Accreditation
Your Assurance of a Quality Education
The Keystone School is accredited by Cognia, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools' Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools(MSA-CESS), and Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC).
Cognia and Middle States accreditation includes all programs at The Keystone School including, Keystone's elementary, middle school, high school, credit recovery, and Adult HS Diploma programs. ACS WASC accreditation is only application to The Keystone School elementary, middle school, high school, and credit recovery program.
Keystone's courses and diploma are widely accepted by schools, colleges, and employers across the country.
About Cognia
Cognia is a global network of enthusiastic educators to help strengthen schools. Their holistic approach to continuous improvement encompasses accreditation and certification, assessment, professional learning, and customized improvement services. Cognia wants all students to have the opportunities that knowledge brings. Accreditation is the launchpad for school improvement. Based on rigorous research-based standards and evidence-based criteria, the process probes the whole institution—from policies to learning conditions and cultural context—to determine how well the parts work together to meet the needs of every learner. Accreditation isn’t about passing a one-time inspection—it helps education providers meet improvement goals and sustain commitments to better learner outcomes.
About MSA-CESS
The Middle States Association is a worldwide leader in accreditation and school improvement. For over 125 years, Middle States has been helping school leaders establish and reach their goals, develop strategic plans, promote staff development and advance student achievement. The Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools, building on the rich history of the Middle States Association, aspire to improve the quality of education in the United States and around the world by assisting schools to achieve excellence through the process of accreditation, by affirming to the public a member school’s trustworthiness and commitment to continuous improvement, by providing the network and resources for the promotion of proven practices.
About ACS WASC
The Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC), a world-renowned accrediting association and one of the six regional accrediting agencies in the United States, works closely with the Office of Overseas Schools under the U.S. Department of State. ACS WASC provides assistance to schools worldwide, especially in California, Hawaii, Guam, Asia, the Pacific Region, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. The Accrediting Commission for Schools, WASC, extends its services to over 5,200 public, independent, church-related, and proprietary pre-K–12 and adult schools, works with 20 associations in joint accreditation processes, and collaborates with other organizations such as the California Department of Education (CDE). CDE has collaborated with ACS WASC in order to align the accreditation process with the planning process for California public schools required by state and federal statutes in the School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) and the Local Control Accountability Plan; the ACS WASC/CDE Focus on Learning (FOL) Joint Process Guide is the collaborative process that helps schools engage in continuous school improvement that focuses on high-quality learning and well-being for all students. Other examples of partnership include working with the International Baccalaureate, the Council of International Schools; the Hawaii Department of Education, and other educational organizations. ACS WASC also collaborates with the University of California regarding the a-g course requirements.
About Accreditation
What is accreditation?
Accreditation is the academic world’s way of ensuring quality educational programs. It is awarded to academic institutions meeting specific criteria for high-quality academic programs, teacher support, and student services.
How do schools become accredited?
Each accreditation process is detailed and rigorous. It is conducted by a team of teachers and administrators from other institutions, who review and assess school programs and services, from the academics to the faculty. Before the accrediting organization’s live visit, the school must undertake an extensive self-assessment that probes every aspect of the school’s day to day operations.
How is accreditation maintained?
Accredited schools are re-examined on a regular basis to ensure that they are not only preserving the high quality that earned them accreditation in the first place, but are making every effort to continuously improve the quality of their educational programs and services.
Additional Approvals
In addition, The Keystone School is currently an approved provider through the Virginia Council of Private Education.
About NCAA
Keystone coursework currently cannot be used for NCAA athletic eligibility. We recommend that prospective student athletes who are looking to participate in intercollegiate athletics in the future consider enrolling in the K12 Private Academy. For more information, please visit https://www.k12privateacademy.com/.
Questions?
If you have additional questions about our accreditations or our accredited programs, please contact us for more information.
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