# data[].attributes.headline
The Role of Accountability Systems and Regional Accreditation by Dr. Mark Elgart

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The Role of Accountability Systems and Regional Accreditation by Dr. Mark Elgart

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The Role of Accountability Systems and Regional Accreditation in Improving Quality K–12 Education (cognia.org)

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Dr. Andre L. Harrison, Sr. Vice President of Accreditation Services, Cognia

Email: andre.harrison@cognia.org

Direct number: 334-322-2666

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Dr. Jeff Wooten​, Senior Director of Accreditation Services, Southeast Region

Office: 888.413.3669 | ext. 5735

Direct r: 256.366.1251

Email: jeff.wooten@cognia.org

Dr. Jeff Langham, Regional Director, Southeast Region

Office: 888.413.3669 | ext. 9377

Email: jeff.langham@cognia.org

Gina Norris, Lead Analyst

Email:  gina.norris@cognia.org

Donna Calhoun, Regional Accreditation Evaluator

Email:  donna.calhoun@cognia.org

Garry Rickard, Regional Accreditation Evaluator

Email:  garry.rickdard@cognia.org

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Cognia Performance Standards:  Examining the Research

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Cognia Performance Standards:  Examining the Research

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Over the past 50 years, adult education scholars have developed a robust literature on "andragogy," the art and science of teaching adult learners. In the 1970s, Malcolm Knowles, a one-time head of the Adult Education Association of the United States, introduced the word on these shores (from the German for "man-leading") to distinguish the facilitation of adult learning from pedagogy (child-leading), directing the learning of children.

Adult and independent learner strategies could be the next big driver of school improvement

Scholars have synthesized Knowles's assumptions about how to best support adult learners in an andragogical curriculum model of learning. The six fundamental attributes of this model are:

Resources: The adult learner's experience becomes a rich resource for their own and other's learning.

Need to Know: Adult learners need a meaningful reason to learn something.

Efficacy and Direction: Adult learners are increasingly self-directing.

Readiness: Life tasks and problems drive adults' readiness to learn.

Orientation: Adult learners seek immediate application for their learning.

Motivation: The adult learner is increasingly motivated by internal incentives and curiosity.

These core attributes apply to all adult learning contexts, from literacy programs to professional learning for educators and can help drive school improvement in new ways. Best practices for developing current teachers follow these adult learning principles. Surveys and research further show that professional learning is most effective when it is relevant to the learner (e.g., teacher, leader), directly applicable to their professional context, and shared within a network of practice.
Adult learning for school improvement
For schools to continuously improve, leaders need to direct district policies, resource allocation, and new uses of technology so that schools become centers for teacher and leader learning. Educators must have opportunities to learn from each other, mentor and be mentored, and grow together in a community of practice. (Dufour 2009, Davidson, 2023)

A 2022 report from the Learning Policy Institute, Developing Effective Principals: What Kind of Learning Matters? highlighted a similar need for school principals. In spite of increased access to content related to leading instruction, managing change, developing people, shaping a positive school culture, and meeting the needs of diverse learners, principals' access to crucial job-based learning opportunities (e.g., internships, applied learning, mentoring or coaching) is still limited. According to the report, "Only 40% of principals reported having had an internship during their preparation that allowed them to take on real leadership responsibilities characteristic of a high-quality internship experience, and very few in-service principals reported having access to coaching or mentoring."

School leaders are even more isolated than teachers. They are true "lone rangers" in their buildings. As an educator who has led a district, taught adult learning in education departments at several universities, and now provides training for school districts involved in Cognia's accreditation and school improvement efforts, I have seen firsthand how the lack of networked support for leaders can limit success in school improvement.
All part of continuous improvement
To be successful, school improvement should be a team sport. Everyone needs a coach, and all the players must share a common vision of what the game is about and be open to new ways of helping each participant (e.g., adult, student) achieve better outcomes.

Cognia's approach to continuous improvement can be used in connection with pedagogy, andragogy, and heutagogy (the administration of learning for self-managed learners) in the strategic planning process, which also needs to be taught with greater emphasis in university-based leadership programs.

Cognia defines continuous improvement (Elgart, 2017) as "an embedded behavior within the culture of a school that constantly focuses on the conditions, processes, and practices that will improve teaching and learning." The key dimensions of that work require four successive strategic actions (i.e., visioning, planning, implementing, and evaluation) that need to be revisited and repeated as a new cycle. For anyone interested, the best tool available for understanding what's involved in this process is Cognia's "inFocus guide for strategic thinking and improvement planning," (2023) which should be a regular focus of every leader.

