NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION
OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, INC.
Commission on Public Schools
Committee on
Public Secondary Schools
2020 – A VISION FOR LEARNING
AN OVERVIEW OF THE RE-DESIGNED ACCREDITATION PROCESS
FOR 2020 SCHOOLS
Prepared for schools hosting visits in
2020
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An overview of NEASC and CPSS
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The 2020 Accreditation Process
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The value to you and your school
An Overview of NEASC
and CPSS
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NEASC – is the oldest regional educational
accrediting association
NEASC includes 4 Commissions that accredit
PreK – 16 schools
NEASC accredits over 2000 schools and
colleges in six New England states and
around the world
◦ CPS – Commission on Public Schools (PreK-12)
 CPSS – Committee on Public Secondary Schools
 CPEMS – Committee on Public Elementary and Middle Schools
 CTCI – Committee on Technical and Career Institutions
◦ CIHE – Commission on Institutions of Higher
Education
◦ CIE PS-12 – Commission on International Education
◦ CIS – Commission on Independent Schools
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CPSS is led by 26 volunteer Committee
members from the six New England states
◦ Building administrators, central office administrators,
classroom teacher, and public member
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CPSS accredits more than 630 member
schools K-12, 7-12, and 9-12 in New
England
Uses more than 1,100 volunteers each year
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Professional staff
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George Edwards, Director
Alyson Geary, Deputy Director
Edward Gallagher, Associate Director
Kathleen Montagano, Associate Director
Bruce Sievers, Associate Director
William Wehrli, Associate Director
Six administrative assistants
George Edwards
Director
Ned Gallagher
Associate Director
Alyson Geary
Deputy Director
Bruce Sievers
Associate Director
Kathy Montagano
Associate Director
Bill Wehrli
Associate Director
CPSS Mission Statement
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The Committee on Public Secondary
Schools in partnership with member
schools ensures, through an ongoing
accreditation process, that all students
experience an equitable, quality
education vital to the success of a
democratic society.
CPSS Core Values
To achieve our mission CPSS commits to…
• maintain relevant and dynamic Standards of
Accreditation which define a quality education;
• support member schools through selfevaluation, peer review, and ongoing monitoring;
• support research-based practices critical to
continuous school improvement;
• model a culture of self-reflection, collaboration,
and inquiry.
CPSS Core Values
To support the CPSS mission, member schools agree
to…
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participate actively in the accreditation process;
demonstrate alignment to the Standards for
Accreditation which fosters academic, social, civic
growth for students, professional development for
faculty, and continuous improvement and growth
for schools.
Over the last four years, there have been
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regional meetings with principals and
superintendents
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feedback solicited from members and
volunteers
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surveys conducted of all member schools
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Too prescriptive
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Takes too much professional development
time
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Causes the school to stop other improvement
initiatives
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Gets the high school out of sync with the rest
of the district
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Too expensive
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Redundant with other mandated processes
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We convened several committees comprised
of representatives from member schools
which met to review both the process and the
Standards
A new process has been developed and new
Standards are in the process of being
developed based on research and best
practice
An Overview of the
2020 A Vision for Learning
Accreditation Process
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The new Accreditation Process will:
◦ provide opportunities for more sustained
work with CPSS over time
◦ differentiate the use of faculty members
◦ use existing artifacts as evidence
◦ encourage integration of school/district
priorities
◦ use smaller visiting committees
◦ provide fewer overall recommendations that
focus on stated areas for growth
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Preparation for the decennial visit will begin 3
years before the visiting team arrives
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For 2020 schools, the decennial cycle will
begin in the fall of 2017
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Instead of an 12-18 month intensive selfstudy, schools will engage in a more
sustained preparation for the decennial visit
that will be aligned with their current school
improvement efforts
Self-Reflection
2017
Collaborative
conference/visit
2018
Progress updates
2023
Development of
Growth Plan 2018
New/revised Growth
Plan 2021
Implementation of
Growth Plan 2019
Decennial visit
2020
Summary report
2019
Step 1
Create Steering and SelfReflection Committees
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Guides oversight of
the Accreditation
process
Includes 3-8
members
◦ one is the principal
◦ two are Accreditation
coordinators who are
chosen by the
principal to oversee
the process
The Self-Reflection Committee(s) will be
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representative of multiple stakeholders in the
school community
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engage the school’s faculty in the selfreflection process
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A committee comprised of multiple
stakeholders
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Additional stakeholders that will be consulted
for information and feedback
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faculty and support staff
central office administrators
school board/committee
students, parents, community members, business
partners, college partners
All faculty members will vote on the final
report
Step 2
The School SelfReflection
The self-reflection
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will evaluate the school’s alignment to the
Standards for Accreditation
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will take 2-6 months to complete
A Look Back
 Current Conditions
 Capacity for Continuous Growth and
Change as an Organization
 Goals and Vision for the Future
 Areas of Focus for NEASC School
Growth Plan
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(Overview Guide p. 5)
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The Self-Reflection committee will collect
existing artifacts and evidence to help
