Middle States Accreditation

Stay tuned for more details about the accreditation process in the Cougar News.

What is MSA?

The Middle States Association is a worldwide leader in accreditation and school improvement. For over 125 years, Middle States has been helping school leaders establish and reach their goals, develop strategic plans, promote staff development and advance student achievement.

The Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools of the Middle States Association accredit early-childhood through post-secondary, non-degree granting public, private, faith-based educational institutions including special purpose schools, and learning services providers.

What is accreditation?

Accreditation is a self-evaluation process that schools and school systems voluntarily use to demonstrate they are meeting a defined set of research-based performance standards. The standards examine schools in a holistic way, supplementing student-testing data to provide a more complete measure of a school’s performance and chart a strategic and realistic course for continuous school improvement.

The MSA Standards for Accreditation
When it comes to evaluating schools and school systems, the Middle States Association looks at the whole school- not just test scores. We realize that improving outcomes requires a comprehensive approach. When we assess whether a school should be accredited we look at how the school performs in 12 key areas that make up our Standards for Accreditation:

• Mission
• Governance and Leadership
• School Improvement Planning
• Finances
• Facilities
• School Organization and Staff
• Health and Safety
• Educational Program
• Assessment and Evidence of Student Learning
• Student Services
• Student Life and Activities
• Information Resources

To learn more about The Middle States Association, visit: https://www.msa-cess.org