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WASC
 
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
 
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), a 501(c)(3) organization, is recognized as one of six regional associations that accredit public and private schools, colleges, and universities in the United States.
 
Understanding the WASC Accreditation Cycle
WASC accreditation is based on a six-year accreditation cycle, with a full Self-Study visit occurring every six years.
 
A school beginning the accreditation process with WASC following the required initial visit can be granted either candidate or initial accreditation status, each of which carries a maximum term of three-years. At the end of the initial accreditation or candidacy period, the school must conduct a full Self-Study review and undertake a full Self-Study WASC accreditation visit. These are the general guidelines for schools located in California, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands; accreditation terms, lengths of visits, and size of committees may vary for schools located overseas and for some schools with joint WASC affiliations. Please feel free to contact the WASC Office for further information regarding these types of schools.
 
The Commission grants a term of accreditation that shows a strong correlation to existing student achievement results and growth and current programmatic and operational actions based on the WASC criteria and accreditation term factors as noted in the content of the visiting committee report and the term recommendation of the visiting committee.
 
As a result of the full Self-Study WASC accreditation visit, the following accreditation terms may be granted:
  • Six-Year Term
  • Six-Year Term with a Midterm Review Required
  • Three-Year Term
  • Limited Term (One- or Two-Year Term)
San Ramon Valley completed the full WASC Accreditation process in 2006 and a copy of the full report is available at the link below.  SRVHS was issued a Six-Year Term with a Midterm Review in 2009.  A copy of the 2009 report is available by clicking the link to the right. 
 
Six-Year Term with a Midterm Review Required
This is an accreditation term of six years with a written progress report and a one-day, on-site review by a two-member committee to be completed during the third year of the six-year term. The progress report and review visit shall focus on demonstrating that the school has:
  • addressed the critical areas for improvement through the schoolwide action plan.
  • made appropriate progress on implementation of the schoolwide action plan.
  • improved student achievement relative to the expected schoolwide learning results.
The following may be imposed if it is determined as a result of the midterm review that insufficient progress has been made toward the schoolwide critical areas of concern:
  • The school must submit a revised progress report and action plan which reflects adequate progress toward the schoolwide critical areas of concern.
  • An additional one-day visit to take place the following year.
No additional term is granted as a result of the required Midterm Review. The next accreditation action will be the full Self-Study to take place at the six-year mark.