AdvancED is creating a global accreditation system throughout the United States, the Navajo Nation, Department of Defense Schools, and in 65 countries around the world. AdvancED is delivering unified quality standards for education through its accreditation divisions - North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), and Commission on International and Transregional Accreditation (CITA).

Accreditation is granted to schools and districts.

Schools and districts benefit from accreditation through objective peer review, attainment of high standards, and engagement in continuous improvement. Through accreditation, schools and districts receive an external mark of quality; become part of an international network of 27,000 schools and districts; and gain access to a wide range of resources, professional development, and tools to assist them with continuous improvement. Perhaps more importantly, students benefit from accreditation because, through the accreditation process, their school or district has committed to raising student performance and will be held accountable for improving student learning on a continual basis.

To earn accreditation, schools or districts meet the AdvancED standards, engage in continuous improvement, and demonstrate quality assurance through internal and external review. The standards are based in the research on the factors that impact student achievement. The accreditation process helps schools and districts bring together all the parts of the school or district to improve student and organizational performance.