Accreditation
When did Mississippi first establish a performance-based accreditation system and make accreditation a mandatory requirement for all public schools?
The Education Reform Act of 1982 required the State Board of Education (SBE), acting through the Commission on School Accreditation, to establish and implement a permanent performance-based accreditation system for all public schools. (See Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-1)
What is the role of the Commission on School Accreditation?
The role of the Commission on School Accreditation is to continually review and enforce the accreditation standards and to make recommendations to the State Board of Education. (See Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-5)
How often does the Commission on School Accreditation meet?
The Commission meets six times each year or at the call of the state superintendent. (See Accreditation Policy 1.6.)
When are the accreditation statuses and performance levels assigned each year?
Annual accreditation statuses are assigned in the fall based on data from the previous school year. (See Accreditation Policy 2.1 and 3.1.)
What are process standards?
Process standards address accepted educational principles and practices believed to promote educational quality, including staffing, certification, resources, instructional management, graduation requirements, facilities, etc. (See Accreditation Policy 2.2.)
What are performance standards?
Performance standards address selected components of the statewide testing program and other output measures related to the performance of an individual school. (See Accreditation Policy 3.2.)
How are performance levels assigned?
Performance levels (Grade Classifications) are assigned based on student achievement, growth, graduation rates, and college and career readiness indicators. Details of how the grade classifications are assigned can be found in the Mississippi Statewide Accountability System Business Rules located in the Mississippi Public Schools Accountability Standards, 2016.
Do nonpublic schools participate in the statewide assessment system and state accountability model?
Nonpublic schools do not participate in the statewide assessment system and are not assigned a school performance level. Participation in the nonpublic school accreditation process is voluntary, and accreditation statuses are assigned based on compliance with process standards. (See Mississippi Nonpublic School Accountability Standards, 2016 and List of Nonpublic Schools Accredited by the State Board of Education.)
Do the four schools governed by the State Board of Education receive an accreditation status and school performance level?
No. The four State Board governed schools participate in the accreditation process, and compliance with process standards is monitored; however, an accreditation status is not assigned for these schools. (See Accountability Standards for Schools Governed by State Board of Education, 2004.)