The seven standards and accompanying indicators were built on NCA CASI and SACS CASI standards and are tied directly to research on factors that impact student learning.

The seven standards address the following areas:

1. Vision and Purpose:  The school establishes and communicates a shared purpose and direction for improving the
   performance of students and the effectiveness of the school.
    
2. Governance and Leadership:  The school provides governance and leadership that promote student performance and school effectiveness. 
    
3. Teaching and Learning:  The school provides researchbased curriculum and instructional methods that facilitate achievement for all students.
    
4. Documenting and Using Results:  The school enacts a comprehensive assessment system that monitors and documents performance and uses these results to improve student performance and school effectiveness.
    
5. Resources and Support Systems:  The school has the resources and services necessary to support its vision and purpose and to ensure achievement for all students. 
    
6. Stakeholder Communications and Relationships:  The school fosters effective communications and relationships with and among its stakeholders. 
    
7. Commitment to Continuous Improvement:  The school establishes, implements, and monitors a continuous process of improvement that focuses on student performance.

Accredited schools and districts adhere to the standards and use them as a tool for ongoing self-assessment. They use the standards to continually ask themselves, "What more can we be doing to benefit our students?"

Accredited schools and districts use a disciplined approach to document and maintain evidence of their adherence to the standards. They are continually ready to answer the question, "How do we know we meet the standards?"
 

For more information on the seven standards, go to:  Accreditation Standards for Quality Schools