Florida Catholic Conference Accreditation Program

Mary Camp, FCC Associate Director for Accreditation

Goals for Today1. Acquaint or refresh you with the FCC Accreditation

Program.2. Familiarize you with the National Catholic

Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary schools

3. Prepare you for this year’s accreditation activities (many of you are prepping for a visitation either this year or next year and/or preparing to be a team member on a visitation.

Florida Catholic Conference Accreditation Program

Brief Background

Accreditation = Continuous Improvement

In Georgia – Five Year CycleIn Florida – Seven Year Cycle

• Year 1 – Implement Action Plans and report to DOSV• Year 2 – Implement Action Plans• Year 3 – Implement Action Plans & Third Year

Conference (TYC)• Year 4 – School Improvement Plan process (SIP)• Year 5 – SIP Visitation

FCCAP – Georgia

• Year 1 – Implement Action Plans and report to diocese• Year 2 – Implement Action Plans• Year 3 – Implement Action Plans & Third Year

Conference (TYC)• Year 4 – Implement Action Plans• Year 5 – Implement Action Plans• Year 6 – School Improvement Plan process (SIP)• Year 7 – SIP Visitation

FCCAP - Florida

FCCAP

• St. James – Year 1• St. John the Evangelist –

SIP• St. Joseph – Visit• St. Mary on the Hill – Year

1• St. Peter Claver – Visit• St. Peter the Apostle – SIP• St. Teresa – SIP

• Blessed Sacrament – Visit • Immaculate Conception -

SIP• Notre Dame Academy – SIP• Sacred Heart – SIP• St. Anne Pacelli – Visit• St. Frances Cabrini – TYC• St. Francis Xavier – SIP

Where is your school in the cycle?

ANNUAL EVENTS

• Annual Events• Pay Dues – The Diocese pays these for

DOSV schools• Complete Annual Report for Continued

Accreditation (ARCA)• Order National Council for Private School

Accreditation (NCPSA) Certificate if desired

FCCAP

STANDARDS

STANDARDS

• Beliefs & Mission• School & Community• Program of Learning• Personnel• Administration• Learning Media Services• Pupil Services• School Plant & Facilities

• Mission & Catholic Identity

• Governance & Leadership

• Academic Excellence• Operational Vitality

Current FCCAP

National Catholic

• Review the standards and report school’s compliance• Request Limited Teaching Endorsement or Waiver, if

needed• Institutional Integrity• FCCAC review• Accreditation Status:• Accredited • Accredited Advised• Accredited Warned • Accredited Probation• Accreditation Revoked

www.EAS-ed.org

Annual Report for Continued Accreditation

(ARCA)

The www.EAS-ed.org Web site is a very valuable resource.

Under Resources you will find:• Policies and Procedures• Principles and Standards• Visitation Manual

News and Links provide information about our program, and connections to various education related Web sites.

Login – Dashboard:• Private Resources –

Companion• Payments• ARCA

FCCAP

Login – Dashboard:• Need email address

& password

• From the Dashboard you can see items in the

• EAS-Ed Management Box• E-ARCA• Previous E-ARCAs• Payments• Profile

• Private Resources• FCC Companion Manual• SIP Sample Calendar• TYC Report Template• Yearly Report Template

www.EAS-ed.org

FCCAP

CYCLE EVENTS

• The Companion – Guide for the process• SIP notice from my office• Meetings with DOSV personnel• Form a steering committee and area

committees• Collect and analyze data (including

student performance and survey results)• Create a SIP Report

Year 4 or 6 – School Improvement Plan Process

• School Profile• Mission and Belief• Desired Results for Student Learning• Analysis of Instructional & Organizational

Effectiveness• Action Plan• Accreditation Standards Review

School Improvement Plan6 Main Areas

• Currently FCCAP uses online questionnaires from AdvancED.

• Available to the Georgia schools through ASSIST.• Login on www.advanc-ed.org • Go to ASSIST and start a new survey• Have you been contacted by AdvancED?

Surveying Stakeholders

First 4 Areas – doing research, collecting and analyzing data to get a complete picture of the school’s history, where it is now, and setting goals for future progress

Action Plans• Make the Goals concrete and measurable

(ASSIST)• Analyze the data• Adjust the goals as needed

SIP

School Profile

Mission &

Belief Statements

Desired Results for Student Learning

Analysis of Instructional & Organizational Effectiveness

Action Plan

Data Analysis Student

Performance

Specific Measurable Goals to Document

PerceptionsStrengths & Weaknesses

Accurate Account

• Home diocese verifies school readiness• Chairperson brokered by FCCAC• 2-3 Additional Team Members• Three day visit traditionally begins

Wednesday afternoon with a school tour and Opening Event that evening. Thursday – meetings and observations. Friday is an early dismissal day and concludes with the Oral Exit Report around 1 pm.

