13/5/22, 9:37 Accreditation & Certification - Cognia

Are you scheduling an Accreditation Engagement Review for 2022–23? New standards will be in place. READ MORE

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Accreditation &

Certification
Cognia accreditation and certification are like no others. Our research-based performance standards give your teams a
shared framework to achieve measurable, meaningful improvement. No other accrediting agency gives you actionable data
from a team of professional reviewers—or continues to guide you to leverage your strengths for improvement. Get more
for your efforts—and proudly display a seal of educational quality that is recognized worldwide.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS SCHOOLS OF DISTINCTION

The premier diagnostic tool for school improvement

For more than 125 years, schools have been inviting Cognia and our legacy agencies into their classrooms. Why? Because we go beyond evaluating school
quality. We provide trusted expertise and actionable ideas that move the needle on school quality.

Accreditation is the launchpad for school improvement. Based on rigorous research-based standards and evidence-based criteria, the process probes the
whole institution—from policies to learning conditions and cultural context—to determine how well the parts work together to meet the needs of every
learner.

Accreditation isn’t about passing a one-time inspection—it helps education providers meet improvement goals and sustain commitments to better learner
outcomes.

“ The accreditation process holds you accountable

for improvement and for having a growth mindset for
your organization. It forces you to ask: 'How are we
going to improve all aspects of our work to better
serve students tomorrow than we are today?' "

Will Kesler
Head of School, Battle Ground Academy
Franklin, Tennessee

Member since 1895

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13/5/22, 9:37 Accreditation & Certification - Cognia

Are you scheduling an Accreditation Engagement Review for 2022–23? New standards will be in place. READ MORE

Build on your success

Highlight and apply your strengths. Cognia Accreditation or STEM certification validates your efforts—and lets others know you’ve reached that high bar.

Gain clarity
Work with a partner you can trust. For more than 125 years, our agencies have provided objective feedback to thousands of schools around the globe.

Receive third-party input

Engage your leadership team in a unique Cognia process—a thoughtful review of your whole institution by specially trained educators and leaders.

Bring out the best

Encourage team reflection, establish shared goals, and build on your institution’s strengths through the Cognia process—with ongoing support.

Accreditation: The pursuit of excellence

Cognia Performance Standards are at the heart of continuous improvement and accreditation. They define the characteristics of a good education
institution and provide guidelines for efforts that will energetically and visibly grow learners, teachers, leaders, and organizations.

Standards for 2021–2022

Key to the accreditation and certification processes is an objective evaluation known as the Accreditation Engagement Review. The current standards,
which apply to institutions engaging in reviews during 2021–2022, are organized for different institution types, as listed below.

Charter School Authorizers

Corporations
Digital Learning
Education Service Agencies
Postsecondary
Schools
Special Purpose
Systems
Early Learning
Extended Learning

New standards for 2022

In spring 2021, we completed a development cycle to examine and update the Cognia Performance Standards. The new Cognia Performance Standards
apply to all K–12 and postsecondary institutions. The new standards will go into effect for Accreditation Engagement Reviews beginning in the 2022–2023
school year.

The current, separate standards for Early and Extended Learning remain in effect going forward.

2022 Cognia Performance Standards for K–12 and Postsecondary Institutions

Early Learning
Extended Learning

READ MORE ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT AND THE NEW STANDARDS 

More insight, more collaboration

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13/5/22, 9:37 Accreditation & Certification - Cognia

With new standards taking effect on July 1, 2022, Cognia is also introducing changes to the accreditation protocol. Starting in the 2022–23 school year,
Are you will
many institutions scheduling an Accreditation
find their accreditation Engagement
term extended Review
from five for 2022–23?
to six years, New standards
and an updated will
accreditation be in will
protocol place. READ MORE
be in place. The new protocol
will add more time for institutions to identify, implement, and evaluate improvement activities; and will provide more support from Cognia.

