FAQ

There are two main types of educational accreditation: institutional and specialized (or programmatic).

• Institutional accreditation evaluates a school wholistically, assessing standards in light of the institution’s mission and stated goals. Areas such as governance and administration, financial stability, physical resources, technology, admissions, and student services are covered by institutional accreditation. This is the type of accreditation NEASC provides.
   
• Specialized or programmatic accreditation evaluates particular programs within an institution. Specialized accreditation is often associated with national professional associations such as those for engineering, medicine, and law, or with specific disciplines such as business or nursing. Career and technical schools/centers accredited by NEASC may also have specialized (or programmatic) accreditation, but the status of NEASC Accreditation encompasses the entire institution.

Educational institutions which voluntarily demonstrate through the NEASC’s assessment processes that they are aligned with established Standards are Accredited, and thus become members of the Association.

Accreditation is not a single event, but rather an ongoing, voluntary cycle of comprehensive internal and external assessments, short- and long-term strategic planning, and periodic reporting sustained by professional partnership and support. Member schools must, according to the appropriate Commission protocol, periodically demonstrate continued alignment with NEASC Standards in order to maintain their NEASC Accreditation/Membership.

Schools that have applied to NEASC and have been approved to start the accreditation process have achieved "eligibility" but are not yet considered Candidates for Accreditation.

After a school has been deemed eligible, a formal application and a visit by a team from NEASC will then determine the school’s readiness to be recognized as a Candidate for Accreditation. 

The status of "Candidate for Accreditation" follows eligibility. It is a temporary designation preceding accreditation that indicates an institution has achieved initial recognition and is progressing toward accreditation. At the Candidacy stage a school becomes a member of NEASC but is not yet fully accredited. Achieving Candidacy does not guarantee eventual NEASC Accreditation.

No. NEASC acknowledges and respects the unique populations, missions, and cultures of our membership and therefore does not compare or rank schools. Schools are evaluated by how well they fulfill their unique missions, the kinds of programs offered, the culture that is nurtured, and the qualities that will help students succeed. NEASC establishes rigorous standards of quality for all accredited institutions and supports schools wherever they may be on the continuum of improvement and/or transformation. 

The status of NEASC Accreditation is ongoing and subject to periodic review. It is not granted for a specific period of time, nor is it a based on a single event — and it may be withdrawn. A school's membership in the Association is dependent upon its ability to periodically demonstrate continued alignment with the NEASC Standards and continued capacity for self-improvement. 

Member institutions are reappraised on a cycle managed by each Commission. An institution found to be out of alignment with NEASC Standards is normally provided with additional assistance and time to take corrective action. If the school is not responsive, an adverse action may follow (i.e, denial of candidacy, termination of candidacy, denial of accreditation, placement on probation, termination of accreditation). Opportunity is provided for appeal of any adverse action against an institution. Please see the NEASC policies for more details.

Volunteers recruited from and nominated by the professional educational community are at the core of the inclusive, collaborative process of Accreditation. 

The Visiting Teams
Trained volunteers from the educational community work together as a team to visit each school undergoing an accreditation review to conduct on-site, objective assessments and evaluate a school's alignment with the appropriate commission standards. The teams support the determination of accreditation status by submitting reports to the appropriate NEASC Commission for final evaluation. Reports typically summarize observations, validate the school's self-assessment, and identify strengths and recommendations specific to each school.

The NEASC Commissions
The NEASC Commissions are made up of teams of professionals selected from independent, public, and international schools within the US and around the world to represent NEASC's diverse membership. They meet regularly throughout the year to review accreditation reports submitted by and about member schools, and to determine the accreditation status of each member school based on the commendations and recommendations generated by the Visiting Teams. In addition, Commission members provide information to the NEASC Board of Trustees concerning candidacy, initial or continued accreditation, or removal from accreditation for each school undergoing accreditation review. Along with the Board of Trustees, each of the three Commissions is dedicated to the accomplishment of the mission, assurance, and goals of the Association.

No, NEASC does not issue, or authorize schools to issue program awards, certificates, or diplomas to its students. 

The function of accreditation with respect to evaluating the qualification a school issues to its graduating students is to ensure that schools NEASC accredits are adhering to the reasonably expected standard of practice aligned with qualification awarding bodies expectations (US diploma, IB, GCSE, etc.). 

