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 Steps to District Accreditation
Table of Contents
Applicant Candidacy Accredited
AdvancED District Accreditation provides a national protocol for school districts committed to systemic, systematic, and sustainable continuous improvement. The District Accreditation process invites school systems to collaborate in reviewing the quality of the district's systems and their contributions to teaching and learning. The process supports, enhances, and stimulates growth and improvement throughout the school system.
The steps of the AdvancED District Accreditation process are outlined below. For a more detailed overview of the steps, download District Accreditation: A Handbook for Districts (Word) . As you progress through this process, your NCA CASI/SACS CASI state office is available to assist you.
Applicant
Step 1: Submit Letter of Interest.
  • The school district sends a Letter of Interest to the Office of the CEO for AdvancED. (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033)
  • Upon receipt of the letter, AdvancED sends the school district superintendent a Readiness Letter describing the expectations for the Readiness Visit, along with a Self-Assessment of Readiness for Accreditation tool.
  • The AdvancED NCA CASI/SACS CASI State Office assigns a contact person to provide support and assistance to the school district as needed.
Step 2: Host a Readiness Visit.
  • The State Office works with the district to coordinate the Readiness Visit to the district. The purpose of the visit is to determine the district's capacity to pursue District Accreditation.
  • The district completes the Self-Assessment of Readiness for Accreditation prior to the Readiness Visit.
  • The school district hosts the Readiness Visit.
  • AdvancED communicates the findings of the visit to the district.

  Self-Assessment of Readiness for District Accreditation
Step 3: Submit Letter of Commitment.
  • Following the Readiness Visit, the school district sends a Letter of Commitment to AdvancED that includes governing board and superintendent approval to enter the process.
  • Upon receipt of the findings of the Readiness Visit and Letter of Commitment from the school district, AdvancED sends a Candidacy Letter to the superintendent of the school district. The letter moves the school district into candidacy.
Candidacy
Step 4: Ensure that all the schools in the district are accredited or candidates for accreditation.
  • By the time of the Quality Assurance Review visit, all schools in the district must be accredited or candidates for accreditation. The State Office works with the school district to develop a plan for bringing any schools that are not accredited or candidates into the process.
Step 5: Schedule, prepare for, and host the Quality Assurance Review (QAR).
  • Schedule the visit.
    • At least six months prior to the desired timeframe for the visit, the school district identifies and sends to AdvancED up to three dates (in preferred order) for hosting the Quality Assurance Review (QAR). The visit should be conducted within 18 months of entering candidacy.
    • Upon receipt of the letter requesting to schedule the visit, AdvancED selects and communicates the dates for the visit to the school district.
  • Work with the QAR Chair and Vice-Chair.
    • AdvancED appoints a chair for the visit approximately three months prior to the visit. Team members and a Vice Chair are also appointed. To the extent possible, at least half of the team is from outside the state including the QAR Chair. AdvancED provides the district with the names and contact information for all team members.
    • The QAR Chair and Vice-Chair work with the district to ensure that the district is prepared to receive the QAR team.
  • Prepare for the visit.
    • The school district prepares for the visit by: notifying the district's community; making available evidence to share with the team to demonstrate adherence to the standards; coordinating individuals to be interviewed by the team; making appropriate logistical arrangements for the team members; coordinating the visit schedule with the QAR Chair; and ensuring that the superintendent and members of the school board are accessible for the visit.
  • Complete the Standards Assessment Report.
    • The school district completes the Standards Assessment Report involving all stakeholders in the district. The Standards Assessment Report engages the district in a comprehensive review of each of the seven AdvancED standards. It serves to prepare the district for the Quality Assurance Review and becomes the basis of the review team's work. The school district may share and receive feedback on the report with the State Office contact person.
    • The school district submits the Standards Assessment Report to AdvancED approximately six weeks prior to the scheduled Quality Assurance Review visit.
  • Host the QAR team and receive the team report.
    • The school district hosts the visit and receives the oral exit report. It is expected that the oral exit report will be delivered to the school board and superintendent at a public meeting of the board.
    • The QAR Chair prepares the written report of the visit and submits it to AdvancED for review by an AdvancED Reader who reviews the report to ensure quality.
    • The final report is submitted to the school district, State Office, and QAR chair.
    • The QAR team's recommended accreditation status is submitted to AdvancED for state and national review and action.
Step 6: Communicate the QAR team's findings to the community.
  • Upon receipt of the written report, the school district communicates the QAR team's findings to the board and community.
  • When the district's accreditation status is reviewed and acted upon at the national level, the district communicates its final accreditation status to the community.
Accredited (Ongoing steps)
Step 7: Act on the findings.
  • The school district acts on the report recommendations as part of its continuous improvement efforts.
Step 8: Adhere to the AdvancED standards and engage in quality continuous improvement.
  • The school district and its schools maintain adherence to the AdvancED standards and regularly self-assesses against the standards.
  • The school district and its schools engage in continuous improvement.
  • The school district provides AdvancED with accurate and up-to-date contact information and demographics for the district and its schools.
  • The State Office provides support and professional development opportunities to assist the school district in its continuous improvement efforts.
Step 9: Complete the Two-Year Progress Report.
  • Two years following the QAR visit, AdvancED sends a letter to the school district superintendent requesting a Two-Year Progress Report detailing the school district's progress in addressing the recommendations from the QAR team report.
  • The school district completes the report and submits it to AdvancED for review and action at the state and national level.
  • The final accreditation action is transmitted to the school district and state office.
  • The school district shares its accreditation status with the district stakeholders.
  • The school district continues to meet the AdvancED standards, engage in continuous improvement, and host quality assurance reviews once every five years.