Accreditation

In the spring of 2008, Insight School of Wisconsin was granted full regional accreditation by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, one of six regional accrediting agencies that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The NAAS seeks to advance excellence in education through continual school improvement leading to greater student achievement.

The rigorous accreditation process addresses the full spectrum of a school’s mission and operations, including its vision, beliefs and expectations for student learning; governance, organization, leadership and staff; curriculum, instruction, assessment and accountability; student support services and resources; and programs for continual improvement and student personal and academic growth.

Dr. Ray Lindley, Executive Secretary for the International and Transregional Division of NAAS, commended Insight School of Wisconsin for:

• The energy and effort of the staff to fulfill the requirements for accreditation
• The development of their mission statement, "Insight School of Wisconsin, Above and Beyond Expectations!"
• The development of student guidance courses for new students and seniors to assist them in Their transition to online learning and in planning for high school and beyond
• The careful review and updating of curriculum to meet the needs of all students, including the use of lexile scoring and the recognition of the range of students served by the school
• The commitment to gather as much information as possible about the school, the community, the students, their families to best operate the school
• The teacher development process
• The strong professional staff assembled to direct the Wisconsin program

Insight School of Wisconsin is proud of the work of its students, teachers and staff to earn the recognition accorded through accreditation with NAAS.

Accreditation Q&A

What is accreditation?
Accreditation is recognition of a high-quality and well-balanced educational program. Accreditation serves as the catalyst for school improvement. It generally helps to upgrade the quality of instruction and the school’s program of study. Accredited schools meet Northwest Association of Accredited Schools’ accreditation standards considered essential for quality education.

What is regional accreditation?
Regional accreditation means membership in one of the six regional, nationally recognized associations which accredit schools in the 50 states. These associations are governed by officers selected from among member schools and school districts.

How did my school become accredited?
Accreditation is a four step process. It requires that schools renew themselves every six years by conducting a self-study, hosting a peer evaluation team to review and validate the self-study; complete a school improvement plan and engage in continual school improvement. The process usually includes the completion of an annual report or other approved approach to validating compliance with the standards.

Is regional accreditation new?
The Northwest Association of Accredited Schools was founded in 1917 and has grown to over 1800 member schools in the states of California, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. NAAS also accredits schools internationally and is the primary association for accrediting distance education and travel study schools.

What is the value of accreditation?
One over-riding value of accreditation is the promotion of continuous school improvement. In addition, it affirms that objective conditions for quality and progress exist in the school. Accreditation attests to the potential for excellence and provides a method for the school to show how it meets approved regional accreditation standards and thereby stands as a beacon in the community.

To the Public:

• Regional accreditation assures transferability of credits among other regionally accredited schools.
• Accreditation assures that colleges and universities will accept student credits.
• The community in general is more attractive to prospective incoming families and businesses when it can be reported that its schools are accredited.
• Accreditation assures the public that an ongoing process of evaluation will be a permanent feature of school improvement practices.
• Through local school boards, the public can receive information regularly on the extent to which their school is meeting standards.

To the School:

• Accreditation leads to the improvement of the school through its own efforts. To meet and exceed NAAS standards requires total school involvement and a serious commitment to educational renewal.
• Accreditation demands that the school undertake a periodic evaluation which is a stimulus for growth, improvement and directed change.
• Accreditation permits the school to be an active participant in the shaping of American education because the standards set by the association usually forecast the direction schools will take in the future.
• Accreditation provides a school with a means of demonstrating accountability. It indicates that the school is judiciously utilizing the resources at its command.
• Parents know that staff development and instruction will relate to the school’s mission and beliefs.
• Officials of schools and school districts can draw on a large reservoir of professional help to continually monitor and improve the education they provide students.
• The feedback from the state accreditation committee gives schools additional ideas and the opportunity to share ideas among school leaders.