1. REACH 2.1 – School Self-Study, Part 1
ACSI’s Accreditation Protocol
Fall 2016

2. Goals/Objectives for the Day
Understand REACH 2.1, accreditation process
Understand the role of the accreditation coordinator
Confidence using the ePlatform (school side)
Enjoy the fellowship of other school leaders
Add to your professional network
Understand more about dual accreditation with AdvancED
8:45 Critical Indicators that MUST be in place – Required , 3.7, 4.11, 6.1, 6.7, Pair/Share
Faculty/Professional Staff must be at least 70% or the visit will be canceled

3. What’s New? Critical Indicators (were nonnegotiables)
Some rubrics have been more carefully separated (see 5.6, 5.7, 5.8; 3.4 and 3.6; 5.1 and 5.2 as examples)
Some indicators have had word clarifications or additions (see 3.8, 3.9, 4.10, 5.5, and 5.6 as examples)
There are some new indicators (see 4.12; 5.3 as examples)
Several indicators were removed (redundant) or combined and then the indicators were renumbered (see 5.9).
Turn to a partner or triad and discuss a couple of these items. If you were not familiar with REACH 1.2 or 2.0, you will be taking our word for these changes. What you can do is look these up and become familiar with them in the few minutes we have to discuss them.
5.3 – Bible as content area
collaboration

4. Key Documents https://www.acsi.org/region/mid-america/accreditation
Standards Manual
Rubrics Manual
Sample School Report
School Admin Hndbk
Standards Rating SS - School
Quick Reference Guide for ePlatform (School)
Word Template (School)
ESO Article
Options for Meeting Indicator 2.9
Certification SS
Request for Faculty Waiver
Permanent Faculty Waiver – Prof. Growth
Temporary Faculty Waiver – Prog Report

5. Minimal Requirements for a Visit
90% of the critical indicators MUST be met in order to confirm that a visiting team will go ahead with a visit (2 months prior to the team visit)
Six of the critical indicators are required (must be at compliance level) 2.11, 3.7, 4.11, 6.1, 6.7, 6.11
Faculty must be at least 70% certified by ACSI for the visit to be confirmed (Indicator 4.6)
2.11, 3.7, 4.11, 6.1, 6.7, 6.11
This applies prior to a first time visit or a renewal visit.

6. Survey Administration (Appendix E)
Student Assessment Profile (Appendix F)
More detailed instructions on how to administer and report back on surveys and student assessment information. These documents are in keeping with the standards expected by our regional partners. Many schools were already reporting at this level of detail…but some schools were asking for more direction.

7. Where to Begin?
Good leaders…start by getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats.
-Jim Collins, Good to Great
Committee Activity
Standards Manual pg. 26
Admin Handbk. Pg. 10
Like most typical leadership challenges, accreditation starts with getting the right people tasked with the jobs. Ever seen this quote? Yes, Jim Collins. It is still true.
We are going to start by helping you practice looking at the structure of your committees and who you would assign to each committee. To do this, we need to work in groups. We’ll be in these groups most of the rest of the day. So, when you move, please take all of your things with you.
I will explain the activity first and then we will do it in groups.
Listen to the directions.
I’m going to count you off to divide you into 12 groups. First, I’d like those who have served as accreditation coordinators to stand. Don’t worry, you don’t have to lead a group. I just want to number you off first to make sure you are spread out. I don’t want any groups with too many novices in one group and all the experience in another group.
Stand up if you have run the accreditation process at your school.
Count Move toward the different numbers.
Now the rest of you count off When you get settled, move right into the activity and see if you can place those people into working groups for the accreditation process.
_________________
Since the auditorium is so large, we cannot successfully share with everyone.

8. Examining the Evidence
It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.
– Eugene Ionesco
One dull pencil is worth two sharp minds.
– Anonymous
Instructions for the leader…look at Standard 3. Page 9 in the Standards Manual. Notice the Required Documentation. These are all items of evidence that should be reviewed prior to doing any of the indicator ratings with the rubrics. Start with the evidence. When you evaluate the evidence, you are looking for “what is,” not what should be, or what is described in the documents. Read through all the indicators so that you know what the standard is about and then review the evidence. Then ask yourself these questions about the evidence you have at your school. (See Viewing the Evidence Activity) I’ll do an example for you. “Schedules of parent conferences”
We have those.
Just a schedule. Not much details. No notes.
Each principal would have theirs.
We can start collecting those.
We might actually want some more details…teacher impressions, parent feedback. Quick survey? Maybe three questions after they finish their conference.
Indicator 3.4
Not really enough. I’ll need e-newsletters, teacher weekly letters, electronic communication (parent notification system) and possibly other things…exit surveys and short web surveys. I’m going to talk to the rest of my sub-committee and see if they can think of others.
I may have to ask for some help with the analysis to look at these various types of communication pieces. Some are one directional, some are two. Some are directed to all families and some are opt-in only. I may have to ask for help from our tech director and maybe a math guru to really understand what I have after I’ve collected it.

9. Standard 4 Activity