PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — The Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools announced today that 179 schools and school systems in 14 states and 10 countries have earned accreditation or reaccreditation, the gold standard for measuring and evaluating school performance.
“The accreditation process examines schools in a holistic way, supplementing student testing data and providing a more complete measure of a school’s performance,” said Henry G. Cram, Ed.D., president of the Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. “School leaders, teachers and parents are to be commended for working together to create a concrete plan focused on providing high quality education for all students.”
Accreditation is a self-evaluation process that schools and school systems voluntarily undergo to demonstrate they are meeting a defined set of performance standards. The accreditation process helps schools – and ultimately students – to continuously grow and improve.
The process begins with a self-study that is conducted by the school or school system and requires input from school leaders, teachers, parents and students. Following the self-study, a team of volunteer educators from Association member schools conducts an on-site peer review visit to observe school operations and interview various stakeholders.
The visiting team makes its recommendation to the Middle States Association Commissions, which voted on the accreditations at its biannual meeting earlier this month.
A full list of schools and school systems that earned accreditation or reaccreditation is available here.
About Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA)
The Middle States Association is a worldwide leader in accreditation and school improvement. For over 125 years, MSA has been helping school leaders establish and reach their goals, develop strategic plans, promote staff development and advance student achievement. With more than 2,700 MSA-accredited schools in the United States and nearly 100 other countries, MSA is proud of its continuing legacy and its ongoing innovations to meet the challenges of the 21st century and improve educational opportunities for all children.
