© 2010 AdvancED

Building and Recognizing Quality School Systems

DISTRICT ACCREDITATION

AdvancED is the world’s largest education community

• Serving more than 30,000 public and private schools and districts across the United States.

• In more than 70 countries • Educates over 16 million students

© 2010 AdvancED

AdvancED brings more than 100 years of experience and the expertise of three US-

based accreditation agencies

• The North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI)

• Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC)• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council

on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI)

© 2010 AdvancED

What is Accreditation?

• Voluntary method of quality assurance

• Distinguished institutions adhering to high quality educational standards

© 2010 AdvancED

Why does Accreditation matter?

Accreditation matter because our students deserve the highest level of educational

excellence possible.

© 2010 AdvancED

Educational institutions that engage in AdvancED Accreditation will:

• Experience a unified, clear, and powerful accreditation process with a scalable and sustainable evaluation of education quality.

• Benefit from AdvancED research that shapes educational policy and improves learning practices.

• Experience a state-of-the-art web-based accreditation system that is continuously being upgraded and improved.

© 2010 AdvancED

Educational institutions that engage in AdvancED Accreditation will:

• Hear the best available ideas and thinking on education practices and trends through innovative products, educational technologies, and the collective knowledge of peers.

• Benefit from shared expertise and powerful professional learning through local and global workshops, training, conferences, and personalized service.

© 2010 AdvancED

Students and their parents will:

• Experience ease in transferring credits from one school to another.

• Gain greater access to federal loans, scholarships, postsecondary education and military programs that require students attend an accredited institution.

• Benefit from their institution or educational system’s commitment to raising student performance and accountability.

© 2010 AdvancED

The AdvancED Accreditation process is a clear and comprehensive program of:

• Evaluation and external review • Supported by research-based standards• Dedicated to helping schools, districts and

education providers continuously improve.

© 2010 AdvancED

Cornerstones of Accreditation

• Standards – Quality School Systems– Quality Schools

• Continuous Improvement– Systems Approach

• Quality Assurance– Internal Assessment– External Review

© 2010 AdvancED

AdvancED Accreditation Standards

The district provides evidence of meeting the Standards for Quality Systems• Purpose and Direction• Governance and Leadership• Teaching and Assessing for Learning• Resources and Support Systems• Using Results for Continuous

Improvement© 2010 AdvancED

District Standard Chair & Co Chairs• Standard 1: Purpose and Direction

• Chair: Gary Hales, Co-Chair-Dr. Earl Moore

• Standard 2: Governance and Leadership• Chair: Gail Richards, Co-Chair-Kelly Capps

• Standard 3: Teaching and Assessing for Learning• Chair: Dean Sauls, Co-Chair- Kevin Smith

• Standard 4: Resources and Support Systems• Chair: Cortina Smith, Co-Chair: Robert Yelverton

• Standard 5: Using Results for Continuous Improvement

• Chair: Tammy Keel, Co-Chair: Tasha Adams

© 2010 AdvancED

Framework for Systemic Improvement

• Each school will have an AdvancED Facilitator determined by administration to lead committee

• AdvancED committee at each school will meet monthly

• Minutes and sign-in sheets should be submitted to the principal at the end of each meeting and a copy should be kept in the AdvancEd notebook

• Every teacher should serve on at least one of the 5 standard teams

© 2010 AdvancED

Framework for Systemic Improvement

• AdvancED committees should be formed based on the 5 Standards

• Meetings times and places must be posted on the school and district website

• District Chair/Co-Chairs and Facilitators will meet monthly with Dr. Cynthia Reynolds, Director of Secondary Education/Accreditation

• District Chair will serve a 2 year term after that time the Co-Chair will then serve as the Chair

• Co-Chairs will be selected from list of remaining principals

© 2010 AdvancED

Quality Assurance External Review

The External Review Team• Meets with district staff and stakeholders • Visits a representative sample of schools• Conducts interviews, reviews artifacts and records

observations• Provides feedback through standard narratives,

commendations and required actions• Presents findings in oral and written formats • Makes an accreditation recommendation

© 2010 AdvancED

After The Quality Assurance Review

• Benefit from team feedback and findings– Leverage commendations– Respond to required actions– Submit Accreditation Progress Report (2nd Year)

• Continue to get better– Standards, continuous improvement, quality assurance

• Strengthen the system • Sustain interest and involvement

© 2010 AdvancED

Thank you for your interest in AdvancED

District Accreditation!

For more information, visit www.advanc-ed.org/accreditation

© 2010 AdvancED