Local schools congratulated for earning super system title

Dr. Jerry Hale, director of Warren County Schools, was recently notified by the CEO of the Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (CASI) of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) of receiving special recognition as a school district that has all eligible elementary, middle, and secondary schools accredited.

The district is considered a 2005-2006 Super System for Quality Schools, and was congratulated for its accomplishments and continued success in improving educational opportunities for the young people it serves.

For 2005-2006, there were 541 school districts in the 11-state SACS CASI region that qualified for this recognition. The number by state is: Alabama ? 72, Florida ? 37, Georgia ? 73, Kentucky ? 51, Louisiana ? 10, Mississippi ? 48, North Carolina ? 52, South Carolina ? 53, Tennessee ? 82, Texas ? 9, and Virginia ? 54.

SACS accreditation ensures benefits to the community, including:

? Mission and goals focused on improving student performance and each school?s capacity to improve teaching and learning.

? A collaboratively developed improvement plan that includes methods for measuring student progress and involves key school stakeholders.

? A continuous improvement process that integrates all types of school planning and evaluation requirements.

? The assurance of quality through regular review of programs by a team of outside peer professionals.

? Accountability and value for tax dollars spent.

? Recognition as an accredited school.

Founded in 1895, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is a voluntary, non-governmental agency composed of more than 13,000 accredited colleges and universities, elementary, middle, and secondary schools. Headquartered in Decatur, Georgia, SACS serves 11 Southern states, as well as the countries of Mexico, Central and South America, islands of the Caribbean, and other geographic areas.

Accreditation is a process of helping institutions improve through a systematic program of evaluation, assuring that an institution not only meets quality standards, but also that it demonstrates a continuous commitment to providing quality education programs that are aimed at improving student performance.