The New England Association of Schools and Colleges
Improving Education Through Accreditation
Founded in 1885, the New England Association of Schools & Colleges, Inc. (NEASC), is the nation's oldest regional accrediting association whose mission is the establishment and maintenance of high standards for all levels of education, from pre-K to the doctoral level.
NEASC serves some 1,866 public and independent schools, colleges and universities in the six states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont and 114 American/International schools around the globe.
";The accreditation process we have developed over the years is a major vehicle that can and should be used to bring about educational improvement at all levels of schooling," says Jacob Ludes, III, Executive Director and CEO of NEASC. ";NEASC is poised to be a partner in the effort to reform and improve education in the region."
Serving K-16 in the Six-State Region of New England and Internationally, NEASC:
Accredits 258 degree-granting colleges, universities and other post-secondary institutions in New England through the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE) and the Commission on Technical and Career Institutions (CTCI)
Accredits more than 561 private, member schools through the Commission on Independent Schools (CIS)
Accredits 644 public secondary schools through the Commission on Public Secondary Schools (CPSS)
Accredits approximately 199 public elementary schools through the Commission on Public Elementary and Middle Schools (CPEMS)
Accredits 90 vocational-technical schools through the Commission on Technical and Career Institutions (CTCI)
Accredits 114 American/International schools in 57 nations through the Committee on American and International Schools Abroad (CAISA)
Serves as a clearinghouse for the public and its policy makers
Accreditation: a Process of Systematic Improvement
Accreditation relies on a voluntary, peer review process, engaging some 3,400 educators in the region on hundreds of reviews in any year. Each relies on a 12- to 18-month self-study process undertaken by schools and colleges in regular review cycles. The goals are school effectiveness, improvement and public assurance. Unlike popular magazines, this does not involve ranking institutions, but rather, establishes a level of acceptable quality for all accredited institutions.
Partners in the Renewal Process
Commission Standards are high and focus on virtually every aspect of a school or higher education institution's operation. These standards often are accepted in substitution for minimal standards set by state departments of education. These are reviewed periodically by the commissions and the membership, reflecting the voluntary, independent nature of accreditation combined with recognition of pertinent state and federal regulations.
The NEASC bylaws establish the Association as a private, nonprofit corporation. The Executive Director/CEO works with the entire membership and reports to the Association's governing body, the Board of Trustees The Commission Directors work directly with the commissions and their member institutions and report to the Executive Director/CEO.
For information visit www.neasc.org.