register now for the 2027 Chief Academic Officers’ Society (CAOS) Conference

Connect with academic deans from ATS member schools and industry experts, April 21-23, 2027, in New Orleans, as we explore key issues and challenges, share best practices and resources, and reflect on the vocation of academic leadership. This year’s theme, Slow is Fast: Leading Through Moments and Seasons, draws on insights from models such as “Slow Productivity,” which invites leaders to question the frenzy of “pseudo-productivity” and consider refining workloads to center their humanity and the quality of their impact. In a time when the academic dean’s role often involves competing priorities, how do leaders make time for deeper thinking and introduce measures that mitigate burnout? Join us for meaningful conversation, collegial learning, and a renewed sense of vocation.

Entering Student Questionnaire preliminary report now available; free companion webinar scheduled

The 2026 ATS Entering Student Questionnaire (ESQ) Total School Profile preliminary report is now available, allowing member schools to compare their data against the total profile compiled from all members using the same instruments. We invite you to read the report and register for a free companion webinar being held Wednesday, November 18, from 2–3 p.m. ET, featuring an in-depth presentation of the findings.


The data-driven presentation is open to anyone involved or considering involvement with ATS Student Questionnaires, as well as student service administrators, educational support staff, board members, and researchers interested in theological education.

Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary shares vision for global theological education

Working with institutions in 36 countries, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary (PRTS) is building a network of international partnerships to help strengthen theological instruction. In a video conversation conducted by the In Trust Center for Theological Schools, PRTS President Adrian Neele and Chief Global Engagement Officer Jo de Blois discuss how the collaboration is structured, how partnerships are designed to foster local agency, and why decentralization and relational trust are critical to sustaining global collaboration. Discover how PRTS is advancing a global vision of theological education built not on centralized control, but on relationships, shared resources, and a common commitment to the gospel.