The Western Association of Schools and Colleges has announced the action taken by the Accrediting Commission of Schools granting Christ Lutheran School a six-year term of accreditation expiring June 30, 2010.

This action was taken after careful study of the Visiting Committee Report which noted many laudable aspects of the school.

Following is a portion of letter received from WASC:
"Congratulations on successfully achieving a full term accreditation. Conducting the in-depth self-study and preparing for the visit requires a tremendous effort. Maintaining an effective quality program for students in the face of today’s challenges is a truly commendable feat."

Christ Lutheran School has participated in self-study accreditation since 1980.

You may download a copy of the WASC self-study report as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file by clicking on this link.

WASC Report

What is WASC?

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) is one of six regional associations which accredit public and private schools, colleges, and universities in the United States.

Accreditation is a voluntary, non-governmental process which plays an important role in developing and maintaining the high quality of education in this country.

Accreditation certifies that an institution meets established criteria or standards and is achieving its own stated objectives. WASC and the other five regional associations in the United States grant "institutional accreditation" after a comprehensive self study followed by an on-site evaluation of the programs and services of the total institution. This means that all diploma or degree programs and educational activities offered by the institution are covered by the institution's accreditation.

The evaluation determines whether or not the institution qualifies for regional recognition. More importantly, periodic self-study and review promote improvement in educational quality and institutional effectiveness.

The Accrediting Commission for Schools has the responsibility for accreditation of all schools below the college level in California, Hawaii, East Asia, and the Pacific Basin.

Included are elementary, junior high/middle, high, and adult schools whether public, private, or church-related. Over 2,900 such schools are currently accredited by the Commission.

Although accreditation serves as an indicator of quality for a school, the primary goal of accreditation is school self-improvement.

An in-depth study and self-evaluation conducted by the school staff and community with the help of instruments developed for specific kinds of schools On-site observation by a visiting committee of education professionals who validate the school report, evaluate its findings, and make a recommendation to the Commission for a term of accreditation.

The Commission studies and discusses the visiting committee's report, with subsequent action to grant, extend, or deny accreditation. The Accrediting Commission for Schools requires the application of qualitative criteria and substantial documentation of student performance rather than mere confirmation of a school's adherence to minimum quantitative standards. Accreditation is granted when there is compelling evidence that the school is:

" substantially accomplishing its own stated purposes meeting the Commission criteria for planning, organization, curriculum, assessment, and student support,
" providing ongoing and stable financial, human, and physical resources adequate for delivery of the school's programs
" successfully promoting student learning in terms of explicit, adopted academic standards

* The above information was obtained from the official WASC website. For more information about the accreditation process visit: http://www.wascweb.org/