Dallas Parks staff outline CAPRA reaccreditation timeline and standards, plan January 2026 submission

Staff members told the Parks and Recreation Board that Dallas is pursuing reaccreditation through CAPRA, the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies, administered by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). A staff presenter said CAPRA establishes 154 standards, 36 of which are considered fundamental; for reaccreditation the department must demonstrate compliance with all fundamental standards and with a set of the non-fundamental standards.

Presenters said the department submitted an initial accreditation in 2016, completed its first reaccreditation in 2021, and is preparing a self-evaluation to submit in January 2026. A CAPRA site-review team will conduct an on-site visit in 2026; the department expects final accreditation results at the NRPA conference later in 2026.

Why it matters: CAPRA accreditation signals adherence to national best practices for parks and recreation operations and can affect stakeholder confidence, grant eligibility and interagency recognition. Staff emphasized that reaccreditation requires cross-departmental work: presenters said approximately 200 employees across divisions will be involved in the reaccreditation process and noted prior perfect scores on evaluation rounds.

Board questions and follow-up: Board members asked how many employees hold NRPA professional certifications and how staff will use the NRPA learning platform to support continuing education; presenters said about 20 staff currently hold certifications and that the department's NRPA membership provides free access to training resources for employees. Staff said they will return to the board with policies and documentation during the reaccreditation process.