• Official Visitation Report approved by FCCAC

Visitation

• Diocese verifies school readiness• File Check• SIP Book review• Review of Action Plans• Review of Standards

Visitation

Preliminary Visit – Chair to School

School’s Responsibility Chair’s Responsibility

• Set date with chair (prelim takes place at least 1 month prior to the visitation)

• Send SIP book well in advance of preliminary

• Make arrangements for staff to be present

• File Check Documents

• Confirms date with school (prelim takes place at least 1 month prior to the visitation)

• Read SIP thoroughly, preparing questions

• Prepare schedule for preliminary visit and send to the school well in advance

Preliminary Visit Schedule

• Arrival at School – around 8:00 a.m.• Meeting with Principal & Steering Committee

Chair• Review SIP• Review previous Visitation Report• Review current and previous 2 years of ARCA’s• Prepare Visitation Schedule • Arrange for lodging• Arrange for work area, equipment, supplies, etc.• Obtain school schedule with arrival, dismissal, lunch,• Obtain floor plan of school

Preliminary Visit Schedule

• Arrange for Voucher Forms for Team• Arrange for times and rooms for interviews and

meetings • Review Personnel Credentials - Checklist• Meet with Pastor – procedures and importance of Visit• Tour School Facilities & Grounds• Call Diocesan Office – readiness of school for visit• Meet with Faculty at end of day – information

regarding the Visitation: Team, schedule, questions, affirmation of SIP

Post Preliminary VisitSchool’s Responsibility

Chair’s Responsibility

• Send any necessary documents, revisions to the Chairperson as soon as possible

• Send SIP to team members

• Prepare for the visitation

• Follow-up Letter to Principal –verification of schedule, reminder to send SIP to Team Members, copy of materials sent to Team

• Letters to Team –schedule, assignments, travel arrangements to be sent to Chair and Principal, read SIP thoroughly and carefully

Visitation – Assignment for Team Members

Member 1 Profile & Mission & BeliefsStandards A, B, HInterview – Religion Coor, & Pastor

Member 2 Desired ResultsStandards C, GInterview – Guidance & Resource

Chair: Effectiveness / Action PlanStandards D, E, FInterview – Technology & Media

Pre-Visitation Mailing to Team Members

• Visitation Cover: Team Names & Addresses / Hotel

• Visitation Schedule

• Team Assignments

• Schedule for Interviews and Meetings

Visitation – Day One – Sample

• 11-12:00 p.m. Team arrives at Hotel• 12:30 p.m. Lunch for Team• 1:15 p.m. Team Orientation• 3:20 p.m. Meeting at School with

Administration and Steering Committee

• 4:20 p.m. Tour of School Facilities and Campus

• 5:00 p.m. Dinner for Team and School Officials

• 7:00 p.m. School Activity: Liturgical Prayer, Brief Introduction to Accreditation Program, School’s Presentation , Reception

Keep dinner and presentation SIMPLE!

Visitation – Day One – Details

Orientation of Team• Explain folder• Check names and spelling of Team• Review Schedule• Review Assignments• Standards Checklist / Area Guide

Sheets• Classroom Visits• Review of Results of Preliminary Visit

Visitation – Day One – Details

Guidelines for Administration / Steering Committee Meeting

• Understand process and work on SIP• Clarify and ask questions about SIP• Ask about communication of process• Ask about difficulties / successes• Is school pleased with outcomes? Why?

Why not?• Housekeeping / schedule details

Visitation – Opening Event• Begin with a Liturgical Prayer• Chairperson explains why the team is at the

school• The School presents their executive summary,

school profile, and mission and belief statements• PowerPoint presentation could be used• Students could be included• Stakeholders are invited• Short reception• Entire event no longer than one hour

Visitation – Day Two – Sample

7:30 a.m. Team Breakfast/Meeting8:15 a.m. Meeting with Parents / Community Reps.9:30 a.m. Meeting with Students10:30 a.m. Classroom Observations / School Personnel Interviews11:30 a.m. Team Meeting12:00 p.p. Lunch1:00 p.m. Classroom Observations/ School Personnel Interviews2:00 p.m. Team Meeting

Visitation – Day Two – Sample

3:25 p.m. Meetings with Area Committees (1-4)4:25 p.m. Meeting with Action Plan Committee (include administration, Steering Committee)5:25 p.m. Team Debriefing6:00 p.m. Adjournment7:00 p.m. Dinner for Team

Individual Work Sessions

Visitation – Day Two – Details

Parent/Student Meetings• Meetings are confidential/ Take notes• 10-20 parents / 4th – 8th grade students

(about 10-20)• Questions:• What influenced you in choosing this school?• If you could make changes what would they be and why?• What , in your words, is the Mission of the school?• What do you know of the SIP process and the Action Plan

Visitation – Day Two – Details

Personnel Interviews

• Describe your role and responsibilities.• What was your role in the process of the

SIP?• How do you see your role in the

implementation of the Action Plan?

