ACS WASC advances and validates quality ongoing school improvement by supporting its private and public elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and supplementary education program member institutions to engage in a rigorous and relevant self-evaluation and peer review process that focuses on student learning.
The Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC is a world-renowned accrediting association and one of the six regional accrediting agencies in the United States that authenticate or certify to the public that schools are quality institutions of learning. American/International schools are also under the auspices of the Department of State, United States of America, one of 47 members and signatories of the Hague Conference, including the convention of October 5, 1961.
WASC is governed by a diverse 35 member commission which affords our members a powerful voice in our work. Our criteria (standards) and user friendly framework for accreditation are based on research into effective school practices that support continuous school improvement and change. We serve schools worldwide and, through our coaching approach, extensive resources and multiple training opportunities, personalize our service to suit the needs of our member schools. WASC works with several partners, for example the IB, and ministries to ensure a seamless accreditation experience.
➔ Public assurance of quality education
➔ Continuous school improvement
➔ Continual self-evaluation and self-study
➔ Comprehensive evaluation of educational quality and performance
➔ Guidance to uphold high standards and integrity
➔ Access to WASC resources, tools, and network
One of the notable aspects of WASC's approach is its emphasis on providing personalized support to schools. WASC's personalized approach acknowledges the unique qualities of each educational institution and supports them in their quest for ongoing enhancement. By tailoring their guidance and resources to the specific needs of each school, WASC contributes to the overall improvement of the education landscape while maintaining high standards of quality and effectiveness.
This approach can be observed through various aspects of services including:
A WASC-Provided Advisor: WASC recognizes the importance of guidance and support for schools as they navigate the accreditation process. To address this, WASC assigns a dedicated advisor to each school throughout their self-study journey. This advisor acts as a mentor, offering expert advice, clarifying expectations, and assisting schools in understanding the accreditation standards and requirements. The personalized nature of this advisorship allows
schools to receive tailored guidance that is specific to their institution's unique strengths, challenges, and goals.
A Systematic Framework for Continuous Improvement: WASC provides schools with a systematic framework designed to guide them in their continuous improvement cycle. This framework offers a structured approach to evaluating various aspects of the school's operations, curriculum, student support services, and more. By following this framework, schools can systematically assess their strengths and areas for growth. This personalized approach acknowledges that each school has its own set of characteristics and circumstances, enabling them to identify their specific needs for improvement.
Tools for the Self-Study Process and Beyond: WASC equips schools with a range of tools designed to facilitate the self-study process and extend beyond accreditation. These tools might include templates for self-assessment reports, resources for data analysis, and guidelines for developing action plans based on assessment findings. By providing these resources, WASC empowers schools to engage in a personalized approach to their accreditation journey. Moreover, these tools often have applications beyond the accreditation process, allowing schools to continue their pursuit of excellence in education.
All organizations to be considered for ACS WASC affiliation must meet the conditions listed below. Applicants will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in determining eligibility.
● Schools must meet the legal requirements of the jurisdiction in which they are located in order for their application for ACS WASC affiliation to be considered.
● The school must be in at least the second semester of operation, with students, teachers, and administration in place.
● Enrollment must reach a minimum of 6 full-time students.
● The school’s program must include at least two grade levels. One exception would involve a new high school that opts to begin only with grade 9.
● Have developed and published a clear statement of purposes together with plans for a curriculum to carry out those purposes.
● Have a management system that provides appropriate direction and oversight for the overall program.
● Have employed a chief administration officer who is qualified for the position.
● Have an organization, facilities, course offerings, and staffing acceptable for the school’s stage of development.
● Have an overall plan including objectives for student achievement and assessment plans to measure progress toward those objectives.
● Have an admissions policy compatible with the school’s stated objectives.
● Have a written curriculum appropriate to the organization’s purpose.
● Have a qualified instructional staff.
● Have plans to provide access to appropriate extracurricular and enrichment activities, if appropriate.
● Have developed an adequate financial base to give reasonable assurance of continuing financial stability.
Informational Video
https://vimeo.com/1011030863?share=copy
Step 1. Complete and Submit the ACS WASC Application
Interested schools and supplementary education centers/programs should complete the online ACS WASC Application. A $500 nonrefundable application fee is required and must be submitted at the same time as the ACS WASC Application. Payment may be made by check or PayPal. International schools may also pay by wire transfer. Checks should be made out to the Accrediting Commission for Schools, WASC and mailed to the ACS WASC office: ACS WASC, 533 Airport Boulevard, Suite 200, Burlingame, CA 94010. Additional information is available on the Getting Started tab of the ACS WASC website (www.acswasc.org) or by contacting ACS WASC. If you have any questions regarding the accreditation process, please feel free to contact the ACS WASC office.
