This year, Harris County School District will undergo their SACS-CASI accreditation review. As part of this review, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) will evaluate Harris County School District and its schools on a wide variety of criteria - from teaching and learning to stakeholder communications. As we progress though this process, this page will serve as the central communication place, to inform our stakeholders of the ongoing process, news, and documentation. To start, please view the SACS website to gain insight into the mission and purpose of their accreditation process. To do so, click http://www.sacscasi.org/ .

SACS Overview

  View the recorded webinar by clicking HERE .

Looking for a list of all of our scheduled SACS Committee meetings?

Click Here

All committee meetings are open to the public.

On Tuesday, December 7^th, results from the Standards Assessment Report (SAR) were presented to the Harris County School District staff/faculty and to the board of education.  The Standards Assessment Report is designed to serve as a valuable self-assessment, and as a tool to help school systems prepare for their Quality Assurance Review. The report is based on the AdvancED standards, which serve as the foundation of the accreditation process.  The full report is posted on the Harris County School District's web site for public review.

To access the full report, please CLICK HERE.

Who  is AdvancED?

In April 2006, the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement

(NCA CASI), the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School

Improvement (SACS CASI), and the National Study of School Evaluation (NSSE) came together to

form one strong and unified organization under the name AdvancED.

As schools and districts gain access to the enhanced benefits of the global AdvancED community, they

continue to receive accreditation under the brand names of NCA CASI and SACS CASI. The NCA CASI and SACS

CASI accreditation seals are recognized across the United States and around the world and continue to be

the seals used by AdvancED to bestow accreditation.

Background

NCA CASI and SACS CASI. Founded in 1895, NCA CASI and SACS CASI accredit public and private schools and

school systems in 30 states, the Navajo Nation, the Department of Defense Educational Activity Schools, and Latin America.

Why are we seeking District Accreditation through AdvancED?

AdvancED District Accreditation is a systems approach to improving student performance results over time.  District Accreditation recognizes that increasing student achievement is more than improving instruction.  It is a result of how effectively all the parts of the education system - the district, school, and classroom - work together to meet the needs of students.

District Accreditation applies the three pillars of accreditation - high standards, continuous improvement, and quality assurance - to the entire district to ensure alignment and support between and among all the departments and operating units of the district and its schools.  The District Accreditation process provides the district with a comprehensive framework for continually improving student learning and district effectiveness.

To earn and maintain District Accreditation, districts:

1.   Meet quality standards. The district meets the AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality School Systems and has a process in place for ensuring that its schools meet the AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality Schools.

2.   Engage in a continuous process of improvement.  A district-led continuous improvement process is in place at both the district and school levels, whereby the district (including all departments and support systems) and all of its schools identify a shared vision, maintain a district-wide profile of the current reality, establish plans and assess the implementation of interventions, and document the results of their efforts to improve student learning and school/district effectiveness.

3.   Demonstrate quality assurance through internal and external review.  The district has in place quality assurance systems and processes to maximize effectiveness across all departments and schools and to improve student performance.  The district engages in regular internal self-review and hosts an external review once every five years. 

The full Standards Assessment Report (SAR) can be found HERE.