Accreditation Process - International Education

ACE Learning - External Review Visit

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ACE external visit icon
External Review Visit

A Team of 4-6 External Review Visitors, trained and appointed by NEASC, will spend a week with the learning community, engaging in a series of structured conversations and learning observations involving all constituencies. 

Purpose

The purpose of the External Review Visit is:

  1. To verify Internal Reflection conclusions and validate the process used to arrive at these conclusions.
  2. To observe learning (Approx. 75% of the Team’s time will be spent shadowing learners and observing classes).
  3. To understand where the school currently is in its progress on the Transformational Learning Continuum.
  4. To assess the learning community’s conceptual understanding of and commitment to the ACE Learning eco-system as well as its capacity and competency for implementing change.
  5. To write a report that summarizes the Team’s perceptions and observations and offers further advice and recommendations to the learning community.
  6. To determine follow-up actions and processes designed to support the learning community in implementing its major Learning Plans.
  7. To agree on a recommendation to NEASC with respect to the learning community’s accreditation status. The Team may recommend that the learning community
    • Be accredited
    • Be accredited with qualifications
    • Have accreditation postponed/deferred for specified reason(s)
    • Be denied accreditation.

Process

The Team Chair will contact the school approximately 2-3 months ahead of the External Review Visit to begin the process of putting together a visit schedule and discussing visit logistics. During the External Review Visit the Visitors:

  • Observe classes, shadow learners (Approx. 75%+ of the Visitors’ time will be dedicated to observing learning).
  • Meet with learners, teachers, learning community leaders, parents, and members of the Governing Body.
  • Conclude with an exit meeting with the leadership during which the Visitors share their perceptions, conclusions, and chief recommendations.

NEASC’s Commission on International Education will review the Team’s External Review Report and Accreditation Recommendation, and the school will be informed of the outcome within approximately 4-6 weeks following the External Review Visit. The outcome letter will also stipulate follow-up actions the learning community is expected to complete within a specified timeframe.

I would like to record my enormous appreciation of the NEASC Visiting Team for their wonderfully educational lens. It was remarkable to see the small things which they noticed, their capacity to engage thoughtfully with the entire school community, and the generous way in which they communicated that the ACE Learning protocol is a journey in self-improvement so that it became an enabling exercise for everyone. 

— Dr. Shalini Advani, Director, Pathways School Noida, India