Charleston County School District Receives Accreditation from AdvancED
Staff Report From Charleston CEO
Tuesday, October 23rd, 2018
The Charleston County School District Board of Trustees learned Monday that the district had earned accreditation from AdvancED Performance Accreditation.
Using a set of rigorous research-based standards and evidence-based criteria, AdvancED examines the whole district – the policies, programs, practices, learning conditions and cultural context – to determine how well the parts work together to carry out the district’s vision and meet the needs of every learner.
District Superintendent Dr. Gerrita Postlewait explained that the procedures in place will now better enable the district to determine whether operations and outcomes meet external quality standards.
Accreditation signals a school district's quality and burnishes its reputation. The accreditation process is also used as a management tool to help identify areas for improvement. Students are the ultimate beneficiaries of the accreditation process.
“When the entire school district is aligned and focused on a shared vision for student learning, students succeed,” said Postlewait.” They benefit from the enhanced focus on student performance and from greater articulation and coordination as they move from one level of schooling to another.”
Mark Elgart, president of AdvancED, appeared before the board to make the announcement. He said accreditation provides schools "a structured framework for improvement."
It has long been a goal of the district to attain accreditation to affirm the caliber of all that is offered by Charleston County School District. District officials recognize that this is not a label for a one-time evaluation. Stakeholders district-wide made the commitment to participate in the accreditation process with the thought that the designation serves to recognize an exemplary commitment to continuous improvement and learner outcomes.
Elgart and his team of reviewers spent a three days examining the district. The review encompassed detailed documentation and data analysis, onsite visits, in-depth meetings to chart progress and discuss future goals, and a culminating report detailing strengths, weaknesses, and the district’s final accreditation status.
Accreditation engages the school community in meeting high-quality standards, implementing a continuous improvement process, and engaging in quality assurance through internal and external review. Accredited schools demand rigor, use data to make informed decisions, and approach the documentation of results with discipline. Accredited schools invite external scrutiny and welcome the constructive feedback of peers.