Update from MSA-CESS

by | Mar 30, 2021 | New Blog

Today’s blog contains an update from the Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Recently we received an email from MSA-CESS President Lisa Marie McCauley, Ed.D. and MSA-CESS Vice-President, Accreditation Glenn Mort, Ed.D. which read as follows:

We are pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Education has recognized the Middle States Association Commission on Secondary Schools nationwide as an institutional accreditor for Career and Technical programs. This means that postsecondary, non-degree granting career and technical institutions across the country may use Middle States accreditation to establish eligibility to participate in federal Title IV student loan programs for adult students. Just as important, it also means that CT centers nationwide will now have the opportunity to become part of an elite network of Middle States member schools that shares a commitment to continuous growth and improvement. As you know, Middle States accreditation offers a protocol specifically developed to meet the unique needs of career and technical schools. Through Middle States accreditation, member schools demonstrate they meet a defined set of research-based performance standards that ensure accountability and advance student achievement. The standards measure quality through performance criteria such as program completion rate, student job placement rate, licensing examination pass rate, and student loan default rate. Additionally, Middle States is able to accredit schools with both secondary and postsecondary programs as part of one self-study and evaluation visit, saving time and money. The protocol evaluates both technical and academic programs in the same self-study and evaluation process, encouraging alignment and integration of those programs. For over 130 years, Middle States has been helping school leaders establish and reach their goals, develop strategic plans, promote staff development, and advance student achievement. We are proud of our legacy, and we are excited that CT schools across the country now have the choice to be a part of it too.

We are proud to have MSA-CESS and two other organizations accredit our accredited high school program and accredited middle school program. We were the first distance learning school to receive regional accreditation, and we are also recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education as a non-public school. As you can tell, we take our accreditation seriously, and you should too. Without it, our print and online high school courses and print and online middle school courses would not have the same merit and value as they do now, and offering top-quality courses to our students has been important to us for more than a century.

Homeschooling has taught me a lot of new things. It has taught me self-discipline and made me take my studies more seriously than before. I have learned to study properly. The books and materials were very helpful. It is a fun experience to do homeschooling. Many people are amazed to know that I did homeschooling. This has opened and changed a lot of people’s minds.

– Jekah from United Arab Emirates

American School has more to offer than any public school. Two of my children, two of my grandchildren, and one niece completed their high school education with American School, and my sister and I are enrolled at the present time.

– Marilyn from Missouri

I learned a lot, and the skills are helping me in my college classes.

The most important thing I learned was how to schedule my time and organize my work. The study guides helped to show me how much work to do at one time. I’m glad to be part of American School.

– Peter from Illinois

I have found the methods, instruction, textbooks, study guides and service satisfactory because they are all up-to-date and made ready for me to learn. I am greatly thankful for this service because now I can graduate early with all my credits in. Thank you very much, American School!

– Ada from Michigan

American School was an easy yet efficient way to earn the extra credit I needed to graduate.

– Elizabeth from Illinois

I greatly enjoyed American School. The instructors’ comments were very helpful. I enjoyed this method of learning. I feel I have learned a lot more than I did in public school. I was able to keep up with school through all the moves I made without going through the hassle of switching school systems. I enjoyed the honesty of the

instructors and the overall program. I will recommend American School to anyone interested.

– Enoch from Texas

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We call these our Four C’s.

Curriculum

American School’s innovative paper-based and online curriculum offers something for everyone in grades 6-12. Students can choose from more than 100 self-paced courses in traditional subjects such as English, math, social studies and science and take electives in such subject areas as business, career and technical education, fine arts, and world languages,

Cost

As a not-for-profit institution, American School puts students’ educations first. Our tuition is affordable—much lower than many other distance education and online high schools—and all textbooks and study materials are included at no additional cost. Monthly payment plans are available for students in full years of American School’s middle school or high school program.

Caring Student Service

When students are accepted at American School, they not only receive interesting curriculum at a reasonable cost from a pioneer in distance education; they also receive outstanding, caring student service. Students may enroll anytime and work at their own pace. Help is available from American School staff during business hours and around the clock in American School’s Online Student Center.

Credibility

Founded in 1897, American School later became the first correspondence school to become regionally accredited. Today we are accredited by three reputable accrediting bodies and recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education as a non-public high school. American School’s diploma is accepted by colleges and universities, and thousands of high schools use our courses for credit recovery.