Palm Beach County School District Launches Continued Accreditation Process
Districtwide Accreditation First Awarded in 2008
Superintendent E. Wayne Gent has announced that the Palm Beach County School District will seek continued accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and School Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) of AdvanceED and has officially launched the comprehensive process to maintain the prestigious designation. The District has enjoyed accreditation of all its schools since first meeting the high standards in 2008 and expects to undergo the rigorous scrutiny of a Quality Assurance Review Team in late January 2013. “District accreditation supports the Palm Beach County School District’s ongoing commitment for enhanced student academic achievement and establishes a nationally recognized mark of excellence for students, their parents, and the business community,” he stated.
School Districts that achieve accreditation enjoy parent confidence that the top priorities are increasing student achievement; providing a safe and enriching learning environment; and running an efficient operation. Additionally, students can be assured that they have qualified teachers who continually work to improve their methods and a better transition from grade to grade where they experience rigorous, diverse, and sound curriculum based on quality standards.
While the District has already successfully met prior standards required by SACS CASI, the team of evaluators will be assessing the district on the following five revised standards when they visit in late January, 2013: Purpose and Direction; Governance and Leadership; Teaching and Assessing for Learning; Resources and Support Systems, and Using Results for Continuous Improvement.
The AdvacED Accreditation Process is a protocol embraced around the world and provides a clear and comprehensive program of evaluation and external review supported by research-based standards. The organization brings together more than 100 years of experience and the expertise of the three largest US-based accreditation agencies—the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC), and the Southern Association of Colleges and School Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI)
For more details about the District’s process for continued accreditation, visit www.palmbeachschools.org, go to the Department category and click School Improvement. Accreditation information can be found on the left hand-side of the page under District Accreditation, or contact process coordinators Dianna Weinbaum, 561-357-7667, Dianna.weinbaum@palmbeachschools.org or Cheryl Baker, 561-434-8792, cheryl.baker@palmbeachschools.org.
