How do school leaders build a collaborative, cohesive culture to ensure high quality learning for all students? This book provides a practical, succinct guide for educators on "how" the core elements of the accreditation process can unite a school in its transformative, continuous improvement journey. The authors explain "what is accreditation" and elaborate on using the core elements for schoolwide involvement and collaboration in determining the effectiveness of a school's program and systems and the impact on student learning through a perpetual cycle of assessing, planning, implementing, monitoring and reassessing. The authors clarify the "why" of accreditation and provide case studies of schools that have used accreditation as a coherent framework to build the capacity for change. The lessons learned from many educators embracing accreditation also provide further insights. Readers will deepen their understanding of how the accreditation process honors educators' desire to be self-directed in their passion for learning and well-being for all students. They will understand how accreditation builds and strengthens the trust, engagement, ownership and dialogue among all, viewing the school as a professional learning community. Educational leaders will value the book for its realistic approach to connecting the dots of leadership, coherence, continuous improvement through accreditation.
Barry R. Groves is the President of the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). He received his doctorate from the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University and has published and talked extensively on the topic of school accreditation. Marilyn S. George, Executive Vice President of the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), has actively been involved in all aspects of accreditation that support school change for almost 40 years. Her doctorate (Ed.D.) from UCLA addressed the areas of school improvement, professional development, curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
Foreword Acknowledgments Chapter 1. Introduction to Connecting the Dots Chapter 2. What Is Accreditation? Chapter 3. Setting the Stage: A Brief Historical Perspective Chapter 4. Why School Accreditation? Chapter 5. Accreditation Process: Guiding Principles and Core Elements Chapter 6: Creating Coherence Through AccreditationChapter 7. Leadership: Using Accreditation as a Tool for Building Capacity Chapter 8. Five Examples of Successful Accreditation Implementation Chapter 9. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in School Accreditation Chapter 10. Lessons Learned: Accreditation as a Continuous Improvement Process Chapter 11. Accreditation Questions and the Future Appendix Bibliography
