Become Accredited
Become Accredited
NEASC accredits PK-12 public, independent and international schools within the US, plus international schools in nearly 100 other countries. Accreditation is an ongoing process with NEASC as your partner in school growth and transformation. Accredited schools demonstrate a commitment to self-reflection, public accountability, high-quality learning, and student success.
To get started, you must first ask:
Is our school eligible?
Is our school ready?
For a school to begin the process of accreditation with NEASC it must meet the following criteria:
- in operation for a minimum of a full academic year
- be legally authorized to operate by the local authority (state or national)
If your school is located outside of the United States these additional criteria must be met:
- use English as a primary language of instruction (at least 50% of core subjects) and communication throughout the school or program*
- demonstrate the international nature of the school through a mission which includes creating international citizens, through demographics of the student body and staff, and through the co-curricular experiences and programs offered
- provide a curriculum which in content, design, implementation, and assessment reflects best practices in American and international education
*NEASC expects students from our accredited schools to be able to transfer successfully to similar schools worldwide and, after high school graduation, to enter colleges and universities where English is the primary medium of instruction.
National Schools with embedded international programs may apply to enter the NEASC international accreditation process if the programs are substantial and comprehensive.
NEASC accredits fully online and blended schools if they offer a comprehensive educational experience.
Please use the following questions to help you ascertain your school’s current state, aspirations, and readiness to apply for NEASC accreditation:
- Is the school guided by broadly accepted and understood Guiding Statements of vision, mission, and shared understanding of high-quality learning?
- Is there evidence that students are learning effectively, are engaged with their learning and understand what they are learning?
- Does the school’s learning environment support and nurture the students’ personal, creative, academic, social, and emotional needs?
- Does the school provide an emotionally and physically safe, secure, accessible learning environment for its students and staff, supported by clear policies to support Child Protection and Safeguarding?
- Do healthy, ethical, respectful, trusting, and constructive relationships and interactions between and among students and adults characterize the school culture?
- Does the school equip its students with the skills, knowledge, and understandings to be successful in the next level of formal schooling and beyond?
- Are the school’s faculty, staff, leadership and governance competent, knowledgeable, and qualified in modeling and promoting the school’s Guiding Statements?
- Are the school’s faculty, staff, leadership, and governance committed to ongoing improvement, self-reflection, and life-long learning? Are they aware both of strengths and areas in need of attention?
- Does the school culture encourage future-oriented dialogue, discussion, reflection, and action? Does it tolerate risk-taking and failure?
- Do the school’s resources (financial, equipment, facilities, personnel) assure its long-term viability and development?
- Does the school have comprehensive policies and procedures to guide all major aspects of the school’s operations?
...then we ask that you fill out an Inquiry Form for your school
IMPORTANT: If your school has multiple locations, please submit a separate form for each school/campus.
Once you have submitted an inquiry form, a NEASC staff member will follow up with you to:
- learn more about your school
- confirm whether the school is eligible to start the accreditation process (determined through a site visit or document review, depending on school type)
- determine which accreditation pathway would be the best fit
If your school is located outside of the United States or is an international school based in the US, please sign up for a "Learn More" information session.
Search for upcoming dates on our events page: neasc.org/events
Next steps
What happens after eligibility has been confirmed?
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.
How long will it take to become accredited?
Each school type (independent, international, and public) has some unique steps in their respective processes so this answer can vary; however, how quickly a school can move through the process often depends on the resources and time that can be devoted, and the current state of readiness of the school. Candidate status can often be achieved within a year, while full accreditation can take up to three years.
If a school is transitioning to NEASC from another accrediting agency the process may be more streamlined.
What are the costs?
Each school may be assessed an application fee and be responsible to cover the costs of the site visits to determine their eligibility/candidacy. When a school has achieved Candidate status and later Accredited status, they are responsible for annual membership dues and covering the costs and fees of accreditation and follow-up visits.
We partner with schools to co-create the future of education through purposeful accreditation focused on high-quality learning for all students.