School Superintendent Randy Shearouse announced that the Effingham County School System was granted District Accreditation from the AdvancED Accreditation Commission, the national commission that confers the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) accreditation seal. 

 

This means that the district and all of its schools are accredited, and that the Effingham County School System is recognized across the nation as a quality school system.

 

The accreditation process involves three ongoing components: 1) meeting high quality standards; 2) implementing a continuous process of improvement; and 3) engaging in quality assurance through internal and external review. The district’s accreditation is for a five-year term with regular monitoring of progress and reporting occurring during the term.

 

The official decision that the entire school system had been accredited was made on June 22, following a thorough visit and review by an AdvancED

Accreditation team last February. In their exit report to the Effingham County Board of Education, the team announced that they would recommend the system for accreditation. The AdvancED Accreditation Commission, a national panel, reviews and takes action on all SACS CASI accreditation recommendations.

 

“District Accreditation as conferred by the AdvancED Accreditation Commission provides Effingham County a nationally-recognized mark of quality for our district and all the schools within our district,” Shearouse said. “It demonstrates to our community our commitment to excellence, our openness to external review and feedback, and our desire to be the best we can be on behalf of the students we serve.”

 

Said Dr. Mark Elgart, President/CEO of AdvancED: “District Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school system on the primary goal of creating lifelong learners.  The Effingham County School System is to be commended for engaging in this process and demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement.”

 

Parents and interested community members can learn more about the District Accreditation Process at www.advanc-ed.org.