Florida Catholic ConferenceAccreditation Program

Continuous Improvement Process for Accreditation

2015

Accreditation

Accreditation is a means for a school to determine their compliance with a set of standards and benchmarks, determining strengths and opportunities for growth based on evidence. A plan for improvement is formulated.

Continuous Improvement Process for Accreditation (CIPA)

• Communication – with all stakeholders throughout the entire process

• Collaboration – to build ownership• Consensus – agree on the current situation and

goals for the future

CIPA

Steering Committee – Guides the process; educates the staff; administers the survey; oversees the writing of the action plan (Co-chairs; Chair of each Domain)

Domain Committees:– Mission and Catholic Identity– Governance and Leadership– Academic Excellence– Operational Vitality

CIPADomain committees review the benchmarks within their Domain. The Domain Benchmark Guidelines are a good resource.• Do we do this / have this?• Is there evidence?

No right or wrong answers because it is not a test or a “gotcha”. The goal is a clear picture of where the school is and where it wants to be.

Benchmark Activity

Reviewing the Benchmarks• Level of Compliance• Comments / Evidence• Questions or observations

Benchmark Activity

Using the Benchmarks Guides1. Select a benchmark: 4.5, 6.5, 7.4, 7.5, 13.22. Read the rubric & discuss–What does it look like? What questions would

you ask?–What possible evidence do you think you

would want to see?3. Find the associated guideline and discuss

CIPA

Knowing and understanding the benchmarks and the school’s level of compliance is the HEART of the CIPA work. The more time the staff members spend reading and discussing these the better the end product will be.

CIPAWork is completed online: www.eas-ed.accreditrac.com Update the School Profile and Assign “Assistants”: Domain Chairs (and others)

Summary Reports

Main Work Area

CIPADivided into Domains Click on Edit to Open the Benchmark

Click on a radio button to indicate level of compliance

CIPA

Upload the evidence used to determine the level of compliance. The text box for the name is large and can be used to give details about the file/link.

Write comments to explain why that level of compliance was selected. If it was difficult to come to a consensus, explain that. If this is a strength or an opportunity for growth note it in the comments.

CIPA

• As the benchmarks are rated, the strengths and opportunities for growth surface.

• Write these with brief explanations in the Domain Committee Reports.

• Use these to determine the goals for the action plan.

Action PlanGoal Statement (includes specific audience, measurable change, and time frame)

Evidence (List of evidence that will be used to document and evaluate the success of the goal)

Strategy Timeline Person Responsible ResourcesTeachers will…Students will…

Sample Action PlanGoal 1 Angel Gabriel Catholic School faculty will use Catholic intellectual tradition to help students think critically about the world around them. Eighth graders will demonstrate an improved understanding of Catholic intellectual tradition and seventh graders will demonstrate an improved ability to debate by the spring of 2020 (2.5)

Sample Action PlanGoal 2Angel Gabriel Catholic School will update our facilities management and technology plans so that we have an integrated set of planning documents that will enable the school to better use our resources. Through implementation of a new integrated plan, there will be a cost savings of 2% by 2018 and the ability to add $20,000 to upgrade technology in 2017. (12.1)

Two-day Visitation Validate Benchmarks and Action Plans

• Review the school’s ratings and evidence• Validate the work that has been completed,

making suggestions and recommendations for improvement

• Electronic – team members will login on the website to view prior to the visit and to work during visit

Visitation Team

• Chairperson and two team members (more if larger school)

• Chairperson from outside the diocese; Team members may be from within the diocese

• Each team member reviews a different Domain

During the Visitation• Team members review the Domain

Committee Reports, Benchmark Ratings, Evidence, and Comments.

• Observations and interviews are some of the first-hand evidence used to validate the benchmark ratings and action plans.

• A team can always ask for more or specific evidence.

During the Visitation• Meet with Pastor, Administration, Staff, Parents,

and Students; Sample QuestionsPastor • How are you involved with the students, staff,

and administrators (5.5)? • Do you see Catholic identity, scripture, Catholic

Tradition, and Catholic social teachings integrated into all subject areas (2.4, 2.5, 2.7)?

• How do you see the staff as role models for the students (3.4)?

During the Visitation• Observe each classroom for 10 to 20 minutes to

validate level of compliance with specific benchmarks: • Mission statement visible 1.4 • Catholic Culture visible 2.6 • Role Model 3.4 / supports faith life 4.5 • Instruction allows students to become evaluators,

problem solvers, decision makers 7.3 • Instruction prepares students to be excellent users of

technology 7.4 • Instruction addresses affective dimensions 7.5 • Instruction engages and motivates all students 7.6

Reviewing the Action Plan• Is the goal specific and measurable?• Will the evidence demonstrate success of the

goal?• Are a timeline, person responsible, and

resources listed for the steps?• Taken as a whole do the steps lead toward

success of the goal?

Contact

Mary CampFCC Associate Director for Accreditationmcamp@flacathconf.orgOffice – 850-224-7906Cell – 850-728-4272