Standards for Advanced Accreditation

Last revised and adopted: May 7, 1998

All the basic college preparatory standards and visiting team guidelines currently required for SCISA accreditation shall be met except as herein modified. In addition, the following revision of standards and practices are recommended.

1. CORPORATE STATUS. The school is a legal entity as evidenced by its incorporation.
   
2. GOVERNING BODY. The governing body has well established and well understood procedures for developing school policy and for exercising its responsibilities.
   
3. NON-DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES. The school admits qualified students and employs qualified personnel without regard to race, color, ethnic background, or national origin.
   
4. EVALUATION PROCESS. The school follows the Evaluation Process established by the South Carolina Independent School Association. The school completes a thorough self-evaluation, which is followed by a SCISA visit, in accordance with the procedures outlined by the Accreditation Committee.
   
5. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE. The school has available for all interested parties, and publishes as appropriate, the following:
   
   
   1. The philosophy and goals of the school
      
   2. A description of the educational methods of the school
   3. A description of the school’s facilities
   4. A list of the professional staff, which includes the preparation and experience of each
   5. A general description of the curriculum
   6. The graduation requirements
   7. A description of the student body, including:
      1. The general criteria for student selection
      2. A statement that average and median scores on standardized aptitude and achievement tests are available.
      3. An assessment of the stability of the student body as revealed by such information as:
         Average yearly new admissions
         Average yearly attrition by cause (dropout, moving, etc.)
      4. Placement and, to the extent possible, academic performance after graduation.
   8. The rules and regulations under which the school operates
   
   
6. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
   1. The school has a well established budget making process.
   2. The school’s accounting system is adequate for its budget.
   3. There is an annual professional audit. (Interpretation: There is an annual compilation financial statement prepared by a certified public accountant in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. An Audit Committee of at least three board members will review the statements and records of the school and make a statement to the Board that the statements present fairly the financial condition and results of operations of the school.)
   4. The school has a clear cut plan for retiring any current debt.
   
   
7. FINANCIAL RESOURCES.
   1. The financial resources are adequate to sustain the program of the school.
   2. The school engages in long-range financial planning.
   
   
8. ADMINISTRATION. The school has an effective administrative organization for carrying out the policies established by the governing board and for conducting the program of the school.
   
9. SCHOOL DAY AND YEAR. The school day and year are carefully planned and are of sufficient duration to provide for the total program of the school.
   
10. SERVICE MANAGEMENT.
    1. Personnel. Service personnel are equipped by training and background for the positions which they hold.
    2. Health Services. Provisions for injury and illness are adequate to meet the needs of the student body.
    3. Food Services. Facilities and staff for food service, if offered, are adequate to meet the needs of the student body, meeting all local health standards.
    
    
11. PHYSICAL PLANT AND FACILITIES. The physical plant and the facilities are sufficient to enhance the academic, athletic, and extra-curricular programs of the school. The school complies with applicable state, municipal, and county health, safety, fire, and sanitation codes.

12. ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS.
    1. Students are admitted only when it has been determined that there are reasonable expectations that the student’s best interests can be served.
    2. The school requires each candidate for admission to undergo evaluation to enable the school and the student to determine if enrollment would be mutually beneficial.
    
    
13. COGNITIVE CONCERNS.
    1. A major concern of the school is the cognitive growth of each student. Cognitive growth includes "the recall or recognition of knowledge and the development of intellectual abilities and skills." (1)
    2. The school is concerned that each student develop to the extent possible, the following cognitive powers:
       1. Knowledge (the ability to recall facts, universals, specifics, methods and processes, patterns, and structures)
       2. Comprehension (the ability to grasp the meaning and intent of material presented)
       3. Application (the ability to use abstractions in particular situations)
       4. Analysis (the ability to detect relationships in material in an organized way)
       5. Synthesis (the ability to remember and interpret ideas in such a way as to be able to arrange and combine them to constitute structures not already apparent)
       6. Evaluation (the ability to make judgments about the value of material and methods for a given purpose)
    3. A major goal of the school is to develop in each student a broadened foundation upon which to make judgments.
    
    
14. AFFECTIVE CONCERNS.
    1. An important concern of the school is the affective growth of each student. Affective objectives include those "which emphasize a feeling tone, an emotion, or a degree of acceptance or rejection.
       Affective objectives may vary from simple attention to selected phenomena to complex but internally consistent qualities of character and conscience." (2)
    2. The school is concerned that each student develop to the extent possible, the following affective powers:
       1. Acceptance of a Value (the ability to attach "worth to a phenomenon, behavior, object, etc.") (3)
       2. Preference for a Value (the ability to become "sufficiently committed to a value to pursue it, to seek it out, to want it.") (4)
       3. Commitment to a Value (the ability to hold a value so that the student seeks to deepen involvement with the value and what it represents.)
       4. Conceptualization of a Value (the ability to see "how the value relates to those that he already holds or to new ones that he is coming to hold.") (5)
       5. Organization of a Value System (the ability to bring together a complex of values and arrange them into an ordered relationship.)
       