As shown in the chart below, the cycle begins with imagining the possibilities, communicating with stakeholders, plotting the journey, initiating the journey with training and fostering buy-in, building momentum and capacity, and reflecting, evaluating, and adjusting to begin the cycle again.
Unleashing andragogy and heutagogy to improve learning
To effectively educate adults, andragogy must be paired with heutagogy-the administration of learning for self-managed learners. In my work with schools and districts, to identify root causes of low performance across all dimensions of school quality, I see how indispensable andragogy and heutagogy are to the future of our education system.

The following chart identifies key principles of heutagogy in addition to pedagogy and andragogy.

Young, S. (2018, March 7). Heutagogy: the art of self-directed learning. Acts of Leadership.

The old focus on traditional pedagogy, in which dependent learners follow external motivations and a prescribed curriculum to get to the next level and are directed by teachers who manage the process of learning and hold the knowledge that needs to be changed to usher in a new era of active, student-directed learning. While this approach can be useful for younger students, it cultivates the kinds of passive learning that are better suited for the industrial era rather than the digital age, where students learn more independently than in lockstep with each other. The pedagogical model needs to be changed to usher in a new era of active, student-directed learning.

The pedagogical model needs to be changed to usher in a new era of active, student-directed learning.

What will a new system look like? Teachers will be collaborators and active co-constructors of learning, optimizing support for each student. Learners will make choices in how they learn, helping to design their own learning experiences and pathways and progressing through content as they demonstrate competence in projects that engage with communities outside the school.

Taking adult learning to heart, we can create new ways for teachers to learn from one another and address the problems of practice, allowing them to be propelled by teachers' intrinsic motivation and aided by expert peers who serve as facilitators and collaborators.

The areas needing improvement indicate that focusing on andragogy to improve adult learning for teachers and leaders can help shift the focus to student needs and experiences. It can also encourage teachers to conduct research to make improvements and begin the transition to a heutagogic system that will shift teachers' roles and encourage self-directed and self-paced learning.
Looking ahead
When we have changed from policies that direct where and how long students must learn to an approach that allows them to learn where and how fast they can, we will be ready to create a system of learning through heutagogy. In the future, students will work with their teachers to create their own unique courses of learning-to go as far and as fast as they can on an unplanned, non-linear journey of exploration and discovery.

We can encourage students to set goals that are meaningful to them, draw on the passions and interests that drive them to learn, focus on knowledge domains (not subjects and courses), and develop the skills to become lifelong learners. Ultimately, we must ensure that all students have agency and can equitably achieve 21 st -century learning goals at the pace appropriate for their learning. Only then will our education system be as powerful as our students can make it.
References
Cognia (2022), Performance Standards K-12 and Postsecondary Institutions, Performance-Standards.pdf

Cognia (2023), inFocus: A guide for strategic thinking and improvement planning, inFocus Guidebook

Cox, Elaine (2015), "Coaching and Adult Learning: Theory and Practice," New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, chapter 3, Wiley Online Library

Darling-Hammond, L., Wechsler, M. E., Levin, S., Leung-Gagné, M., & Tozer, S. (2022). Developing effective principals: What kind of learning matters? [Report]. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/641.201. Updated September 14, 2023. Revisions are noted here.

Davidson, Scott (Spring 2022), "Get More Out of Professional Learning," appearing in Cognia, The Source, Get More Out of Professional Learning - Cognia - The Source

Dufour, Rick (Fall 2009), Professional Learning Communities: The Key to Improved Teaching and Learning, appearing in Cognia, The Source, Professional Learning Communities: The Key to Improved Teaching and Learning - Cognia - The Source

Elgart, Mark A. (September 2017), Meeting the Promise of Continuous Improvement, Cognia White Paper, Meeting-the-Promise-of-Continuous-Improvement-White-Paper.pdf (cognia.org)

Eripuddin and Jufrizal (2021), JEE (Journal of English Education) Vol. 7 No. 1, June 2021, pp. 103-123, Eripuddin Jufrizal 2021

Gutierrez, Karla (2021), Three Adult Learning Theories Every E-Learning Designer Must Know, Association for Talent Development, 3 Adult Learning Theories Every E-Learning Designer Must Know (td.org)

Henschke, J.A. (2014) "Andragogical Curriculum for Equipping Successful Facilitators of Andragogy in Numerous Contexts" from the Selected Works of John A. Henschke, Ed.D. , Lindenwood, Henschke 2014