Step 2. Complete and Submit the Initial Visit Report
The completed application will be reviewed to determine whether the school is eligible for ACS WASC accreditation. Eligible schools will complete an Initial Visit Report. Once approved, the school will be provided access to the ACS WASC School Portal which will provide initial visit materials and the initial visit report template for completion. The initial visit report should be submitted via the Action Card on the ‘Reviews/Visits’ page of the School Portal.
An initial visit will be scheduled, and the school will be invoiced an initial visit administrative fee. Following the visit, the school will also be invoiced for the actual expenses of the visiting committee.
A visiting committee will be sent to the school to review the information contained in the Initial Visit Report and to gather additional information. A
mutually acceptable date for the visit will be selected by the school and the chairperson of the visiting committee.
The visiting committee will provide a report and recommendation to the ACS WASC Commission. The Commission will make a final determination whether to grant Initial Accreditation, Candidacy, or to withhold accreditation.
The Commission meets at the end of January, April, and June. The school will be notified in writing of the Commission’s action and will receive a copy of the visiting committee report. Schools will be required to pay ACS WASC membership fees for the year in which they are granted initial or candidacy status and every year thereafter.
Does WASC accredit online schools?
WASC has significant experience in working with online schools. These include schools offering US, Canadian and British curricula as well as schools offering supplementary programs. See our Online Schools brochure for more information.
Does WASC accredit schools offering supplementary programs?
WASC works with schools that offer supplementary programs. Students in Supplementary Education Programs (SEP) need to be enrolled in full time education in another school. See our SEP brochure for more information.
Where can I find more information on WASC/IB Visits?
● WASC/IB Visits Brochure
Does WASC work with multi campus schools?
WASC works with multi-campus schools. Please request further information from WASC
Does WASC offer systems accreditation?
Yes. Please see more information from WASC here
Does WASC accredit programs or sections of a school?
WASC accredits schools not programs. All programs that a school has in place at the time of a self study are included. It is preferable to include all divisions of a school in the accreditation process.
Does it matter if my school does not follow a US school calendar?
No it does not matter. We work worldwide and with schools located in different hemispheres and with different start dates for the school year.
To a large extent a school can determine how quickly it would like to move through the accreditation process. Considerations are the developmental stage of the school, staff members’ knowledge and experience of accreditation and the number of developmental projects that the school is currently undertaking. The following is a guide to the time it takes to move through the various stages to accreditation
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The accreditation process begins by making an application to be affiliated with WASC. This process takes approximately 2 weeks.
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After application a school completes an Initial Visit Report and if the report suggests readiness for a visit it hosts a school visit. This process takes around 2- 4 months. If the report suggests that some areas of the school need additional development, then a bespoke training is held. After the Initial Visit a school may Receive initial accreditation for a period of 3 years
Be granted candidacy status for WASC accreditation
Be required to do additional development before being awarded candidacy status
If a school is granted candidacy status it enters the self study process. This includes an in depth self study followed by a self study visit. A candidate school has a maximum of 3 years to complete the self study. Some schools choose to take less time- around 12 months to 1 year.
Please refer to our fee schedule. WASC believes in providing access to accreditation for schools committed to ongoing school improvement. Thanks to its large portfolio of schools WASC is able to remain cost effective.
Will our school receive support during the process?
WASC has developed a comprehensive and unique coaching program which is included in its fees After application a school is assigned a consultant who will train school personnel in WASC expectations, how to complete the Initial Visit Report and will give input into the draft report. The school will also be given a toolkit to support it align with WASC criteria.
Personalized support continues throughout the self study process through in-school tailor made training sessions to support the school’s identified developmental needs and through scheduled online trainings.
WASC offers networking opportunities through its interactive online platform. This affords schools the chance to connect with schools that are working on similar stages of the accreditation process. The online platform also gives access to resources related to the WASC accreditation process and WASC events that support a school’s development.
WASC member schools will also have access to our bank of resources that support schools through the accreditation journey. They will also have access to special training events related to accreditation and run by specialists in the field.
Schools receive personalized support in the form of training and coaching by the school’s assigned consultant throughout the WASC accreditation process. This support is included in the fees.
Once a WASC member has experience they will be given the opportunity to train as a WASC Visiting Committee member. This affords excellent opportunities for professional development and personal portfolio development.