Visitation – Day Two – Details

Area Section Committee Meetings• Questions of clarification• Questions concerning process• Possible Focus Questions from NSSE

Visiting Team Handbook• Suggestions for possible

recommendations and why

Visitation – Day Three – Sample

7:30 a.m. Visiting Team Breakfast & Meeting9:30 a.m. Meeting with Administration and Steering Committee10:00 a.m. Team Work Session12:00 p.m. Early Dismissal Bell for School12:30p.m. Lunch for Visiting Team and Faculty1:30 p.m. Oral Exit Report2:30 p.m. Adjournment

Visitation – Day Three – Details

Meeting with Administration / Steering Committee

• Review Standards Checklist – ask questions about items not observed

• Review Recommendations to SIP Process and Action Plan

• Share comments from Parent and Student Meetings check for any clarifications

Visitation – Day Three – Details

Team Work Sessions• Share consensually the Area Recommendations• Share consensually Standards Recommendations• Each Member hands in at least 1-2 commendations

and recommendations for Areas and possible recommendations for Standards

• Each Member signs the certificate page of the report• Preparation for Oral Report –

“Talk it – do NOT Read it”!

Visitation – Day Three – Details

Oral Exit Report• Gratitude for hospitality• Affirmation of work done on SIP• Brief update on importance of FCC Accreditation• Chairperson gives brief summary of comments from

Parent and Student Meetings• Each Team Member gives a brief description of area,

commendations and recommendations.• Chairperson summarizes work and implications for

future -- re-accreditation comes from FCC Committee

Written Report• Outline in Visitation Manual

• Introduction – include objectives of Visit, brief demographics, brief description of Visitation process, comments from Interview and

Meetings, as well as uniqueness of school program.

Written Report

• Executive Summary—comment, commendation, and recommendation on implementation of Recommendations to Standards and Process.

• Performance and Progress Report—comment, commendation, and recommendation on implementation of Action Plan goals.

Written Report

Area Reports– brief paragraph, 1-3 commendations and recommendations (Refer only to areas – not standards)

Written Report

Area Recommendations must be specifically addressed to the process

Ex. “The school profile should be updated annually.”

“The priorities for improvement in student learning should be

restated in clear, concise, measurable goals.”

Written Report

Recommendations to Standards• Must relate specifically to standards• Standard deficiencies are listed first; the

remainder are listed in order (A-3, F-2. etc.)

• Use appropriate language, remembering that these are suggestions

Written ReportRecommendations:

D-15 The school should implement a written, school-based program of professional development.

G-1 The school should continue to enhance and delineate more clearly its written plan for counseling services.

Written ReportEvaluation and Summary• Overall impression of the school• Intent to implement Action Plan• Written Report will be sent to FCC

Accreditation Committee for review and granting of status• Statement of appreciation for

hospitality

Written Report

Certificate• Use Worksheets and Assessments to

complete• Indicate Standards Deficiency• Obtain signatures of Team Members

Written Report

Chairperson’s Last Duties • Receive from each Member: • Assessment Tool for Specific Area• Area Work (Comments, Commendations,

Recommendations) • Standards Recommendations

• Obtain signatures on Certificate• Write and edit Report• Review Chairperson’s Checklist

Written Report

• Send report to team members for review• Send report to FCCAC representative.• Send final report, electronically, to

ADA.(Remember, FCC will send copies to school.)

Third Year Conference

• Formal Mid-Cycle Progress Check• Analyze data and create a mini-report focusing on:• Recommendations from the visitation team• Action Plan progress in terms of student performance• Standards Compliance• Reflection of what has been learned in the process• General plans for the remainder of the cycle

• Implementation team (or representatives) meet with DOSV representative and ADA

• Team presents, dialogue, and follow up letter from ADA

Third Year Conference

Questions

I am only a phone call or email awayMary CampAssociate Director for AccreditationOffice: 850-224-7906Cell: 850-728-4272

mcamp@flacathconf.org