Holmes, Kathryn and Preston, Greg (2020), "Concept of Pedagogy and Andragogy Education" appearing in Community Medicine & Education Journal Vol 1 Issue 1 2020, Holmes Preston 2020

Patrick, Susan (Spring 2023), "Next Generation Accountability Systems for Student Success," appearing in Cognia, The Source, Next Generation Accountability Systems for Student Success - Cognia - The Source

Rohlwing, Ruth L. and Spelman, Maureen, (2015) "Characteristics of Adult Learning," Implications for the Design and Implementation of Professional Learning programs, chapter12, in Martin, L.E. Kragler, S, Quatroche, D.J., Hargreaves, A., and Bauserman, K.L., Handbook of Professional Development in Education, Successful Models and Practices, preK-12

Young, S. (2018, March 7). Heutagogy: the art of self-directed learning. Acts of Leadership. https://www.samyoung.co.nz/2018/03/heutagogy-art-of-self-directed-learning.html

André L. Harrison, Ed.D., currently serves as Vice President of Accreditation Services for Cognia. Dr. Harrison has supported institutions throughout the United States and other countries across the world during their continuous improvement journeys. He has over three decades of experience in the field of education, including more than 25 years of experience as an adjunct university instructor. He is currently serving as an adjunct assistant professor of Educational Leadership for the University of Alabama and teaches school finance in leadership courses at universities in Alabama. Dr. Harrison has written extensively about school leadership and board governance, curriculum and instruction, and school finance. He recently co-authored The Alabama School Finance Handbook, which will be used in training sessions for aspiring and new superintendents.

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Andragogy: Supporting Adult Learners - Cognia - The Source

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Adult and independent learner strategies could be the next big driver of school improvement Scholars have synthesized Knowles's assumptions about how to best support adult learners in an andragogical curriculum model of learning. The six fundamental attributes of this model are: Resources: The adult learner's experience becomes a rich resource...

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Expectations for Quality Education - Cognia - The Source

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As an improvement organization, Cognia believes that every institution, even great ones, can be better tomorrow than today. We hold ourselves to the same ideal. Like the members we serve, Cognia continually works to innovate and improve. Our commitment to school quality and continuous improvement compels us to examine and update our accreditation standards and protocol to acknowledge changes and set expectations for quality education institutions in a new era.

Cognia's Performance Standards and Protocol underpin all our solutions in service to schools and learners-professional learning, accreditation and certification, assessment, turnaround, and school improvement. The accreditation standards outline expectations for Cognia accredited institutions based on what the latest education research indicates makes for quality schools. The protocol outlines the requirements of the accrediting process.
New Cognia Performance Standards and Protocol
New Cognia Performance Standards and Protocol go into effect July 1, 2022, for member institutions undergoing an Accreditation Engagement Review and institutions pursuing accreditation for the first time. These new standards will help schools address today's education challenges and set a vision for the future. In our last edition we wrote about The Meaning of Standards but here is what is most important to know.

The new protocol includes Self-Assessment, Engagement Review, and Progress Reporting. If you are familiar with the previous Cognia standards for different institution types, you will notice a significant change. One set of standards applies to all K-12 and postsecondary institution types, including systems of institutions. Not to worry we have ways of capturing relevant details that make your institution unique, and still provide useful information that leverages the power of community to share what we know works for high-quality schooling and is relatable among institutions with similar profiles, challenges, and experiences.

Members institutions now have new improvement tools and more opportunities for support and collaboration to help your institution's team achieve a shared vision and understanding and make progress on improvement objectives.

Starting this fall, in response to evolving institution needs Cognia will:

Move to a six-year accreditation cycle* for most institutions so you have more time to implement initiatives, evaluate them, and prepare for the next cycle

Offer orientation and training for your team to prepare for success

Guide and support you with Cognia experts throughout your accreditation and improvement activities

Add Institution Self-Assessment to identify institution strengths and needs and ensure personnel understand the new standards and protocol

Add Progress Reporting and collaborate to help institutions sustain momentum

Throughout the engagement review process, Cognia provides guidance, tools, and resources as we shift from a review event to a relationship that fosters ongoing progress with momentum. With Cognia Standards as your guide to high-quality schooling you choose how to address your institution's specific needs and leverage our knowledge to help you succeed.

Based on current research in education, input from practitioners, and multiple expert reviews, Cognia's cyclical development process assures that the standards at the foundation of our improvement and accreditation strategies continue to be viable, feasible, and relevant. Learn more about the new Cognia Accreditation Performance Standards or reach out to your local Cognia contact for assistance.