WASC is one of the six original US regional accrediting agencies and works under the auspices of the Office of Overseas Schools and the California Department of Education. It is highly respected around the world and is licenced to operate as an overseas agency through the Hague Apostille agreement signed in 1961. ACS WASC accredited schools are also recognized schools in the United States education system.
The California Department of Education (CDE) recognizes the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC), as a non-profit, non-governmental regional accreditation agency. ACS WASC and CDE collaborate to ensure the ACS WASC accreditation process is aligned with the planning process for California schools required by state and federal statutes. In California, all public and private high schools need to be accredited by WASC if students are to be considered for admission to the University of California and California State Universities.
Accreditation:
● Is a powerful framework for school improvement and change. Our process is based on current research in the field of school change and adult learning.
● Builds ownership for continuous school development
● Offers opportunities for staff development and professional growth
● Offers opportunities for networking with fellow international educators
● Supports student entry into universities overseas- in particular N. America
● Offers reassurance to parents that the school is a quality school
● Offers reassurance to potential teachers that the school has robust systems and programs in place
● Can support the school work with local authorities.
Dr. Barry Groves, President
Dr. Barry R. Groves has been President of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges since 2018. Before that, he was a Superintendent of Schools in Santa Clara County in California for 23 years. He has written extensively on school accreditation, leadership, and teacher evaluation. Over his career, he has also served as a high school and college teacher, principal, and consultant. His latest book, co-authored with Dr. Marilyn George, is Connecting the Dots of Accreditation: Leadership, Coherence, and Continuous Improvement, published in 2022 by Rowan and Littlefield. His doctorate is from Stanford University in Administration and Policy Analysis.
Dr. Marilyn George, Executive Vice President
As the executive vice president, her responsibilities for the entire ACS WASC worldwide region include: working with international, national and state governments, ACS WASC partner associations, school districts and individual schools in developing and refinement of overall policies, understandings, and detailed procedures; creating/ refining accreditation criteria, materials and processes; developing/ conducting/ facilitating training for all visiting committees/school leaders; training of trainers; supervising and organizing visiting committees and improving related office operations; advising and working with educators and professional associations; and assisting the president with numerous tasks/issues.
Dr. Alvarez is currently based in Singapore. Prior to joining WASC, she served as the Head of School of ISS International School, Singapore. Dr. Alvarez has extensive experience in accreditation, having worked in the field for nine years. During this time she engaged in research in school improvement processes, worked with government agencies, contributed to the development of accreditation protocols, trained educators and administrators in successful accreditation practices, managed processes, and supported numerous schools around the world.
Natalie Merritt began her teaching career as a Primary School teacher working in South Wales, U.K. She then spent 16 years working for the largest K-12 international school in Singapore, gaining experience as head of department, a member of leadership, and living within the residential community.
Dawn Rock joined WASC after 23 years in international education as an elementary teacher, a middle and high school math teacher, and, mostly recently, as a high school principal for twelve years. She has extensive experience as a team member and as chair for school visits, testament to her commitment to the development and growth of all schools.
Massiah, International Consultant
Stephen Massiah is based out of Bangkok, Thailand. Prior to WASC, Steve held positions in international schools in Doha, Qatar; Seoul, South Korea; Bangkok, Thailand; and Hong Kong. Prior to this he was a principal in Toronto, Canada; an adjunct instructor at the Faculty of Education, University of Toronto; and an interim position (secondment) with the Ontario College of Teachers.
After beginning her teaching career in her native Canada, Alana has been teaching and leading in schools in various countries for the past 19 years. She has traveled extensively with her family and has worked in countries including Macau, Kyrgyzstan, Singapore, Austria, and Japan.
Nehad Ahmed has over 25 years of experience in the field of education. She is currently based out of Doha, Qatar, where for the past 14 years she has served as a consultant for the Ministry of Education in Qatar in the area of international school evaluation. She has extensive experience in supporting educational leaders, providing coaching and training, curricular and program development, and policy planning. Prior to moving to Qatar, Nehad Ahmed served as a school principal for several years in her native Southern California.
Michael Bevis, International Consultant
With extensive international experience in teaching, leadership, and strategic planning in diverse educational and community settings, Michael specializes in multicultural and multilingual education, student advising, English language development, international education administration, and teacher development. His skills include strong collaboration, authentic communication, cultural sensitivity, and adaptability. His social work and advocacy focus on cross-cultural development, diversity and inclusion, faith-based communities, child advocacy, and mental health. Additionally, he has achieved full professional proficiency in Chinese/Mandarin and has completed several marathons.
➔ https://www acswasc org/wasc-international/
➔ mail@acswasc.org
➔ Margaret Alvarez, Ed.D. malvarez@acswasc.org
