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Middle States

BGA Announces

Middle States Accreditation for Growth

Middle States Accreditation for Growth

Frequently Asked Questions

 What is Accreditation?
What Type of Accreditation is Bishop Ahr High School seeking?
What is meant by “student performance objectives”?
How will BGA implement the plans to improve student skills?
What is the process to achieve accreditation?
How can parents help us in this process?
What happens when the process is over and the validation team leaves?
 

Middle States Accreditation for Growth

Self-Study Surveys

 

 Parent Survey Completed
Student Survey Completed
Faculty/Staff Survey Completed
Alumni Survey Completed

What is Accreditation?

The Commission on Secondary Schools is one of three Commissions that function within Middle States Association (MSA) of Colleges and Schools. The others are the Commission on Higher Education and the Commission on Elementary Schools. The Commission on Secondary Schools serves both public and non-public schools in Delaware , Maryland , New Jersey , New York , Pennsylvania , and the District of Columbia . Bishop George Ahr High School has been a member of the Middle States Association since 1979. As a member of MSA, the entire school is committed to high standards in every area of operation and services that are equal to or exceed national standards.

Attaining and retaining accreditation is an intrusive, yet extraordinarily rewarding experience. The result is parent and community assurance that the institution meets standards of excellence in education and has developed a plan for ongoing growth and improvement. It also provides recognition by The College Board as a regionally accredited institution which is critical for students to gain entrance to the colleges and universities of their choice. 

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What Type of Accreditation is Bishop Ahr High School seeking?

The Middle States Association has developed a “protocol” or process for schools to both evaluate themselves on current practices and create a strategic plan for the future. This requires an intensive study of programs, facilities, and, most importantly, student performance. The process requires schools to select student performance outcomes and develop action plans that show how the schools will work toward achieving their goals. This process is called Accreditation for Growth (AFG).

An evaluation is performed based on data through surveys that are designed by MSA to capture the true status of 12 standards of school operation and other supporting data, including standardized information.  

With this information, and the consensus of the stakeholders, the second and equally important part of the process is developing student-performance based objectives to be met within 5 years.

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What is meant by “student performance objectives”?

As defined by the Middle States Association for the AFG process: objectives are the school’s measurable end results that focus on increasing student achievement. Specifically, the objectives must state the improvement the school is trying to achieve for students. The objectives help the school meet goals in its strategic plan. 

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How will BGA implement the plans to improve student skills?

A planning team of parents, faculty, students, community members, and administrators oversee the AFG process. Teachers and administrators write action plans that specifically show how the schools will work toward the objectives, and implementation teams are identified to carry out the requirements of the action plans. Administration and teachers will monitor student performance, and parents will be informed. The data collected will be used to continue the school’s growth toward achieving its goals.

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What is the process to achieve accreditation?

We began the process in the summer of 2006. Over the next 4-5 months, the Planning Committee, who guides the school and the various stakeholders through the process, will concentrate on evaluation of the 12 standards which are:

After the intensive review of these areas,  2 - 3 major goals will be identified and established. For each of these goals an action plan must be developed, detailing every step and nuance required to achieve these student performance goals. It is anticipated that this planning stage will take at least 6 months.

All this activity, planning and evaluation must be documented for review by a “validation team” who visits the school in the fall of 2007. This team, consisting of teachers and administrators from other MSA schools, visits BGA for 3 ½ days, scrutinizing every detail, interviewing staff, reviewing all processes and records. If standards of satisfaction are attained in  ALL areas, the school is recommended for accreditation.

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How can parents help us in this process?

The most meaningful way that parents can help is to participate in the gathering of data required for self-evaluation by taking the MSA survey. Please page up and select the "Parent Survey" from the list above. Our faculty, staff and students will be provided the opportunity to take the survey in school. The parents’ survey, as with all other versions, is taken anonymously in about 25 minutes.

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What happens when the process is over and the validation team leaves?

The school focuses on the action plans developed and validated by the visiting team so that we move closer to achieving those objectives. Each year an annual review is conducted to maintain the course. This information is also filed with MSA,  who requires that a visit by one of the team members be made at the mid-point of the five year process. Overall, the school is then committed  to a continual process of analysis and judgment to reach the objectives.

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