A Quick Note Before Reading Further
This change applies specifically to candidates applying for an ACC or PCC credential through the ICF Portfolio path. CTA offers both an accredited Level Path and support for students pursuing the Portfolio pathway, so whether this change affects a given student depends on which path they are on. The section below titled “What This Means for CTA Students” explains what changes for each group.
Level Path vs. Portfolio Path: What Is the Difference?
ICF offers two routes to an ACC or PCC credential.
The Level Path runs through an ICF-accredited coaching education program, such as CTA. Candidates complete their training within the program, and the program itself is responsible for verifying that students meet ICF’s coaching competency standards along the way. Because the accredited program carries this responsibility, candidates on the Level Path do not separately submit a recorded coaching session to ICF for review.
The Portfolio Path is available to candidates whose coaching education did not come through an ICF-accredited program or who choose this route for other reasons. Candidates apply directly to ICF and are individually responsible for documenting their training hours, coaching experience, and skill level. Until now, this has included submitting a recorded coaching session, known as the Performance Evaluation, for ICF to review directly.
This is the distinction driving the change described below: it affects how Portfolio candidates demonstrate their skill to ICF, not how Level Path candidates do.
Introduction
Beginning April 1, 2027, ICF is replacing the Performance Evaluation requirement for ACC and PCC Portfolio candidates with an enhanced mentor coaching model. Where candidates once submitted a single recorded coaching session for review, credential readiness will now be validated through an ongoing mentor coaching relationship.
Why the Change
A single recorded session, captured at one point in time, struggles to reflect the full range of a coach’s ability across cultures, languages, and client contexts. ICF has also acknowledged that the Portfolio path, in its current form, has become costly and complex for candidates to navigate. The move toward formative, ongoing evaluation is intended to produce a more accurate and equitable picture of a candidate’s readiness than any single recording can offer.
What the New Requirement Looks Like
Rather than a one-time assessment, mentor coaches will observe candidates over a minimum three-month period. Readiness will be documented through two standardized tools: a Session Observation Form, completed after each one-to-one session in which a recording is reviewed, and a Competency Review Form, summarizing the candidate’s demonstrated skill across the full mentoring engagement.
The New Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS)
To deliver this expanded mentoring role, mentor coaches must hold a new credential: the Mentor Coach Specialization. Coaches currently serving as ICF assessors are well positioned to transition into this role, and ICF has introduced a Credit for Prior Learning pathway in recognition of that existing expertise. Coaches interested in learning more about the Mentor Coach Specialization can review ICF’s overview here on the ICF website.
Old vs. New: A Side-by-Side Look
| Current Requirement: Performance Evaluation | New Requirement: Enhanced Mentor Coaching | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Single recorded session, submitted once | Ongoing engagement, minimum three months |
| Evaluation type | Summative — pass or fail at one point in time | Formative—feedback and skill development over time |
| Who evaluates | ICF-appointed assessor | Mentor coach holding MCS credential |
| Documentation | Recording and transcript | Session Observation Forms and Competency Review Form |
Who Is Affected
- Portfolio path candidates (ACC and PCC), including CTA students on this path: Directly affected. Their credentialing route is changing as described above.
- Level Path candidates, including CTA students on this path: Largely unaffected. See the section below.
- MCC candidates: Not affected. The MCC Performance Evaluation remains in place.
- Mentor coaches: Must earn the MCS credential by January 1, 2027, to continue mentoring credential candidates.
- Current ICF assessors: The assessor role for ACC and PCC is being phased out as this transition takes effect; many assessors are well positioned to move into the new MCS mentor coach role.
- Coach training organizations, including CTA: A related but separate standards update affects accredited Level 1 and Level 2 programs directly. See below.
What This Means for CTA Students
CTA offers both an accredited Level Path and support for students pursuing the Portfolio pathway. Which of these applies to a given student determines whether this change affects them.
CTA students on the Level Path are largely unaffected. The ICF change described above concerns individual candidates who apply for an ACC or PCC directly through Portfolio, submitting a recorded Performance Evaluation for review. Students on the Level Path do not need to seek out a Mentor Coach Specialization provider, and none of the mentor coach resources described above apply to their application process.
CTA students pursuing the Portfolio pathway are directly affected in the same way as any other Portfolio candidate. Beginning January 1, 2027, any new mentor coaching hours must be completed with a mentor coach who holds the MCS credential. Beginning April 1, 2027, Portfolio candidates will demonstrate their coaching skill through an ongoing, formative evaluation process with their mentor coach rather than a single recorded session. Students on this path should plan their mentor coaching timeline accordingly, and their mentor coach will guide them through the specific documentation their application requires.
Separately, ICF is also updating standards for accredited training programs such as CTA, moving away from a required Final Performance Evaluation toward a formative evaluation process woven across the learner journey. This is a change to how CTA structures its own internal evaluation of students on the Level Path, not a new requirement placed on any individual student.
Key Dates
- January 1, 2027: This date governs mentor coaches, not students. From this date, any new mentor coaching hours counted toward a credential must be delivered by an MCS-qualified mentor coach.
- April 1, 2027: This date governs the application process for Portfolio candidates. Applications submitted on or after this date follow the new formative evaluation process rather than the recorded Performance Evaluation. Mentor coaches guide Portfolio candidates through the specific documentation their application requires.
Neither date requires action from CTA students on the Level Path. CTA students on the Portfolio pathway should follow the same timeline as any other Portfolio candidate.
What to Do Now
- Candidates pursuing a credential through Portfolio, including CTA students on that pathway, should begin planning their mentor coaching timeline around the three-month minimum and confirm that any mentor coach they work with going forward holds the MCS credential.
- CTA students on the Level Path do not need to take any action. CTA will keep students informed of any changes to its internal evaluation process as they are finalized.
Looking Ahead
As these standards evolve, CTA will continue to review and refine its own performance evaluation methodology to remain aligned with current ICF standards and competencies, ensuring that CTA training continues to meet the highest bar for credentialing readiness.
Learn More
Subscribe to the CTA Community’s WhatsApp updates to stay informed as CTA finalizes any changes to its own evaluation process.
