Accreditation encourages and facilitates school improvement...
Involvement
in an ongoing accreditation protocol fosters excellence and ongoing
improvement in a school. The question is not if we want a better school,
but how we will assure continuous school improvement. Accreditation
provides a systematic process that requires a school to ask why it
exists, to establish a vision of its future, and to determine specific
objectives for reaching that vision.
The information surfaced
through the accreditation protocol serves as a sound basis for
school/district improvement, strategic planning, restructuring, and
staff development.
The accreditation process examines the entire
school-its philosophy and goals, its community, its programs and
services, the facilities and financial stability.
Accreditation provides a way to manage change through regular assessment, planning, implementation, and reassessment.
Accreditation
helps schools/districts establish priorities for improvement by using
thorough needs assessments, rather than faddish approaches to
improvement.
Accreditation requires a school to establish and
implement a 5-year improvement plan based upon its vision of the future.
Desired school-wide results are a part of the perpetual accreditation
cycle that includes:
School self-assessment
that identifies areas of strength and areas for improvement in the
current educational program for students. Insight and perspective from the evaluation team. Regular staff assessment of progress during the intervening years between full self-studies.
The
accreditation process helps to ensure greater continuity of student
experiences through continuous clarification of the school's direction.
Participation
in accreditation provides an excellent growth experience for staff who
participate on visiting teams to evaluate other schools.
Because
accreditation is a regional activity that encourages broader involvement
with educators from other states and independent, public, and
church-related constituencies, participants learn from the differences
and benefit from the resulting professional networks.
The support
of MSA staff and encouragement of the Commissions on Elementary and
Secondary Schools motivates schools to maintain their focus on
continuous school improvement.
Accreditation provides a means for public accountability...
The accreditation process validates to the public the integrity of a school's program and student transcripts.
The
accreditation process assures a school community that the school's
purposes are appropriate and are being accomplished through a viable
educational program.
The accreditation process justifies the faith and resources others place in the school.
Accreditation fosters stakeholder involvement and commitment...
Accreditation
provides opportunities for grass roots, broad-based involvement of
stakeholders in charting the direction of the school.
The
accreditation process offers a mechanism for constituent groups to play a
major role in determining the school's future, helping a school to be
all it can be.
Accreditation involves key people in creating a vision of the future, rather than letting the future happen to the school.
Accreditation builds positive public relations...
Accreditation provides opportunities to emphasize the positive and show how strong and effective the school is.
Willingly
submitting a school to public scrutiny and evaluation builds commitment
and a deeper understanding of the school's efforts. It helps staff to
broaden its view of community expectations and fosters closer school and
community collaboration.
The accreditation process provides
articulation and communication opportunities between school levels and
among stakeholder groups.