MSA Accreditation Orientation: Achieving Educational Excellence

1. Team Orientation The Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools

2. The focus of today’s orientation is: • MSA Accreditation • The Role of the Visiting Team • Introduction to the School • Schedule and Expectations

3. What is accreditation and why is it important? Accreditation… • Encourages and facilitates school improvement • Provides accountability • Fosters stakeholder involvement and commitment • Focuses on student performance • Builds positive public relations

4. The Power of Peer Review • Validates the work of the school • Provides guidance for their improvement • Celebrates the school’s strengths • Benefits of peer review: • Chance to observe proven practices in action • Examine new ideas that can be used in your own classroom • Provide an in-depth understanding of the accreditation process

5. Profile of an Accredited School… • Adheres to the Middle States Standards for Accreditation; • Uses its mission as the basis for daily decision making; • Operates in the public interest; • Accepts responsibility for the performance of its students; • Remains committed to continuous improvement in student learning; • Operates in a collegial and collaborative way with all of its stakeholders.

6. What are the MSA Protocols? • Foundation Documents • MSA Standards • Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment • Plan for Growth and Improvement (Objectives and Action Plans)

7. What are the MSA-CESS Standards and Indicators of Quality? • Mission • Governance and Leadership • School Improvement Planning • Finances • Facilities • School Staff and Organization • Health and Safety • Educational Program • Assessment and Evidence of Student Learning • Student Services • Student Life and Student Activities • Information Resources

8. The Role of Indicators • Amplify a standard • Provide greater clarify on how a standard is met • Provide multiple ways that a standard can be met • Respect the individual integrity of the school • “Operationalize” a standard • Do NOT act as a checklist

9. MISSION STANDARD FOR ACCREDITATION The Standard: The school has a clearly written and actively implemented statement of mission that conveys the general and specific purposes of its educational program, expresses expectations for quality, and serves as the basis for daily operational and instructional decision making as well as long-range planning. Stakeholders give input into the development of the school’s mission and understand and accept it. This document is aligned with the community served and is reviewed periodically by stakeholder representatives. Indicators for all schools: 1.1 The school takes steps to ensure that students and their families understand and support the school’s mission. 1.2 The mission is consistent with ethical norms and demonstrates respect for persons of all races, creeds, and cultures. 1.3 The mission is free of contradiction, ambiguity, and excessive abstraction. 1.4 The school implements a system to assess its effectiveness in fulfilling its mission.

10. You have been nominated because your school considers you to be someone who is highly respected by your school community and is… Reliable, Perceptive, Cooperative, Professional

11. The purpose of the Team’s visit is to: Observe the school’s congruence with its self-study. Validate the school’s adherence with the MSA Standards for Accreditation. Determine the school’s compliance with the requirements of the accreditation protocol. Report to the Commissions on the school’s eligibility for accreditation.

12. Guidelines for Team Members • Avoid comparison to your school • Avoid expressing personal opinions • Be a critical friend and not a consultant • Be respectful • Trust the protocol

13. Our schedule will include the following: • Review documentation • Interview • Observe teaching and learning • Meet with Team Members • Write your portions of the team report Typical Visiting Schedule

14. Reviewing Documentation • Review the documentation referred to in the self-study. • Formulate questions for interviews from the documentation. • Identify any additional individuals you may need to talk with and/or documentation you may need in order to support your decisions.

15. Interviews • Prepare thoroughly • Don’t reflect personal values • Don’t be distracted by individual agendas • Avoid taking sides on local issues • Keep an open mind • Don’t take opinions as facts • Always seek verification • Take a look at suggested questions provided in the Standards Workbook and Interview Guide

16. Observing Classrooms Multiple, brief visits will be made to classrooms to validate the implementation of the programs described in the school’s self-study. Observations should also include lunchtime, recess, and arrival/departure/beyond the bell.

17. How We Will Meet as a Team • Participate in deliberations • Be prepared and on time • Key task = Reaching consensus on an accreditation recommendation

18. Writing the Report • Adhere to the template provided • Write in bullet points • Refer to the school’s own factual descriptions • Identify important issues and tie to Standards • Commend and praise the school where it is due • Use suggested language provided for you in Do not be overly prescriptive • We will complete our assignments before we leave the school on the last day

19. Keep These Questions in Mind

20. Does the school meet the Standards and the Requirements of the Protocol? RECOMMENDATION MONITORING ISSUE STIPULATION* MEETS/DOES NOT MEET* Refer to definitions provided

21. Ending the Team Visit… • Complete your writing and return to me • Oral Report • Surveys

22. What Happens After We Leave?

23. Starting Our Visit • Introduction to the School • What are your first impressions of the school and its community? • Questions and Reflections • Discuss the school’s Lessons Learned (if applicable) • Now that we have reviewed the school’s Self-Study, which indicators did the school and community feel they were exceeding? • Which ones did they feel needed improvement? • What are your main concerns as a team member?