determine the school’s alignment to
Standards
The school will conduct a survey for parents,
students and faculty and use this data in the
Self-Reflection
The final Self-Reflection will be reviewed and
voted on by the faculty
The self-reflection process and related data
collection will inform the school’s plan for
growth
The survey is
 required for parents, students and faculty
members as part of the school self-reflection
phase
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based on the Standards for Accreditation
provided free of charge from NEASC and can
be repeated annually or at any time the
school desires
For the SCHOOL
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Review of existing conditions
For the VISITING TEAM
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Basis for collaborative reflection
by analysis of evidence
Helps draw conclusions about
what the evidence shows about
the school
Helps determine focus areas for
school growth and improvement
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Provides the basis for the
analysis of Self-Reflection
and other evidence collected
during visit
Helps draw conclusions about
the school’s alignment to the
Standards
Forms the basis for the
school’s priority areas for
growth and creation and
implementation of the school
growth plan
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Based on the findings of the Self-Reflection
Report, the school will develop priority areas
for growth
Priority areas should be any area the school
needs to address to be more fully aligned
with the Standards
Priority areas can also center around school
and district initiatives
Three to four priorities should be identified
and at least one priority must relate to
teaching and learning
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After reviewing the elements in the SelfReflection report, what stands out about this
report and the process to complete it?
How does it differ from the current Self-Study
process?
What benefits or challenges might it bring?
Who might you involve in your Self-Reflection
Committee?
Step 3
The Collaborative
Conference Visit
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Gather information about current conditions
in the school
Review the School Self-Reflection findings
and the priority areas for
improvement/growth
Ensure the identified priority areas reflect
goals that have an impact on student learning
Ensure there are no obvious omissions or
other needed improvement areas to align to
the Standards
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The Collaborative Conference Team will
consist of 2 – 4 visitors
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The Conference takes 1-2 school days
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Activities will include a school tour,
classroom visits, and meetings with various
stakeholders
The date and plans for the visit will be
coordinated with the CPS liaison for the
school
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The Collaborative Conference team will write
a report reflecting upon the visit
The report will include
◦ information from the Self-Reflection as well as
observations from the visit
◦ comments on the identified priority areas for the
school growth plan
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The report will be sent to the school and the
Committee on Public Secondary Schools for
review
Step 4
The School Growth Plan
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The purpose is for the school to outline a
vision for continuous improvement
The plan includes
 priority areas identified by the school
through the Self-Reflection
 can also include school or district
initiatives
The plan can be similar to or integrated
into an existing school improvement
plan
(Overview Guide p. 6-7)
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The school leadership team is responsible for
the growth plan
The faculty should be provided an
opportunity to give input on the proposed
plan
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The plan goals should be aligned to the
Standards for Accreditation
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The school has 12 – 18 months to begin
implementation of their plan
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How will the development of a growth plan
benefit your school?
Does your school currently have a school
improvement plan or another plan that
guides the school’s improvement process?
How will you integrate the Standards into this
plan?
Step 5
The School Summary
Report
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In preparation for the Decennial Accreditation
visit, the school will develop a Summary
Report
The report will include data and evidence to
document the school’s achievement of the
goals in the NEASC Growth Plan
The report can be prepared by school
leadership and the Steering Committee or a
separate committee can be formed for this
purpose
A Look Back
 Progress on the Growth Plan
 Looking Ahead
 Capacity for Continuous Growth and
Change as an Organization
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(Overview Guide p. 8)
Step 6
The Decennial
Accreditation Visit
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Assess the implementation of the school
growth plan
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Assess the school’s alignment to Standards
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Ensure school has the capacity to be an
effective learning organization
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Provide targeted recommendations related to
elements of the growth plan
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In general, Decennial Visit teams will be 6–8
visitors for 3–4 days
The size of the team and the length of the
visit will be determined by the size of the
school and the scope of the growth plan
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The visit will not include a requirement for
teacher interviews on Sunday
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The primary purpose will be to observe
teaching and learning throughout the school
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Focus on the implementation of the school
growth plan and student impacts/outcomes
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Panel presentation/overview of the school
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Conversations with teachers
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Examination of student work
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Student shadowing
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Classroom visits and observations
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Meeting with steering committee
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Meetings with various stakeholders
Step 7
Continuous Improvement
and Growth
 Report
 Accreditation Decision
 Follow-Up
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The visiting team chair will send a draft
report to the school within 6 weeks of the
visit
The report will
◦ be shorter and more targeted than previous
decennial reports
◦ contain detailed feedback on elements of
the school growth plan, the school’s
capacity for continual improvement, and a
