| Accreditation is a way of ensuring that an | | | | compliance within a time period set by the |
| institution's programs and facilities have been given | | | | Commission, not to exceed one year," according |
| approval by the education community. It is your | | | | to CIS guidelines. |
| guarantee that the school meets minimum | | | | The CIS uses a 15-point set of standards and |
| standards of quality determined by a rigorous | | | | provides a six-point rating system for each |
| peer review and serves as the school's validation | | | | standard - three that rate how a school is |
| of its academic efforts. | | | | meeting standards and another three that rate |
| What is Accreditation? | | | | how a school is failing them - ranging from |
| "Accreditation means: This institution is fulfilling its | | | | "exemplary in compliance to "non-compliance not |
| stated purpose with integrity and excellence," | | | | recognized by the school" on the failing end. |
| according to the National Association of Private | | | | Other organizations involved in accreditation of |
| Schools (NAPS), which focus on private and | | | | private schools include the Western Association of |
| Christian schools. Accreditation indicates that a | | | | Schools and Colleges (WASC), the Southern |
| school meets or exceeds standards and criteria | | | | Association of Colleges and Schools Council on |
| for quality periodically applied through a peer group | | | | Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS |
| process, according to the National Association of | | | | CASI) and the North Central Association of |
| Independent Schools (NAIS). | | | | Colleges and Schools (NCA). |
| Simply belonging to a state, regional or national | | | | Evaluation |
| organization does not mean that a school is | | | | Each school evaluates itself, and those marks are |
| accredited. Nor is accreditation granted when a | | | | then compared with the marks given by a |
| school pays an application fee. Accreditation is not | | | | visitation team composed of faculty, |
| permanent, and must be maintained over time. | | | | administrators and trustees from other schools |
| Accreditation Standards | | | | participating in the accrediting organization. Their |
| The basic premise of accreditation is that | | | | visit is basically an "audit" to validate what the |
| institutions are held to the same standards. For | | | | school has reported about itself as well as to |
| example, The Commission on Independent | | | | make various recommendations about the |
| Schools (CIS) one of five commissions of the | | | | school's practices, policies, and directions. The |
| New England Association of Schools and Colleges, | | | | visiting team makes a recommendation to the |
| accredits more than 600 private schools in its | | | | accreditation association's board of trustees, which |
| six-state region - including traditional boarding and | | | | has the final say on accreditation matters. |
| day preparatory schools, private elementary | | | | In addition to providing parents with assurances |
| schools, schools serving students with special | | | | that a private school meets minimum standards, |
| needs, and religiously-affiliated schools of many | | | | accreditation also provides them with the |
| faiths. | | | | re-assurance that colleges and universities - usually |
| "The quality assurance aspect of accreditation is | | | | rated by the same accreditation bodies - will |
| accomplished by requiring that a school must | | | | recognize the institution as providing a qualified |
| meet all standards at any time that compliance is | | | | pool of applicants. |
| assessed by the Commission or bring itself into | | | | |