For team visits starting Fall 2019 REACH 2019 Changes For team visits starting Fall 2019

Scope and Timeline No changes to the Standards. Majority of changes are for clarification, (black). A few indicators have been changed because of a change in policy (green). One new EE-12 indicator (blue) and several new indicators for Early Education (orange). A few indicators that were combined (purple). Published October 2018 for implementation for the 2019-2020 academic year. Introduction to the REACH 2019 version. The following are highlights of changes in the ACSI REACH Accreditation Protocol to be published October 2018 for implementation for the 2019-2020 academic year. Schools will refer to the new version during the 2018-19 school year as they prepare for a team visit in the 2019-20 school year. There are no changes to the Standards. The majority of the changes are in wording for clarification, especially in the rubrics (black). Only a few indicators have been changed because of a change in policy (green). There is one new EE-12 indicator (blue) and several new indicators for Early Education (orange). A few changes are due to indicators that were close being combined (purple). These new indicators will be available all year on the web for schools preparing for a team visit in 2019-2020 and beyond. Visits in 2018-19 will continue to use the previous version of REACH. That is what will be in the ePlatform throughout 2018-19.

Standard 2 2.4 – Specify conflict of interest policies must exist. 2.11 – Distinguishes this indicator about applicable laws from 6.3 and 6.11. This indicator deals with employment practices, tax compliance, other use of funding, etc. where 6.3 and 6.11 deal with health and safety issues. No changes in Standard 1 Standard 2 – two changes, both minor changes. 2.4 – Additional wording added to the Compliance level of the rubric to specify conflict of interest policies. 2.11 – Added clarity to distinguish this indicator (about applicable laws) from 6.3 and 6.11. This indicator deals with employment practices, tax compliance, other use of funding, etc. where 6.3 and 6.11 deal with health and safety issues.

Standard 3 3.4a – Clarify collaboration and communication with families. 3.8 – Guidance and counseling services provided to all age groups at age-appropriate levels as opposed to just college and career counseling for high school students. 3.11 – NEW indicator concerning having a plan in place for the transfer of records in the event of school closure. (The narration states Indicator 3.10; however 3.11 is correct) 3.4a – Reworded to clarify collaboration and communication with families. (not just a report on how the student is doing, which might have happened at some parent-teacher conferences) This gets at working in partnership with the parents. 3.8 – Adjusted wording to make the indicator more all-encompassing regarding guidance and counseling services provided to all age groups at age-appropriate levels as opposed to just college and career counseling for high school students. 3.10 – This is a new indicator concerning having a plan in place for the transfer of records in the event of school closure.

Standard 3 – Early Education - NEW 3.17 – Establish a plan offering engagement opportunities for families. 3.18 – Provide families with information, materials, and resources from local or state agencies or services to assist with the health, developmental, and educational needs of their children. 3.19 – Annually updated handbook outlining policies and procedures of the program and parents/guardians sign acknowledgement indicating agreement with the information. 3.20 – Marketing and recruitment plan for preschools. 3.17 – New EE indicator requiring schools to establish a plan offering engagement opportunities for families (in school program) 3.18 – New EE indicator requiring schools to provide families with information, materials, and resources from local or state agencies or services to assist with the health, developmental, and educational needs of their children. 3.19 – New EE indicator requiring schools to provide families with an annually updated handbook outlining policies and procedures of the program and parents/guardians sign acknowledgement indicating agreement with the information. 3.20 – New EE indicator requiring marketing and recruitment plan for preschools. These reflect some of the best practices that the EE programs around the country are adopting.

Standard 4 – change in policy 4.4 – Will allow administrators to fulfill this indicator by holding state certification/licensure in their area and completing ACSI’s Christian Philosophy of Education and appropriate Bible CEUs. The ACSI certificate will still be an option. 4.6 – Will allow teachers to fulfill this indicator by holding state certification/licensure in their area and completing ACSI’s Christian Philosophy of Education and appropriate Bible CEUs. The ACSI certificate will still be an option. 4.4 – ACSI will now allow administrators to fulfill this indicator by holding state certification/licensure in their area and completing ACSI’s Christian Philosophy of Education and appropriate Bible CEUs. The ACSI certificate will still be an option. 4.6 – ACSI will now allow teachers to fulfill this indicator by holding state certification/licensure in their area and completing ACSI’s Christian Philosophy of Education and appropriate Bible CEUs. The ACSI certificate will still be an option. Take effect Fall 2019

