Join SAES

Accreditation

Episcopal schools wishing to participate in the accreditation process are invited to join SAES and apply for accreditation with the Association. Newly formed schools having completed three years of operation may apply to begin the process. Assistance is available from Sue Kirkpatrick, Director Director of Accreditation Services and/or Susan Schotz, Associate Director of Accreditation Services, as the school prepares for this important step and for each part of the process.

Accreditation is primarily a commitment to on-going school improvement. To be designated as accredited means the school voluntarily participates in evaluations of its program using the SAES Standards as its measure of effectiveness. Accreditation can also help refine a school’s goals and provide a sense of direction and focus for future planning by its board. The process affirms that which the school does well and offers suggestions for improvement where necessary.

SAES Standards are the foundation of accreditation and include a focus on the school’s mission, its Episcopal character, students and parents, the professional staff, all areas of the educational program, administration, governance, finance, facility, and the culture and climate of the school.

The accreditation process involves three steps for member schools – preparing Documents in Adherence to Standards, completing a Self-Study, and welcoming an on-site visit. After a school’s application for accreditation is accepted, the school gathers its Documents and submits them for review by the Standards Committee of SAES. These Documents include vital institutional information about the administrative organization and credentials of the school. 

Once Documents are approved, the school is authorized to begin its Self-Study in preparation for an on-site visit by a team of SAES professionals. The Self-Study is the work of a school committee which includes representatives from all areas – board, administration, faculty, clergy, staff, and parents. The Self-Study includes questions related to the SAES Standards, some descriptive and many reflective. This narrative is presented to the members of the on-site visiting team one month before the visit.

The on-site visit is a Sunday to Wednesday experience. A team of peers from SAES joins the Director of Accreditation at the school, visits the classes, and meets with faculty, administrators, board members, clergy, and parents to learn more about the school.  The team creates a report for the SAES Standards Committee which includes commendations and recommendations concerning the school’s compliance with SAES Standards.

The SAES Standards Committee then determines an award of accreditation to the school or recommends further preparation by the school. Schools awarded accreditation submit interim reports to SAES between on-site visits. The details of the accreditation process are found on this website in the Accreditation Handbook.

The SAES accreditation process is recognized by the National Association of Independent Schools Commission on Accreditation, the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC) and the Oklahoma Private Schools Accreditation Commission (OPSAC).

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