As part of ongoing NEASC Foundation Standards School Visits, and other stages of the accreditation process and the re-accreditation 5-year cycle, visiting teams review samples of student transcripts and evaluations for graduation requirements for the curriculum used by the school. For example, NEASC would review high school diploma requirements at an American curriculum school to ensure the program is aligned to the expected State’s Standards and graduation requirements, and the relevant local requirements of the country where the international school is located. Another example could be reviewing a British Curriculum school and the appropriate end of key stage assessments such as GCSEs and A-Levels, or an IB School that is offering the Diploma programme. 

NEASC is curriculum neutral and does not award or issue diplomas or authorize schools to issue diplomas or qualifications. NEASC does evaluate a school’s effectiveness, their quality of the intended program delivery, and the alignment of practices leading to the intended program award/diploma issued internally and externally by educational bodies or authorities.

Yes. NEASC is an institutional accreditor, so it accredits the institution as a whole, including programs at branch locations, as well as those offered online. 

Yes. As educational models have shifted, NEASC has adjusted to meet the accreditation needs of online schools. Online schools follow the ACE Learning pathway for NEASC accreditation, a framework that is well suited to the innovative world of online learning. Online schools must meet the same Foundation Standards as brick-and-mortar schools, but in a contextually appropriate way.

NEASC considers applications from online schools who: 

• have been fully operational for at least two full years
• offer a full-time educational experience to students via an online experience 
• function as a learning community where relationships between stakeholders are strong  
• are able to benefit from the NEASC accreditation process including a rigorous Internal Reflection process 
• are legally authorized to operate as an online school in the headquarters location 
• offer an English-Medium curriculum that is publicly accessible for students from a variety of countries

If your online school is interested in NEASC accreditation, the first step is to set up a call to discuss the school’s eligibility to apply. Contact gedwards@neasc.org.

The New England Association of Schools and Colleges supports its member schools with the many changes and innovations being developed to meet the needs of 21st century learners. The frequently asked questions (FAQs) below have been developed to help clarify possible implications of these innovations on your school’s accreditation.

• What if teaching and learning at my school is temporarily being conducted virtually for some or all of our students?
  This has no effect on your accreditation status, which, through your ongoing growth in aligning with NEASC Standards validates your commitment and capacity to effectively adapt curriculum and services to meet student needs. We support your efforts to provide continuity of learning and support for your students and staff during temporary school closures.
   
• What if students at my school take approved supplemental virtual classes (conducted by an outside provider) in addition to our in-person teaching and learning?
  Not to worry. This is covered under your existing accreditation and will be reviewed as a part of your typical accreditation visits and follow-ups.
   
• What if my school established a new element (such as a virtual branch campus or program) that allows students (including those outside of our geographic region) to enroll in our school from a distance?
  This change may be considered a “substantive change,” requiring a substantive change report or an application for an “additional campus/element” for your accreditation. This would not include schools that have pivoted to virtual learning for students due to temporary school closures.
   
• What if my school has begun offering individual virtual courses or programs (not resulting in a diploma) to students beyond our current student body?
  Please remember that NEASC does not accredit individual courses but rather the school as a whole. Schools should not represent courses they offer virtually as being accredited by NEASC.

Please contact us if you have any other questions or need additional clarification.

No, NEASC does not accredit programs serving students below the age of three; the focus of the NEASC Accreditation process is on the experience of students in preschool and older. Please note that preschool programs, up to this point, have not been accredited as stand-alone institutions. However, a school which houses a preschool in addition to other grade levels may be permitted to extend the range of its accreditation to Pre-K. For example, a K-5 school that wishes its preschool program to be included in the accreditation process would be accredited Pre-K-5.

NEASC recognizes that the governance and infrastructure of a school support all students regardless of age, and the school culture and climate facilitate the growth of all students regardless of age. We also acknowledge that there are specific programmatic and health and safety considerations for students below the age of three. Therefore, NEASC requires schools which also serve children below the age of three to demonstrate compliance with state standards and state mandates for early childhood programs, and encourages these schools to also work with an agency that specifically focuses on early childhood programs. For example, some independent schools accredited by NEASC which serve infants and/or toddlers have received joint accreditation with the American Montessori Society (AMS), or have sought additional accreditation through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Public schools in the US with preschool programs are encouraged to invite their preschool faculties to participate in the school accreditation process using the NEASC Standards as a guide. All of these options provide quality assurances for early childhood programs. 

