1. Florida Catholic Conference Accreditation Program
Continuous Improvement Process for Accreditation
2015

2. Accreditation
Accreditation is a means for a school to determine their compliance with a set of standards and benchmarks, determining strengths and opportunities for growth based on evidence. A plan for improvement is formulated.

3. Continuous Improvement Process for Accreditation (CIPA)
Communication – with all stakeholders throughout the entire process
Collaboration – to build ownership
Consensus – agree on the current situation and goals for the future

4. CIPA
Steering Committee – Guides the process; educates the staff; administers the survey; oversees the writing of the action plan (Co-chairs; Chair of each Domain)
Domain Committees:
Mission and Catholic Identity
Governance and Leadership
Academic Excellence
Operational Vitality

5. CIPA
Domain committees review the benchmarks within their Domain. The Domain Benchmark Guidelines are a good resource.
Do we do this / have this?
Is there evidence?
No right or wrong answers because it is not a test or a “gotcha”. The goal is a clear picture of where the school is and where it wants to be.

6. Benchmark Activity Reviewing the Benchmarks Level of Compliance
Comments / Evidence
Questions or observations

7. Benchmark Activity Using the Benchmarks Guides
Select a benchmark: 4.5, 6.5, 7.4, 7.5, 13.2
Read the rubric & discuss
What does it look like? What questions would you ask?
What possible evidence do you think you would want to see?
Find the associated guideline and discuss

8. CIPA
Knowing and understanding the benchmarks and the school’s level of compliance is the HEART of the CIPA work. The more time the staff members spend reading and discussing these the better the end product will be.

9. CIPA
Work is completed online: Update the School Profile and Assign “Assistants”: Domain Chairs (and others)
Summary Reports
Main Work
Area

10. CIPA Divided into Domains Click on Edit to Open the Benchmark
Click on a radio button to indicate level of compliance

11. CIPA
Write comments to explain why that level of compliance was selected. If it was difficult to come to a consensus, explain that. If this is a strength or an opportunity for growth note it in the comments.
Upload the evidence used to determine the level of compliance. The text box for the name is large and can be used to give details about the file/link.

12. CIPA
As the benchmarks are rated, the strengths and opportunities for growth surface.
Write these with brief explanations in the Domain Committee Reports.
Use these to determine the goals for the action plan.

13. Action Plan
Goal Statement (includes specific audience, measurable change, and time frame)
Evidence (List of evidence that will be used to document and evaluate the success of the goal)
Strategy Timeline Person Responsible Resources
Teachers will…
Students will…

14. Sample Action Plan Goal 1
Angel Gabriel Catholic School faculty will use Catholic intellectual tradition to help students think critically about the world around them. Eighth graders will demonstrate an improved understanding of Catholic intellectual tradition and seventh graders will demonstrate an improved ability to debate by the spring of 2020 (2.5)

15. Sample Action Plan Goal 2
Angel Gabriel Catholic School will update our facilities management and technology plans so that we have an integrated set of planning documents that will enable the school to better use our resources. Through implementation of a new integrated plan, there will be a cost savings of 2% by 2018 and the ability to add $20,000 to upgrade technology in (12.1)

16. Two-day Visitation Validate Benchmarks and Action Plans
Review the school’s ratings and evidence
Validate the work that has been completed, making suggestions and recommendations for improvement
Electronic – team members will login on the website to view prior to the visit and to work during visit

17. Visitation Team
Chairperson and two team members (more if larger school)
Chairperson from outside the diocese; Team members may be from within the diocese
Each team member reviews a different Domain

18. During the Visitation
Team members review the Domain Committee Reports, Benchmark Ratings, Evidence, and Comments.
Observations and interviews are some of the first-hand evidence used to validate the benchmark ratings and action plans.
A team can always ask for more or specific evidence.

19. During the Visitation
Meet with Pastor, Administration, Staff, Parents, and Students; Sample Questions
Pastor
How are you involved with the students, staff, and administrators (5.5)?
Do you see Catholic identity, scripture, Catholic Tradition, and Catholic social teachings integrated into all subject areas (2.4, 2.5, 2.7)?
How do you see the staff as role models for the students (3.4)?

20. During the Visitation
Observe each classroom for 10 to 20 minutes to validate level of compliance with specific benchmarks:
Mission statement visible 1.4
Catholic Culture visible 2.6
Role Model 3.4 / supports faith life 4.5
Instruction allows students to become evaluators, problem solvers, decision makers 7.3
Instruction prepares students to be excellent users of technology 7.4
Instruction addresses affective dimensions 7.5
Instruction engages and motivates all students 7.6

21. Reviewing the Action Plan
Is the goal specific and measurable?
Will the evidence demonstrate success of the goal?
Are a timeline, person responsible, and resources listed for the steps?
Taken as a whole do the steps lead toward success of the goal?

22. Contact
Mary Camp FCC Associate Director for Accreditation Office – Cell –