COMMISSION ON SECONDARY
PUBLIC SHOOLS
THE MEANING AND VALUE OF
ACCREDITATION
Although public education is within the jurisdiction of some federal agencies such as the Department of Education and its Office of Education, this country has no centralized, national control over educational institutions. States and local governments exercise some supervision over education, but, in general, schools operate with considerable independence. Professional Educators, however, have recognized and addressed the need to measure school programs against mutually held standards of excellence. Private, non-profit regional accrediting associations such as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) offer programs and services, which monitor school performance and school improvement efforts.
Accreditation of public secondary schools by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges indicates that the educational institution in terms of its own stated educational goals and he seven stages for Accreditation of the Commission on Public Secondary schools
The awarding of accreditation signifies that the school has met Commission Standards at an acceptable level and is willing to both maintain those standards and improve its educational program by implementing the recommendations of the evaluation team.
Membership in and accreditation by the NEASC is similar to membership in the professional organizations such as the American Bar Association. In each case, a commitment toward the continual self-evaluation, a pledge to self-improvement, and the desire to maintain the Standards for Accreditation are necessary.
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Value to the Local Citizen and Taxpayer
Accreditation of a local public school by the New England Association assures that tax money is supporting a school facility and programs that have been judged worthwhile by an outside team of evaluators, both in terms of school’s stated purpose and expectations and the Seven Standards for Accreditation. Through the process of evaluation, citizens are advised of needs and long-term plans of the school. Finally, the reputation of the community benefits from accreditation since the retention or the loss of accreditation has a demonstrable effect on local property values.
School board members are ultimately responsible for the quality of public education in their town. Accreditation assures the citizen that the board’s educational policies and plans are sound. If changes are needed, the accreditation process highlights them. The self-evaluation phase of the accreditation process also provides an ideal opportunity for an individual board member to gain a comprehensive knowledge of the school as it undergoes the process of evaluation and accreditation
College admissions officers are responsible for judging students from diverse geographical areas in terms of their qualifications to enter institutions of higher learning. When interviewing students from an accredited institution, the college representative can be assured of the quality of a student’s record of achievements in a school program that meets the Commission’s Standards.
A student may not be necessarily refused admission to a given college because of a school’s lack of accreditation. However, a national survey sponsored by four of the six regional accrediting associations revealed overwhelming support for school accreditation. For the 139 New England respondents, high school accreditation has a bearing on college acceptance in 86% of the cases. In 69% of the institutions, high school accreditation is either very important or virtually necessary. For out-of-state candidates, admissions officers placed a greater reliance on the schools accreditation with 72% indicating that accreditation is either very important criterion or virtually necessary.
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Value to School Administration and Teachers
The school’s administration and teachers enjoy the pride of working in an accredited institution. Accreditation provides both a personal and professional opportunity to work toward educational improvement. The evaluation experience affords the opportunity for the administration and faculty to conduct and to receive a rigorous analysis of present conditions so that needed changes may be planned. Not only do individuals develop a new perspective on their own positions, but also as a view of the institution as a whole which affords a better understanding of their role in the operation of the school.
Students are most affected by accreditation since they are the central focus on the educational process. Accreditation assures them that their needs are being met through a quality education program, that a vehicle exists to correct deficiencies in the school program, that their transfer credits may more likely be accepted should their family move, and that college representatives have the assurance of the quality of their preparation. Their confidence in their school and teachers, their attitude towards academic work and their personal development are all fostered by seeing their school invite, and respond to, constructive criticism.
Accreditation is the oldest and most traditional of standards-based systems of accountability. A recent study (1999) of the regional accreditation process conducted by The LAB at Brown University found that the NEASC accreditation visit, the “signature event of accreditation” is built upon a legitimate and valuable methodology for learning how well a school functions. This methodology, which is centered around a dynamic of inquiry, involves a team of peers generating knowledge about practices in the school and then drawing conclusions about hoe well they meet the Standards of Accreditation. The team also identifies commendations and recommendations for what the school should do to improve.
In summary, accreditation ensures that through a mutually agreed-upon process there has been a third party examination and evaluation by peers of the extent to which a school meets the Commission’s Standards Accreditation. The result of that scrutiny is then made publicly available as an indication of the quality perceived and attested to by outside professional educators. The goal of accreditation is to maintain a quality education for the entire student population