The WASC Mission

WASC advances and validates quality ongoing school improvement by supporting its private and public elementary, secondary, and postsecondary member institutions to engage in a rigorous and relevant self-evaluation and peer review process that focuses on student learning.

Guiding Principles

The Plan is based on the following key guiding principles of effective organizational communication:

• Organizational Communication is a management process with specific purposes and disciplined methods of development implementation, and measurements. It is accomplished through a strategic communication plan reviewed and approved by senior management.

• Organizational Communication is a change agent. Its purpose is not just to convey information, but to change behavior. It changes behavior by persuading people to take action toward WASC’s objectives.

• The responsibility for organizational communication lies with all. WASC Leadership (and Communications team or department) is responsible for designing and delivering the system and tools that enable employees and stakeholders to play their role as communicators and ambassadors for the organization.

• Communication is a two-way process. Listening and encouraging feedback must be as emphasized and practiced as speaking and providing information and directions. Two-way is the only way for communication to actually exist in the organization.

• To be effective, communication must be grounded in the interests and language of the receiver. While it seeks to achieve the organization’s strategic objectives, it cannot do so effectively unless it uses a receiver-focused approach in both content and context.

• To be noticed, communication must be compelling, yet professional. As it must compete for the receiver’s attention, communication must use highly compelling and creative ways to deliver its message.

• To be influential, communication must be credibl . Without a high degree of credibility, the integrity and believability of the message will be lost, and the whole communication process will be a waste of resources.

• To be remembered and internalized, communication needs to be continuous and consistent. We cannot afford not to communicate.

Goal/Results

Goal: WASC becomes the gold standard for an accrediting body worldwide. This will happen by increasing visibility and brand awareness of WASC through a comprehensive process of engaging internal and external stakeholders in effective two-way communication.

Results:

• The importance of communications throughout the agency will be elevated.

• All employees, commissioners, committee members and volunteers will understand that effective communication is everyone’s business.

• Effective systems and methods of timely communication of information will be established and maintained to enhance interaction among stakeholders. Increased presence on social media platforms will be a key objective to achieve this result.

• A change in perception of WASC and its services among school members as an important self-study process and school improvement tool to assist schools in identifying gaps and challenges.

• WASC will, within its current capacity, increase international school membership by three percent annually

• WASC will, within its current capacity, increase U.S. school membership by three percent annually

Key Messages

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WASC is student-centered, with an emphasis on equity and equitable access for all students.

WASC accreditation is an important, valuable and ongoing process that leads to quality school improvement. Our process can be used outside of the accreditation journey as a valuable tool and be used as part of other processes such as LCAP and SARC.

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WASC services are effective, efficit and economical. WASC is a true non-profit oganization that exists to serve schools and students with the lowest fee structure available.

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WASC believes that relationship building is the key to success. People must know, like and trust us for WASC to maintain and grow its reputation and services.

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WASC is a leader in bringing educators together in the spirit of collaboration and best practices.

WASC prides itself on hiring the best and brightest employees.

WASC provides top-level training and resources so that volunteers and site visitation teams can fully understand and engage in the school improvement process.

Objectives

The following objectives provide a more granular look at the “Results” and were extracted mainly from interviews conducted, WASC’s principal survey/ study, as well as general observation. These are not in priority order.

• Create greater visibility and impact of WASC among its member schools and the broader education communities in which they reside and have influene.

• Actively promote and expand the WASC brand while maintaining its reputation as a professional, dignified oganization.

• Sustain the current high school California market by showing the value of being a WASC member beyond just the accreditation process.

• Explore ways to grow the California market at the middle and elementary school level.

• Maintain and grow the Hawaii, Pacific Islands and sia markets.

• Maintain and grow the greater international market through direct outreach.

• Maintain and grow the domestic market through direct outreach.

• Extend visibility and value with California statewide organizations like ACSA, CSBA, CAPTA, CDE, etc.

Target Audiences/Stakeholders

Organizational communication occurs between, and is intended to respond to and influence, the organizations stakeholders. Each of these groups might have different needs, issues, and interests which require special communication strategies, messages and media from the organization.

Internal Stakeholder Groups may include: directors,

External Stakeholder Groups may include: Government agencies

Supporters, donors, friends…

The Public (i.e. local education communities)

Community organizations

Vendors and suppliers

The media