brief summary of the school’s alignment to
all Standards
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The Committee on Public Secondary Schools
will review the Decennial Report and decide
on Continued Accreditation for the school
The school will
 revise the growth plan within one year of the
Decennial Visit
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take into consideration the recommendations
received in the Decennial Report
submit the revised plan will be submitted to
the Committee on Public Secondary Schools
for review and comment
The school will
 receive more information about the follow-up
process following the Decennial Visit
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report on the major recommendations from
the Decennial Visit and the implementation of
the revised growth plan two years and five
years after the submission of the plan
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Schools are no longer required to assign all
staff to a Standard Committee
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The Self-Reflection process has been
streamlined and will take 2 – 6 months
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The Collaborative Conference Visit has been
added to help schools apply their SelfReflection to the development of a plan
Schools are required to develop a growth plan
as part of the Accreditation process
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Schools will write a Summary Report for the
visiting team
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The decennial visiting teams will be tailored
to meet the needs of the school
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The visit is designed to increase focus on
observing teaching and learning
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Schools will develop an improved growth plan
based on the recommendations from the
Decennial Visit
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Participate in faculty discussions about
alignment to the Standards
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Provide evidence and feedback as needed for
the Steering and Self-Reflection committee(s)
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Review and approve the completed SelfReflection
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Provide input into the NEASC Growth Plan and
participate in implementation
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Participate in the Collaborative Conference
and Decennial Visits
Timeline
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Spring of 2017 – Receive and complete an
application for accreditation
Fall of 2017 – Attend an Accreditation
seminar, receive a visit from a CPS staff
member and develop a Steering Committee
and Self-Reflection Committee
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Fall/Winter 2017/Spring of 2018 – Write
School Self-Reflection
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Spring/Fall 2018 – Host Collaborative
Conference Visit
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Spring/Fall 2018 – Write Growth Plan
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Fall 2018, Spring/Fall 2019 – Implement
Growth Plan
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Fall 2019/Spring 2020 – Write Summary
Report
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Spring/Fall 2020 – Host Decennial Visit
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Spring/Fall 2021 – Revised Growth Plan is
submitted to CPSS
Timeline
Spring 2020 Schools
Fall 2020 Schools
Fall/Winter
2017
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Complete Self-Reflection
Winter/Spring
2018
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Host Collaborative Visit
Develop Growth Plan
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Complete Self-Reflection
Fall/Winter
2018
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Implement Growth Plan
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Host Collaborative Visit
Develop Growth Plan
Winter/Spring
2019
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Implement Growth Plan
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Implement Growth Plan
Fall/Winter
2019
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Implement Growth Plan
Write Summary Report
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Implement Growth Plan
Winter/Spring
2020
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Host Decennial Visit
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Implement Growth Plan
Write Summary Report
Fall/Winter
2020
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Update Growth Plan
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Host Decennial Visit
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Update Growth Plan
Winter/Spring
2021
Accreditation Cycle
Evaluation
Visit
SelfStudy
Pre-Self
Study
Two-Year
Report
Five-Year
Report
Self-Reflection
2017
Collaborative
conference/visit
2018
Progress updates
2023
Development of
Growth Plan 2018
New/revised Growth
Plan 2021
Implementation of
Growth Plan 2019
Decennial visit
2020
Summary report
2019
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The portal can be used as a tool throughout the
Accreditation process
The school can create portal accounts for as many
faculty members as desired
Write/upload the School Self-Reflection report and
the Summary Report in the NEASC online portal
Upload/link pertinent evidence electronically into
the portal
Generate the Self-Reflection Report and Summary
Report automatically from the portal
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A draft will be available in late June, feedback
solicited and a final copy ready by September
The same concepts from the current
Standards will be present in the new
Standards
The organization of the Standards will be
revised
Schools will be asked to align with
overarching principles rather than individual
indicators
The Value of Accreditation to
You
and Your School
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Conduct and receive a rigorous analysis of
present conditions so that needed changes
may be carefully planned
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Focus on the bigger picture and the school as
a whole
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Focus on systemic school improvement
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Enjoy professional pride of working in an
accredited institution
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Assists administrators and teachers in
working toward school improvement
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Assures students that their school has the
capacity to meet their educational needs
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Affirms that school board educational policies
and plans are guided by community values
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Assures the local citizen that tax dollars are
supporting 21st century school programs and
a 21st century facility
Peer
Evaluation
SelfReflection
School Improvement and
Accountability
NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, INC.
COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Alyson Geary, Deputy Director
781-425-7736 | [email protected]