Mason High School - North Central Accreditation
6100 South Mason Montgomery Road Mason, Ohio 45040
What exactly is North Central Accreditation?
The North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) is a non-governmental, voluntary organization that accredits more than 9,000 public and private schools in 19 states, the Navajo Nation, and the Department of Defense Dependents' Schools worldwide.
In order to earn accreditation, schools must meet NCA CASI's quality standards, be evaluated by an outside group of professionals, and implement a school improvement plan that focuses on increasing student performance. Accreditation is completely voluntary and must be renewed each year.
Benefits for Students:
Increased performance. Accreditation focuses a school on improving learning for all students. A six-year study of schools actively engaged in NCA CASI's process revealed that 79% made verifiable gains in student achievement. Consequently, NCA CASI accreditation is a proven method for improving student performance.
Transfer of credits. In addition to raising student achievement, North Central accreditation eases the transition of students as they move from one accredited school to another. The regional nature of accreditation allows a receiving school in the same or another state to assess the quality of a sending school and accept the incoming student's credits and academic record. This ease of transfer applies across the nation through reciprocal agreements between the regional accrediting agencies.
Access to programs and scholarship opportunities. North Central Accreditation can also benefit students as they participate in specific sports programs, apply for federal grants or scholarships, or pursue admission to colleges, technical schools, or military programs that require students to come from regionally accredited schools.
Benefits to Parents and the General Public:
Accreditation assures parents and the public that the school is focused on raising student achievement, providing a safe and enriching learning environment, and maintaining an efficient and effective operation. Accreditation extends across state lines, assuring parents and the public that their school adheres to high quality standards based on the latest research and successful professional practices.
Benefits to Schools:
Accreditation provides educators with a proven process for raising student achievement. Educators from accredited schools benefit from multiple resources (publications, manuals, software, professional development, and conferences), all of which assist them in their school improvement process. In addition, educators gain access to a network of over 9,000 schools across a 19 state region for the sharing of best practices and professional knowledge. They also gain valuable information about effective practices in other schools through participation on peer review teams. Through the accreditation process and resources, educators improve their ability to analyze data and make sound educational decisions based on that data. Finally, accreditation provides education leaders at all levels with deserved recognition for going above and beyond the minimum requirements in order to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to quality and to success for all students.
Adapted from the North Central Commission on Accreditation (2006).