       
    3. PSYCHOMOTOR CONCERNS. An important concern of the school is the psychomotor development of each student. Psychomotor development "emphasize(s) some muscular or motor skill, some manipulation of material object, or some act which requires a neuromuscular co- ordination." (6)

16. QUALIFICATION. The professional staff members are qualified by preparation and experience for the positions they hold and for the work to which they are assigned. The headmaster must have a masters degree or above.
    
17. EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY. Each member of the professional staff understands and supports the school’s statement of philosophy and goals.
    
18. EDUCATIONAL METHODS.
    1. The school has developed well-defined assumptions about the learning and teaching processes which all members of the professional staff understand.
    2. The school has adopted educational methods appropriate to its assumptions about the learning and teaching processes, and each member of the professional staff uses methods consistent with these assumptions.
    
    
19. PROFESSIONAL CONCERNS.
    1. Supervision The professional staff receives ongoing supervision and assistance from the administration, which is designed to improve instruction.
    2. Evaluation The school provides an annual evaluation of individual staff performance which is understood by, and shared with, each member of the professional staff.
    3. Growth The school provides, on a regular basis, opportunities for the professional growth of the staff, with such professional development being supported by an adequate line item in the budget.
    
    
20. INVOLVEMENT IN PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT. The school involves, in appropriate ways, the professional staff in the development and implementation of the school’s educational program, including a well articulated curriculum guide for all subject and grade levels.
    
21. COMPENSATION. There is a reasonable concern and attempt to develop fair and adequate salaries and fringe benefits for all employees.
    
22. QUALITATIVE STANDARDS. The school has a SAT standard of either a 1100 average split score of the top 25% of students that take the SAT or ACT equivalent (which may include the previous year‘s graduates.). Has Stanford Achievement scores of 60% of the national percentile or better on the total battery over four grade levels for the year previous to accreditation.
    
    

    Accreditation Standards

    Last revised and adopted: May 6, 2004

    
    
    

    I. An accredited independent elementary school must employ qualified (defined II, B) teachers and other necessary staff personnel, maintain a proper pupil-teacher ratio (defined II G), use a course of study appropriate to its pupils, adopt adequate textbooks approved by appropriate personnel or by a committee on standards representing the SCISA, provide adequate library services and adequate guidance services including annual use of nationally recognized tests to validate local evaluation and to determine proper placement.

    
    

    II. An accredited independent secondary school must meet the minimum standards set by the SCISA. To be accredited, an independent secondary school must:

    
    

    A. Employ a school administrator with at least a bachelor's degree who does not teach more than two of the following: Two periods a day or coach two varsity athletic teams, or one of each. An assistant administrator, who teaches less than a full load, is required in schools over 250 enrollment.

    
    

    B. Employ teachers in grades K5 (hired after January 1994) through 12 whose academic training, experience, or combination of same, fully indicate the professional ability, insight, and enthusiasm necessary to complete classroom assignments satisfactorily. Each teacher in grades K5 through 12 must have a minimum of a state certificate and/or bachelor's degree.

    
    

    C. Employ a sufficient number of such teachers to sustain a curriculum that shall include one or both of the following:

    
    

    GENERAL DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS:

    
    

    Subject Units English ............................................................................................................... 4 *Mathematics ................................................................................................... 3 *Science ........................................................................................................... 3 *Social Studies (One of these must be a unit in American History) ......................… 3 Electives .......................................................................................................... 5            

    * Two units of the same foreign language may be substituted for two of the following three units: One unit of science, one unit of mathematics, or one unit of social studies.

    
    

    COLLEGE PREPARATORY DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS:

    
    

    Subject Units English ........................................................................................................... 4 Mathematics (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II) .................................................... 3 Science (Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry, or Physics, I and/or ) .................. 3 Social Studies (American History, European History, Government/Economics 1/2 each)... 3 Foreign Language (Two units of the same language) ............................................ 2 Physical Education .......................................................................................... 1 Electives ........................................................................................................ 4            

    
    

    Appropriate research experiences should be included in the curriculum.

    
    

    v These may apply to one "track" of a high school with more than one curriculum or to a high school as a whole. If only part of the school is meeting these, the administration must be sure the Board, pupils, and parents are aware of which pupils are in which "track," and the school's diploma should indicate the distinction.

