WASC Lesson # 2
WASC Organization
• The Western Association of Schools and
Colleges (WASC) is one of six regional
accrediting associations in the United
States. The Commission provides
assistance to schools located in California,
Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Marianas, American Samoa, the
Federated States of Micronesia, the
Republic of the Marshall Islands, and East
Asia.
WASC Organization
• Accrediting Commission for Schools –
Reviews public elementary schools; junior
high/middle/intermediate schools,
comprehensive/college preparatory high
schools, continuation high schools,
alternative high schools, and
occupational/vocational high schools
What does the Visiting Committee
do?
• The visiting team members review
student performance data, confer
separately with each school
committee, observe the school in
operation, visit classes, and
dialogue with individual
administrators, teachers, students
and others.
• The visiting team members review
student performance data, confer
separately with each school
committee, observe the school in
operation, visit classes, and
dialogue with individual
administrators, teachers, students
and others.
• Then the visiting committee prepares
a report for the school outlining its
findings.
What do you remember about
WASC?
• It’s a review process ALL high schools go
through
• It’s one way schools show that they are
preparing students for their futures
• The review is called a FOCUS ON
LEARNING
• Visiting Committee is on campus now
What can you expect?
• Visiting Committee members will come into
every class
• They WILL ask students questions
• Are you ready? Let’s practice 
Get into groups of 3-4
• How would you answer this question:
• What topics are you studying in your
classes?
• What are you working on or learning in
class today? (answer as if you are in
your English, math, science, history or
elective class)
• What is your favorite class?
• Why?
• What additional classes would you like
to see offered at Patriot?
They might also ask you ….
• What are Patriot’s School-wide Learner
Outcomes?
• These are the over-arching skills all
students need by the time the graduate
and that can be taught in all classes and in
advisory.
School-wide Learner Outcomes
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Literacy
Read for explicit meaning
ID central idea and themes
Interpret for variety of word meanings
Evaluate the validity of claims in text
Clear and coherent writing appropriate to
task
• Gather and use information appriopriately
from multiple sources
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21st Century Skills
Global awareness
Think critically and solve problems
Effective communicators
Technology skills
Performance and moral character
Behavioral Skills
Be respectful
Be responsible