Gearing up for Accreditation

Saint Edward’s School is beginning the Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS) process for re-accreditation. Our visit will happen in February or March of 2024. 

There are exactly 2,689 independent schools in Florida, and only 765 are accredited by an outside agency. In our flagship organization of FCIS, only 144 schools are accredited in Florida by FCIS. 

The FCIS accreditation process assures that we are providing the best possible education for our students; it is also a symbol of respectability, professionalism, and prestige. It’s like a stamp of approval from an outside authority. Accreditation means we are upholding the highest standards of education. Accreditation by FCIS also facilitates our college admissions process and allows our students access to higher education. 

 

Accrediting schools is a long and meticulous process. First, the school must adhere to a strict overview of 18 standards and 121 indicators which are administered by FCIS. Examples of some of those indicators include things like the physical security and safety of students and teachers. Another indicator consists of the financial health of the school as well as ensuring the school is periodically evaluating its curriculum to ensure that the scope and sequence are aligned throughout each grade. 

 

The process is time-consuming, requiring action by each department and the school. There are steps for the department to follow and steps for the school to follow. The first step requires that the school completes a self-evaluation and has done an internal review of all aspects of its operations. We will also need to list three to four essential questions for the visiting team to ponder. The essential questions allow the opportunity for input from an outside entity.

 

Kelly Fykes will lead our team as the self-study coordinator. A group of collaborators will support Kelly (yet to be announced). This team will lead Saint Edward’s while looking for areas of opportunity and growth through focus and reflection. 

 

I am excited about working with this team and look forward to having our visiting team on campus in February or March of 2024.

 

If you have any questions on the process for re-accreditation through FCIS, please feel free to contact me at shirstein@steds.org 

 

See you around campus!