What is Accreditation?

Accreditation is, according to the Oxford Dictionary, “The action or process of officially recognizing someone as having a particular status or being qualified to perform a particular activity.”

As with most accrediting agencies, the self- evaluation and documentation of program, is essential to the accreditation process.

The evaluation must therefore be motivated and directed by the parents teaching their children, using one of our approved curriculums, and must be a productive assessment of a student’s strengths and have a clear and measurable improvement in the curriculum program used.

Purposes of Accreditation

The practice of accreditation in the United States began in the early 1960’s mainly in colleges and universities to determine a basic level of quality in their academic level, mainly in an attempts in receiving Federal funds. For this purpose, private educational associations and commissions decided to start a non-governmental process of evaluating on a national level.

It is important to note that there are NO federally and governmentally recognized accrediting agencies for elementary and secondary schools, as can be read in the texas legislation.

Is Accreditation of Private Schools Compulsory?

 Accreditation is not necessary or compulsory (Texas Education Code §51.9241). Students are accepted into colleges based on the evaluation of their application (Essay, admissions exams, extra curricular activities,etc), the results of their Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or American College Testing (ACT) scores and their high school Grade Point Average (GPA). The high school’s accreditation or non- accreditation status is not a factor in the evaluation of a high-schooler’s eligibility for college admission.

A growing factor in this decision, the growing number of home schooled students applying for college admission has defied the purpose of the accreditation issue in the college admission process. Even more, it has been noted that the best colleges and universities across the country are actively recruiting home schooled students!