Standard 5 5.2 – More clarity for curriculum guides/maps and the addition of the curriculum review process (was removed from another indicator). 5.11 – Appropriate trained staff (information resources) to enable the school to reach compliance with this indicator. 5.2 – The wording for this indicator was adjusted to provide more clarity for curriculum guides/maps and the addition of the curriculum review process (as removed from another indicator). 5.11 – The wording for this indicator and the rubrics was adjusted to allow appropriate trained staff to enable the school to reach compliance with this indicator. (Focus is on skills and support for students to be able to access information resources, in print or electronic)

Standard 6 6.6 – Educating students and families on biblically-based relationships, caring interactions, and conflict resolution. (bullying/harassment issue) 6.7 – Reworded- “The school has developed policies and procedures that promote child safety; define conduct expectations for staff and volunteers; and provide training for staff, volunteers, and students.  Staff training includes legal reporting responsibilities in cases of alleged or suspected child abuse, neglect, or other areas in which reporting is mandated.” 6.8 and 6.9 – Two indicators were combined regarding preparation, delivery, storage, and handling of food as well as a suitable and hygienic eating space. 6.6 – Added wording concerning educating students and families on biblically-based relationships, caring interaction, and conflict resolution. (bullying issue) 6.7 – Reworded indicator: “The school has developed policies and procedures that promote child safety; define conduct expectations for staff and volunteers; and provide training for staff, volunteers, and students.  Staff training includes legal reporting responsibilities in cases of alleged or suspected child abuse, neglect, or other areas in which reporting is mandated.” 6.8 and 6.9 – These two indicators were combined into one indicator (6.8) regarding preparation, delivery, storage, and handling of food as well as a suitable and hygienic eating space.

Standard 6 - Continued Old 6.10 (now 6.9) – Reworded to require meals and snacks to be based on solid nutritional standards. Old 6.15 (now 6.14) –Enables a school to reach Compliance for this indicator with evidence of ample facilities planning in place, even if not written as a separate document. Old 6.16 and 6.17 (combined into new 6.15) – Vehicles and drivers must follow school’s policies as well as government and insurance regulations. Old 6.10 (now 6.9) – Reworded indicator to require meals and snacks to be based on solid nutritional standards. (Changed the focus from nutritional standards being written to solid nutritional standards are being followed in snack and meal planning.) Old 6.15 (now 6.14) – The rubric for this indicator has been changed to not required a written facilities plan as a separate document for each of the rubric levels below Exceeds Compliance. This will enable a school to reach Compliance for this indicator with evidence of ample facilities planning in place, even if not written as a separate document. Old 6.16 and 6.17 (combined into new 6.15) – Vehicles and drivers must follow school’s policies as well as government and insurance regulations. (Were vehicles following policies and a second indicator asked if all vehicles had insurance?) Those were easily combined.

Standard 7 and 8 7.3 – Schools should ensure that each student is known personally by at least one adult 7.5 – Rubrics more closely align with the wording of the actual indicator. Old 8.4 moved to replace 8.1 – Eliminated some overlap while still requiring a comprehensive school improvement plan. 7.3 – Added wording indicating that schools should ensure that each student is known personally by at least one adult. 7.3 is about mentoring, discipleship, spiritual formation and character. If the school cannot answer that in the affirmative, then they need to create a system to ensure it. 7.5 – Changed the wording in all rubrics (the indicator remained the same) in order to more closely align with the wording of the actual indicator. Biblical worldview question. Previously, Compliance had some additional components. We’ve left some of those in Exceeds Compliance but have cleaned up the rubrics to look more like the indicator itself. Old 8.4 moved to replace 8.1 – This eliminated some overlap while still requiring a comprehensive school improvement plan.

Summary 84 Indicators (was 89) Rubrics follow the indicators more closely Certain indicators that have been causing difficulty for teams have been clarified Several indicators have been combined Several indicators have added a missing component Policy change is affecting two indicators (teacher and administrator certification) One new indicator EE-12 Four new EE indicators, several others reworded 84 Indicators (was 89) Rubrics follow the indicators more closely Certain indicators that have been causing difficulty for teams have been clarified (when the focus was on the written document and teams didn’t even know what that written document should look like) Several indicators have been combined (like the vehicles following government regulations and having insurance) Several indicators have added a missing component (e.g. 2.4 conflict of interest, 7.3 each student being known) Policy change is affecting two indicators (teacher and administrator certification) One new indicator EE-12 (making sure that the school identifies where their records are being kept in the event of a closure) Four new EE indicators Again, these indicators will be available all year on the web for schools preparing for a visit in 2019-2020. Visits in 2018-19 will continue to use the previous version of REACH. That is what will be in the ePlatform.

  Contact your Regional Accreditation Manager or accreditation@acsi.org for more information.