ACCREDITATION FOR
GROWTH
School Improvement Through
Improving Student Performance
AGENDA
The Value of Accreditation
What Is AFG?
Rationale for Choosing AFG
Components of AFG
Key Components
 Measurable Student Performance Objectives
Action Plans
Middle States Association
Region includes:
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New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Delaware
Maryland
D.C.
Parts of the Caribbean
American-style schools and
colleges in
Africa
Europe
Middle East
Sub-continent of Asia
Why Accreditation?
Accreditation encourages and facilitates
educational growth and improvement…
Accreditation provides a means for public
accountability…
Accreditation fosters stakeholder
involvement and commitment…
Accreditation builds positive public
relations…
What is AFG?
AFG is a unique accreditation process that
uses strategic planning as a vehicle for
growth and improvement in student
performance and in the institution’s
capacity to effect that growth.
What is Strategic Planning?
Strategic planning is the means by which an
organization continually recreates itself for
extraordinary purposes.
Implicit in this definition is the
concentration of all efforts, resources,
activities, and energies toward a single goal.
William J. Cooke, Jr., The Cambridge Group
What is Strategic Planning?
The locus of control is inside the
organization because planning is based on
the organization’s vision of a preferred
future.
Assumes that a human organization has the
ability to exercise control over external
factors and create the future.
Why AFG?
Focus
Traditional: retrospective, input or means
Strategic Planning: future orientation, results
Stakeholder involvement
Traditional: primarily school staff
Strategic Planning: broad cross section of
stakeholders
Why AFG?
Structure
Traditional:
Staff-driven committees
One year self-evaluation
Strategic Planning:
Single Planning Team develops and manages
improvement plan and accreditation activities
Planning Team remains active throughout term of
accreditation
Why AFG?
Review
Traditional:
Onsite visit every ten years
Five-Year review report and short visit
Strategic Planning:
Onsite visit every seven years
Annual Review carried out onsite by Planning
Team
A mid-point, one-day onsite visit by a member of
the original Validation Team (2 ½ years following
visit)
Why AFG?
Drive
Traditional:
based on past accomplishments
deductive process that reviews Middle States’
externally developed standards
emphasis on programs and practices
minimum attention to results
Why AFG?
Drive
Strategic Planning:
based on future expectations and desired results
focus on student performance
based on a school’s vision for itself
validates internal vision and actual results
AFG Parameters and
Commitments
A focus on student performance and growth
A culture of accountability in student
performance
A planning ethic
[Plan - Do - Plan - Do - Plan - Do . . .]
Commitment to continuous improvement
Involvement of representative constituents
Standards Component of AFG
Standards include:
Philosophy/Mission/Beliefs/Objectives
Governance and Leadership
Organizational Design and Staff
Educational Programs
Learning Media Services and Technology
Student Services
Standards Component of AFG
Standards – continued
Student Life and Student Activities
Facilities
Health and Safety
Finances
Assessment of Student Learning
Planning
Reporting Survey Results
Description of the survey process
Results of the surveys
May disaggregate each group surveyed to look
for trends
Description of significant findings,
strengths, and weaknesses
Comments returned with surveys
Process Component of AFG
Context of the Institution
Planning Team
Roles of Various Key Players
Communication & Awareness Activities
Action Plan & Implementation Teams
Annual Reviews
The Planning Team
Planning Team
An ongoing body – does not disband following the selfstudy and team visit
The oversight and decision-making body for
improvement planning
Responsibility and authority to develop, approve,
implement, and monitor the Improvement Plan
A cross section of the school’s stakeholders
“Spear fishing” and “Net fishing”
Action Teams
Implementation Teams
Optional
Gets more faculty and staff involved
An Action Plan Team may be responsible for
each objective
An Implementation Team may be responsible
for implementing each action plan
Reporting back to the Planning Team
Content Component of AFG
Plan for Growth and Improvement
District Strategic Plan
Mission
Beliefs
Profile of Graduates
Results of Internal & External Scans
2-4 Measurable Student Performance
Objectives with Technical Reviews
Action Plans
Mission Statement
A mission statement should reflect in broad
and visionary terms what the institution is
and is striving to become.
While the mission must acknowledge the
current status of the institution, it should
also identify shared hopes and aspirations.
Mission Statement Components
Audience -- whom do you serve?
Action -- what do you do?
Aim -- what is your purpose for existing?
Identity -- what makes you unique?
Means -- how, in broad terms, will you do
what you do?
Sample Mission Statement
The mission of Harry S. Truman High School,
as a unique, culturally-diverse learning
community, is to ensure that every student
achieves his/her personal and academic
potential by providing a safe learning
environment, a broad, challenging
curriculum and the knowledge and skills
necessary for a meaningful productive life.
Belief Statements
 The guiding lights for the institution
 Compass points – the “true north”
 Not all are focused on school/learning/
teaching
 Maximum of 8 to 10
 Should reflect walking the talk
 What you are ready to go to the mat for
 WTTW: Give adequate time for development and
“digestion” of beliefs. This is a substantive and
thoughtful part of the process.
Student Performance Objectives
2-4 Measurable Objectives
Stated as a desired end result: what students need to
know, to achieve, to be able to do
Measurable right now
Measurable over time
WTTW: Measurable means…
I can see it, I can hear it, I can count it!
Student Performance Objectives
Should relate to a wide population within
the institution, not just a single grade level
or subgroup
Should relate to the “aim” portion of the
mission statement – what you hope to
realize
Student Performance Objectives
Common Topics for Objectives
Academics – at least one objective must be academic
Citizenship
Student engagement
Technology - can be a tricky one
Critical thinking
Community Service
Career Preparation/Readiness
Action Plans
The “doing” part of the plan for growth and
improvement
Serve as a road map for implementation – the
“Mapquest” analogy
SPECIFIC action steps to be taken to achieve the
student performance objectives
Action Plans
Elements of an Action Plan
• Description of the activity – Include sufficient detail
• Who is responsible?
• Timeline during which the activity will be completed
• Resources needed
• Indicators of success
• Status of completion
WTTW: Be sure that your Action Plans span all seven years
of the term of accreditation; begin with more detailed
plans, and fill in later years during each Annual Review
The Validation Team Visit
Five-person team
Three and one-half day visit
Numerous short, informal class visits
Interviews with stakeholders
Is your plan reflective of your institution?
Do you have the resources and commitment
to achieve your plan?