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County School Division Earns ‘Operational’ Accreditation Through AdvancED
Lisa Watson McCarty
Publisher
During the four-day visit held Nov. 27-30, team members visited eight schools and talked to a total of 225 persons during their on-site review, which is required for all systems hoping to attain accreditation through AdvancED.
AdvancED is a combination of the two largest US-based accreditation agencies, the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). According to the organization, the AdvancED Accreditation Process is a clear and comprehensive program of evaluation and external review, supported by research-based standards and dedicated to helping schools, districts and education providers continuously improve.
"I am pleased the QAR team recognized the commitment of our teachers and staff as we work toward a common goal that is in the best interests of our children," Ferguson said. "It is really about the dedication of our teachers to our children."
"Our main focus is obviously to attain state accreditation first but earning the AdvancED accreditation status reinforces what we are already achieving. We will practice the seven standards outlined by the team and we will use their suggestions to improve our system. We are by no means perfect and we are here to improve on what we've already established."
Dick Spohr, Project Director of the Illinois New Principal Mentoring, presented the group's findings last week during a special-called meeting of the Scott County School Board, which was attended by all school principals and newly-elected board members in the school board conference room.
Spohr noted that the employees of Scott County Schools showed a remarkable passion for their chosen vocation.
"We were amazed by the nearly universal passion and commitment we saw in your schools - commitment for success in your students," he explained. "The results you have achieved without regard for any limiting factor is truly remarkable. Your results in achieving what your state has set for you to do places you in a group that is very select."
He added that the system's emphasis on assisting struggling students early on and hiring local employees when possible were also commendations recognized by the QAR team.
The team came up with some "required actions" they noted which included a more comprehensive look at the system to implement collaborative leadership.
"In order to effectively move a system forward, it requires you view everything through a systems perspective," Spohr continued. "You must think systems...When you do everything from a systems perspective inherent in that is transparent communication with all the subgroups and stakeholders...It will virtually guarantee equity throughout the parts."
He stated that collaborative leadership in broad terms meant that leaders needed to be developed and heard throughout the system.
Spohr noted that very few systems meet the highest standard of highly functional and labeled Scott County Public Schools as "operational." By AdvancED standards, operational means a school division is demonstrating the standard and using practices commonly found in other schools.
He stressed the team's recommendation for accreditation would be send to the organization's next level for final determination. The AdvancED Accreditation Commission will prepare a final written report that outlines the system's standing and either grants or denies full accreditation.
If approved, Scott County Public Schools will be fully accredited for a period of five years.