INITIATING THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS

In order for a Christian school to begin the NPSA accreditation process, it must take the following steps:

Contact the NPSA office to request materials for application by email at  or call (205) 335-0092. The NPSA office will send informational materials and the following forms:

NPSA Accreditation Manual
NPSA Accreditation Application
NPSA Teacher Certification Manual
NPSA Educator Application
NPSA Educator Lifetime Application


                                      Process of Accreditation

                                  Preschools * Elementary Schools * Secondary Schools

Accreditation Process

NPSA seeks to be evaluative and educative. In the evaluation process, the Association has established standards and criteria by which it reviews its membership and determines their advancement to different status levels of accreditation. In the educative process, NPSA has provided materials, workshops, seminars, and access to Christian professional educators to assist each school in the development of quality Christian educational programs.

To become a member school please call or send a request for information by email. Once we receive your request information and materials will be forwarded to your school to start the process. Each school interested in accreditation must fill out a letter of intent, eligibility checklist, and application form. This must be filled out and returned before initial accreditation process will begin.


Eligibility and Steps in the Process

Last Updated July 14, 2010

 

Walk through each phase of the accreditation process, discover the time commitments, and determine your level of readiness.

 

 

Minimum Eligibility Requirements for Enrollment

  • The school/program and its instructional program, including pedagogy and content, must be a suitable match for the NPSA accreditation protocol.

  • Contact your NPSA representative to get more specific information on eligibility.

 

Step 1: Preliminary Phase

The school is responsible to initiate the following:

·  Read Accreditation Manual

·  Submit application and fee to NPSA office

·  Schedule all paperwork to NPSA to determine your level of readiness

·  Once candidacy is established place a timeline (three years maximum) for candidacy review

·  NPSA will assign a consultant to candidate school

·  Appoint self-study steering committee by the school

·  Continue activities to attain all standards, which are listed in the NPSA manual

·  Based on the time-line, the self-study begins

 

Step 2: Self-Study Phase

The school/program completes the following with the guidance of the consultant:

  • Consultant and school set a date for visiting committee

  • Sub-committees conduct self-study and complete section reports

  • Sections are edited by the steering committee and approved by entire faculty and school leadership

  • Plans and priorities section of self-study are completed

  • Self-study is compiled with the supporting data

  • Self-study is sent to NPSA and forwarded to each member of the visiting committee

 

Step 3: The Visiting Committee Phase

The visiting committee’s responsibilities are:

·  Reviews the school’s self-study

·  Observes the school operation

·  Interviews faculty in light of self-study

·  Writes report on each self-study section and instructional area

·  Compiles findings into a composite report

·  Writes summary report of commendations and recommendations

·  Conducts an exit interview with the school staff to summarize findings of visit

·  Chairperson submits report to NPSA accreditation commission

 

Step 4: Accreditation Commission Phase

The commission’s responsibilities include:

  • Reviews the report of the visiting committee

  • Confirms school has met accreditation standards

  • Decides on the school’s accreditation

  • Determines any conditions the school must meet

  • Notifies the school of the decision

  • Sends a copy of visiting committee report to the school and NPSA headquarters

 

Step 5: Maintain Accreditation

To maintain accreditation a school’s/program's responsibilities include:

·  Modifying school Action Plans according to the commission report

·  Implementing action plans

·  Documenting progress in annual reports and mid-term (when required) reports

·  Maintaining all accreditation standards

·  Pay annual fees

 

Fees and Expenses

The following NPSA fees and expenses are required to participate in the accreditation program.

APPLICATION

      NPSA Application Fee .................... $250.00

CANDIDATE FOR ACCREDITATION

       Annual Accreditation Fee ............ $485.00

       One-Time Candidate Fee ............ $195.00

PROVISIONAL ACCREDITATION

       Annual Accreditation Fee .................. $485.00

       One-Time Provisional Fee ... $350.00

FULL ACCREDITATION

       Annual Accreditation Fee ..............   $525.00**

       One-Time Full Accreditation fee .....   $350.00           

       Re-Evaluation fee (every three years).. $350.00     

The first site visit is required within three years for a candidate school. A site visit is required every three years until reaching full accreditation status. Once a school reaches full accreditation a site visit is required every five years.

NOTE: 
Schools being evaluated must pay expenses for the Site Visit Committee: transportation, meals, and lodging.

**On-Site visits are required once every five years (minimum).