Accreditors
Accreditation is a self-evaluation process that schools and school systems voluntarily use to demonstrate they are meeting a defined set of research-based performance standards.
Middle States Association
The Middle States Association (https://www.msa-cess.org/) is a worldwide leader in accreditation and school improvement. For over 125 years, Middle States has been helping school leaders establish and reach their goals, develop strategic plans, promote staff development, and advance student achievement.
Accreditation is a self-evaluation process that schools and school systems voluntarily use to demonstrate they are meeting a defined set of research-based performance standards. The standards examine schools in a holistic way, supplementing student testing data to provide a more complete measure of a school’s performance and chart a strategic and realistic course for continuous school improvement.
The MSA Standards for Accreditation
When it comes to evaluating schools and school systems, the Middle States Association looks at the whole school-not just test scores. We realize that improving outcomes requires a comprehensive approach. When we assess whether a school should be accredited we look at how the school performs in 12 key areas that make up our Standards for Accreditation:
- Mission
- Governance and Leadership
- School Improvement Planning
- Finances
- Facilities
- School Organization and Staff
- Health and Safety
- Educational Program
- Assessment and Evidence of Student Learning
- Student Services
- Student Life and Activities
- Information Resources
An accredited school:
- Adheres to the Middle States Standards for Accreditation
- Uses its mission, beliefs, and goals as the basis for daily decision-making
- Operates in the public interest and in accordance with ethical practice
- Accepts responsibility for the level of performance of its students
- Remains committed to continuous improvement in student learning and to its capacity to produce the levels of learning desired and expected by its community
- Operates in a collegial and collaborative way with all of its stakeholders
- Sustains its focus on implementing recommendations, addressing monitoring issues, and correcting stipulations that may be part of its notification of accreditation and fulfills its maintenance requirements to the Commission
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