No. NEASC is a private, non-profit, non-governmental organization that is funded and supported by its membership. In the best interest of its membership, NEASC has no legal or business ties to the government.

However, NEASC and its Commissions are recognized as approved accreditation agencies by the National Association of Independent Schools and the United States Department of Education. The US Department of State's Office of Overseas Schools has officially recognized NEASC International's accreditation and support work with American and international schools abroad. “Recognition” demonstrates that NEASC has undergone external reviews and affirms that processes and outcomes are in place to support the best interests of students, educators, and the public. 

Accreditation is voluntary. It represents an institution’s willingness to abide by established Standards for Accreditation and to open itself regularly to examination by outside evaluators familiar with education. As such, accreditation is a recognized and highly regarded symbol of quality and accountability to the public.

In order to protect students and the public, many countries around the world have established government regulations that must be met before an educational institution may operate. Institutions in these areas need government approval to operate legally, which may include licensure. Accreditation may or may not be a condition of licensure; requirements vary by country and state.

No. In the US, accreditation is a voluntary process facilitated by non-governmental agencies. Both the federal and state governments recognize accreditation as the mechanism by which institutional and programmatic legitimacy are ensured. In international terms, accreditation by a recognized accrediting authority is accepted as the US equivalent of other countries' ministerial recognition of institutions belonging to national education systems.

Read more online at the US Department of Education

NEASC ​Accreditation is a statement of confidence in the institution's purposes, performances, and resources.

NEASC Accreditation attests to

• substantial compliance with established qualitative standards
• integrity in statements to the public describing the institution's program
• institutional commitment to improvement
• sufficiency of institutional resources

NEASC Accreditation does not

• guarantee the experience of individual students
• guarantee the quality of specific programs
• compare or rank institutions

Yes. NEASC is committed to ensuring that its policies and practices at state, regional, and international levels are fair, impartial, and free of conflicts. As such, NEASC voluntarily undergoes periodic reviews by professional associations which conduct rigorous evaluations of its programs. For example, NEASC is recognized by the International Council Advancing Independent School Accreditation (ICAISA), a national professional association which commends and confirms confidence in the quality of recognized member associations’ school accreditation programs. As a member of ICAISA, NEASC is committed to developing and maintaining a set of Criteria for Effective Independent School Accreditation. The process also challenges ICAISA members to reflect on the changing educational landscape and to improve accreditation practices to support the permanence and strength of schools they serve.

The accreditation process can serve as a guide for an underperforming school. Rather than enter into an immediate self-reflection, the school becomes a pre-candidate and uses the Standards as a guide to determine those areas in need of priority attention. The NEASC staff is available to assist the school in setting both direction and priorities to ensure continuing progress toward shoring up its weaknesses by meeting the Standards. The school and the NEASC work in partnership to determine when the school is ready to begin the full accreditation process.

The accreditation process will not of itself raise test scores. However, involvement in and completion of the process will directly impact the climate for teaching and learning and, as a result, affect test scores.

Contact the registrar of your institution, who can validate its accreditation status and provide proof that you received your certificate/diploma.

A closing institution will arrange to file academic records with the state department of education or other appropriate agency. Contact the education agency in the state where the institution was authorized to operate to start your inquiry.

You can find a school’s accreditation status in the School Directory.

NEASC does not release institutional reports or correspondence. This information is property of the school and is released by the school at its discretion, though many institutions post their reports and self-studies on their websites. You can also contact the chief executive officer of the institution.

For more details, please refer to the NEASC policy on "Release of Information by NEASC".

Yes. NEASC has established partnerships with other agencies to provide joint accreditation pathways for schools when appropriate. These collaborations support the goals of the schools while reducing duplicate effort and streamlining the process for all involved. Representatives from both organizations work together on visiting teams for schools seeking joint accreditation, and the priorities and areas of focus of both associations are embedded into the process.

• American Montessori Society (AMS)
• Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA)
• Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS)
• Connecticut Association of Independent Schools (CAIS)
• Council of British International Schools (COBIS)
• Council of International Schools (CIS)
• Educational Collaborative for International Schools (ECIS)
• International Baccalaureate Organization (IB)

View the list of NEASC's Partners and Associates