Institutions new to Cognia will begin with Candidacy activities to familiarize themselves with Cognia and the accreditation process. All institutions will
engage in the three main phases of accreditation: Self-Assessment, Engagement Review, and Progress.

Essential to both the accreditation and certification processes is the Engagement Review—an in-depth exploration of your institution that uses your own
evidence, plus stakeholder input and expert analysis, to identify noteworthy practices and next steps for improvements.

You get guidance and support from dedicated Cognia experts through all the phases and activities.

Preparation* and Self-Assessment: Your process begins with team orientation and
training from Cognia. Then your team begins to reflect and collaborate; you’ll identify
and collect the evidence that most meaningfully demonstrates your strengths and
challenges.

*To qualify for accreditation, education providers must follow Cognia’s accreditation policies.

STEM Certification: Recognizing innovation

Cognia’s STEM Certification guides leaders with a specific framework and improvement process, culminating in recognition for programs that demonstrate
a strong and effective STEM focus. If your institution seeks STEM Certification, you will host a STEM Certification Review along with your Accreditation
Engagement Review for accreditation or renewal. The STEM Certification Review team is made up of experienced educators and leaders, including
specialists in the STEM disciplines.

The team looks for hallmarks of quality as described in Cognia’s STEM Certification Standards. These standards, which Cognia identified through robust
research and extensive observations, focus on characteristics like problem-based experiential learning and the integration of STEM thinking into a broad
range of activities and learning opportunities.

STEM Certification from Cognia empowers your Early Learning and K–12 institutions to:

Convey to parents and staff your commitment to high-quality STEM education

Build awareness in your community and increase expectations for STEM education
Encourage enrollment with a unique differentiator

“ Having a STEM program that has

been recognized by Cognia is something
that we felt would be of value to our
parents."

Kate Latham
Student and Faculty Achievement Coach
Primrose School of Burlington, Massachusetts and
LEGO Education Master Educator

Member since 2016

Clear goals, visible accomplishments

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We work with schools and systems of all types and sizes across the globe to help you meet the needs of every student. Cognia provides a clear set of standards and
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and certification. Meeting thoseEngagement Review
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READ MORE

Meaningful feedback
Our experienced teams gather evidence about the quality of your learning environments using Cognia’s Performance Standards and research instruments. A
thorough report gives you both a broad understanding and detailed insights into where your school or system excels and where you need to invest resources.

Informed evaluators
Many factors in your community, such as enrollment, geography, and economics, influence your decisions and planning. Educators who understand your
environment and challenges lead your review. They meet with your stakeholders and make observations to form a complete picture before finalizing an evaluation.

Ongoing support for your efforts

Your Cognia team connects with you beyond your review, checking in to discuss your progress and help you overcome obstacles. You also have ongoing access to
the online Cognia Improvement Platform, tools and resources that help you measure key components of school quality and student engagement.

Valued recognition
Accreditation and certification are accomplishments worth sharing, to let your community know that your institution upholds high standards of education quality.
Schools and systems that further stand out—as demonstrated through their Engagement Reviews—are designated Cognia Schools of Distinction for the year of
their accreditation.

Required training for institutions with upcoming engagement reviews starting in school year 2022-23 and beyond. Accreditation: Moving Beyond
Accountability to Continuous Improvement. Register >

Serving educators at every level

Education agency leaders
High-level leaders and their teams work with Cognia to set priorities, identify resources, and track progress of improvement efforts for their
institutions. Cognia partners with you to design programs and services that fit your specific needs.

System and school leaders

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Work with Cognia to achieve the recognition you deserve through accreditation and STEM certification. Cognia addresses the unique requirements for
Are
education you scheduling
institutions in the U.S.an
andAccreditation Engagement Review for 2022–23? New standards will be in place.
around the world:
READ MORE

States
Global Ministries
Large Agencies
Systems and Districts
Individual Schools
Digital Learning Programs
And More

Ready to get started?

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