    
    

    n A school chartered for diagnosed learning disabilities may receive special consideration in the areas of course requirements and grade level promotion.

    
    

    Levels in each curriculum as applicable to each individual member school:

    
    

    n FOR ADVANCEMENT TO: GENERAL DIPLOMA COLLEGE PREPARATORY Sophomore (grade 10) 4 units 4 units Junior (grade 11) 8 units 9 units Senior (grade 12) 13 units 14 units Graduation 18 units 20 units

    
    

    Each member school shall determine eligibility for grade placement according to entrance tests, past records, and the needs of each individual student.

    
    

    D. Operate the school no fewer than 5 1/2 hours per day for a minimum of 180 school days (gross) per year. This is defined as no less than 175 student school days per session with only three half-day exam days each semester being allowed to count toward the total number of days as a full day. Gross days are defined as student days plus faculty in-service days. One-unit courses meet five days per week for a minimum of 45 minutes each period or the equivalent.

    
    

    E. Provide an on-campus, centralized (inventoried and controlled) access to sufficient library books, technological and other resources, to supplement and enrich the total school program emphasizing instruction in research skills. Complete library standards are included in accreditation standard packets. Note: Use of off-campus research facilities is encouraged, but this should not take the place of the on-campus facility.

    
    

    F. Provide adequate guidance services including annual use of nationally recognized achievement tests to validate local evaluation and to determine proper placement. Administer achievement tests to four grades each year and I.Q. tests to at least three grades each year through the SCISA testing program. In addition, P.S.A.T.'s must be given in the 10th or 11th grade.

    
    

    G. Realize that though the SCISA strongly recommends a maximum class size of 25 pupils per class, schools may increase this number to 28 per class. Any increase above 28 requires action of the school's Board ofDirectors and must be documented and be available to the SCISA upon request.

    
    

    H. Keep adequate permanent records on teachers and pupils, including current valid transcripts on all teachers and pupils. An official transcript or copy of the official transcript showing the college seal is required on teachers and administrators.

    
    

    I. Schools must make provisions for annual faculty development.

    
    

    J. Administrators and/or school representatives must attend at least one headmasters' meeting (November or March) each year, and are encouraged to attend workshops and take graduate courses.

    
    

    K. Have curriculum guides which provide a detailed description of the curriculum of the school available for inspection by the visiting team.

    
    

    L. A school must have a LONG RANGE PLAN. The Long Range Plan must include all of the following elements:

    
    

    1. A three to five year outlook for the school.

    2. A statement of the enrollment goals of the school.

    3. A statement of the budget and salary goals of the school.

    4. A plan and demonstration of consistency between the school's Mission Statement and the Long Range Plan.

    5. A plan and demonstration of consistency between the school's Curriculum and the Long Range Plan.

    6. Input from the broad school constituency concerning these listed items.

    
    

    III. A school's physical facilities must meet the applicable federal, state, and local safety, fire, and *health (*definition: including immunizations, School Employee Evaluation For Tuberculosis, and Blood borne Pathogens) regulations. In laboratories these regulations require that the laboratory include eye wash, safety shower, ventilation, gas and water cut-offs located inside the laboratory, two fire extinguishers, and safe storage for flammable substances. The grounds shall provide areas for physical education and recreation and the building shall be maintained to provide a safe, sanitary, and attractive environment for learning.

    
    

    IV.

    
    

    A. A school is normally accredited for three years. However, the visiting committee may recommend either of two one year periods of accreditation when it feels the circumstances warrant, including but not limited to, frequent faculty, administration, or trustee turnover and/or a sharp decline in student enrollment.

    
    

    B. Provisional Accreditation is a one year accreditation of a school that is not currently accredited and meets many of the requirements but needs to improve in certain areas without undue delay. Though this will be most frequently used for schools never before accredited, it may be used for schools which have lost accreditation.

    
    

    C. Probational Accreditation is a one year extension of a currently held full accreditation when the school does not merit a renewal of accreditation for the full three year term.

    
    

    D. Effective July 1, 1995, the maximum length of time a school may hold provisional or probational accreditation shall be two years.

    
    

    E. Each time a school is visited, the following accreditation charge will be required in advance: $450.00 for schools with enrollment of 400 or more; $350.00 for schools with less than 400 enrollment. Advanced Accreditation fee is $900.00. A fee of $175 will be required if an additional on-site visit is required for the school to complete the accreditation requirements or to verify that any deficiencies have been satisfied.

    
    

    F. The accreditation of any school may be temporarily suspended by the Accreditation Committee, after the Committee's review, if it appears that the school may not be meeting all accreditation standards.

    
    

    G. An Initial Accreditation becomes effective at the Board meeting at which it is approved. Basic and Advanced accreditation become effective and expire on July 1.