WASCWASC

WWestern estern AAssociation for ssociation for SSchools and chools and CCollegesolleges

Why Accreditation?Why Accreditation?

Certification to the Certification to the public that the public that the

school is a school is a trustworthy trustworthy institution of institution of

learninglearning

Validates the Validates the integrity of a integrity of a

school’s program school’s program and student and student transcriptstranscripts

Fosters Fosters improvement of the improvement of the school’s programs school’s programs and operations to and operations to support student support student

learninglearning

Assures a school Assures a school community that the community that the

school’s purposes are school’s purposes are appropriate and being appropriate and being

accomplished through a accomplished through a viable educational viable educational

programprogram

A way to manage A way to manage change through change through

regular assessment, regular assessment, planning, planning,

implementing, implementing, monitoring and monitoring and reassessmentreassessment

Assists a school/district in Assists a school/district in establishing its priority areas for establishing its priority areas for improvement as a result of the improvement as a result of the

perpetual accreditation cycle that perpetual accreditation cycle that includesincludes

School self-assessment of the current School self-assessment of the current educational program for students educational program for students

Insight and perspective from the Insight and perspective from the visiting committee visiting committee

Regular school staff assessment of Regular school staff assessment of progress through the intervening progress through the intervening years between full self-studies. years between full self-studies.

Expected School-wide Expected School-wide Learning ResultsLearning Results

This term (ESLRs) seems to This term (ESLRs) seems to be morphing into be morphing into

Schoolwide Learner Schoolwide Learner Outcomes Outcomes

Need to reflect 21Need to reflect 21stst Century Century goalsgoals

What are Schoolwide What are Schoolwide Learner Outcomes?Learner Outcomes?

What should students What should students know and be able to know and be able to do upon exit from do upon exit from

high school?high school?

Schoolwide Learner Schoolwide Learner Outcomes Cont’dOutcomes Cont’d

What is the most What is the most effective preparation effective preparation of students for their of students for their

future?future?

Five School-Wide CriteriaFive School-Wide Criteria

We all need to be familiar with We all need to be familiar with each of the areas even though each of the areas even though your focus group will only focus your focus group will only focus on one of the five areas.on one of the five areas.

We will be looking at our school We will be looking at our school through the lenses of the through the lenses of the following five areas.following five areas.

A. Vision and PurposeA. Vision and Purpose

GovernanceGovernanceLeadership and StaffLeadership and StaffResourcesResources

B. Standards Based Student Learning: B. Standards Based Student Learning: CurriculumCurriculum

All students participate in a rigorous, All students participate in a rigorous, relevant, and coherent standards-relevant, and coherent standards-based curriculumbased curriculum

All students have equal accessAll students have equal access Students have met all requirements of Students have met all requirements of

graduationgraduation

C. Standards-based Student Learning: C. Standards-based Student Learning: InstructionInstruction

All students are involved in challenging All students are involved in challenging learning experienceslearning experiences

All teachers use a variety of strategies All teachers use a variety of strategies and resources, including technology, and resources, including technology, that actively engage students, and that actively engage students, and emphasize higher order thinking skillsemphasize higher order thinking skills

D. D. Standards-based Student Learning: Standards-based Student Learning: Assessment and AccountabilityAssessment and Accountability

Professionally accepted assessment Professionally accepted assessment processprocess

Teachers employ a variety of assessment Teachers employ a variety of assessment strategiesstrategies

The school has an assessment and The school has an assessment and monitoring system: Expected Schoolwide monitoring system: Expected Schoolwide Learning ResultsLearning Results

E. School Culture and Support for Student E. School Culture and Support for Student Personal and Academic GrowthPersonal and Academic Growth

The school leadership employs strategies to encourage The school leadership employs strategies to encourage parental and community involvementparental and community involvement

The school is safe, clean, orderly and has a culture that is The school is safe, clean, orderly and has a culture that is characterized by trust, professionalism, high expectations for characterized by trust, professionalism, high expectations for all.all.

All students receive support and an individualized learning All students receive support and an individualized learning planplan

Students have access to a system of personal support, Students have access to a system of personal support, activities and opportunities at school and within the activities and opportunities at school and within the community.community.

There are Five There are Five Expected Outcomes Expected Outcomes

of our Self-Studyof our Self-Study

Through the completion of the self-Through the completion of the self-study process the school will have study process the school will have

accomplished:accomplished:

The involvement and The involvement and collaboration of all staff collaboration of all staff

and other shareholders to and other shareholders to support student support student achievement.achievement.

Through the completion of the self-Through the completion of the self-study process the school will have study process the school will have

accomplished:accomplished:The clarification and measurement The clarification and measurement

of what all students should know, of what all students should know, understand, and be able to do understand, and be able to do through expected schoolwide through expected schoolwide learning results and academic learning results and academic

standards.standards.

Through the completion of the self-Through the completion of the self-study process the school will have study process the school will have

accomplishedaccomplished::The gathering and analyzing The gathering and analyzing

of data about students and of data about students and student achievement.student achievement.

Through the completion of the self-Through the completion of the self-study process the school will have study process the school will have

accomplishedaccomplished::The assessment of the entire The assessment of the entire

school program and its impact on school program and its impact on student learning in relation to student learning in relation to expected schoolwide learning expected schoolwide learning

results, academic standards, and results, academic standards, and WASC/CDE criteria.WASC/CDE criteria.

Through the completion of the self-Through the completion of the self-study process the school will have study process the school will have

accomplishedaccomplished::The alignment of a long-range The alignment of a long-range action plan to the school’s areas action plan to the school’s areas of need; the development and of need; the development and

implementation of an implementation of an accountability system for accountability system for

monitoring the accomplishment monitoring the accomplishment of the plan.of the plan.