*Some institution accreditation cycles will differ based on the needs or requirements of the institution, or the state/country in which it operates including Early Learning, Department of Defense Education Activity, and international schools.

Holly King, Ph.D., is senior vice president of Evaluation Services for Cognia, overseeing all aspects of accreditation and certification services offered to PK-12 schools around the world. Over her career, Dr. King has directed education programs in private, non-profit, and school district settings. She has held adjunct faculty positions in Early Childhood Education for eight years at three colleges, teaching adult learners in online and face-to-face settings, and is an adjunct faculty member for the Master's in Organizational Leadership program at the University of Denver. She also serves as Affiliate Research Faculty for Antioch University's Ph.D. in Leadership and Change in quantitative methods. To her leadership roles, Dr. King brings expertise in best practices in early learning and K-6 education; strategic planning; leadership development; quality assurance; data analysis; health, mental health, and disabilities services; family support; and professional development and coaching. Dr. King holds a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University, as well as master degrees in Early Childhood Education and Leadership and Change.

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Expectations for Quality Education - Cognia - The Source

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Cognia's Performance Standards and Protocol underpin all our solutions in service to schools and learners-professional learning, accreditation and certification, assessment, turnaround, and school improvement. The accreditation standards outline expectations for Cognia accredited institutions based on what the latest education research indicates makes for quality schools. The protocol outlines the requirements...

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The Mid-Cycle Progress Report Guidelines for Institutions

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The Mid-Cycle Progress Report Guidelines for Institutions

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Accreditation and Improvement Infographic 

# data[].attributes.subject
Accreditation and Improvement Infographic 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Over the past 50 years, adult education scholars have developed a robust literature on "andragogy," the art and science of teaching adult learners. In the 1970s, Malcolm Knowles, a one-time head of the Adult Education Association of the United States, introduced the word on these shores (from the German for "man-leading") to distinguish the facilitation of adult learning from pedagogy (child-leading), directing the learning of children.

Adult and independent learner strategies could be the next big driver of school improvement

Scholars have synthesized Knowles's assumptions about how to best support adult learners in an andragogical curriculum model of learning. The six fundamental attributes of this model are:

Resources: The adult learner's experience becomes a rich resource for their own and other's learning.

Need to Know: Adult learners need a meaningful reason to learn something.

Efficacy and Direction: Adult learners are increasingly self-directing.

Readiness: Life tasks and problems drive adults' readiness to learn.

Orientation: Adult learners seek immediate application for their learning.

Motivation: The adult learner is increasingly motivated by internal incentives and curiosity.

These core attributes apply to all adult learning contexts, from literacy programs to professional learning for educators and can help drive school improvement in new ways. Best practices for developing current teachers follow these adult learning principles. Surveys and research further show that professional learning is most effective when it is relevant to the learner (e.g., teacher, leader), directly applicable to their professional context, and shared within a network of practice.
Adult learning for school improvement
For schools to continuously improve, leaders need to direct district policies, resource allocation, and new uses of technology so that schools become centers for teacher and leader learning. Educators must have opportunities to learn from each other, mentor and be mentored, and grow together in a community of practice. (Dufour 2009, Davidson, 2023)

A 2022 report from the Learning Policy Institute, Developing Effective Principals: What Kind of Learning Matters? highlighted a similar need for school principals. In spite of increased access to content related to leading instruction, managing change, developing people, shaping a positive school culture, and meeting the needs of diverse learners, principals' access to crucial job-based learning opportunities (e.g., internships, applied learning, mentoring or coaching) is still limited. According to the report, "Only 40% of principals reported having had an internship during their preparation that allowed them to take on real leadership responsibilities characteristic of a high-quality internship experience, and very few in-service principals reported having access to coaching or mentoring."

School leaders are even more isolated than teachers. They are true "lone rangers" in their buildings. As an educator who has led a district, taught adult learning in education departments at several universities, and now provides training for school districts involved in Cognia's accreditation and school improvement efforts, I have seen firsthand how the lack of networked support for leaders can limit success in school improvement.
All part of continuous improvement
To be successful, school improvement should be a team sport. Everyone needs a coach, and all the players must share a common vision of what the game is about and be open to new ways of helping each participant (e.g., adult, student) achieve better outcomes.

Cognia's approach to continuous improvement can be used in connection with pedagogy, andragogy, and heutagogy (the administration of learning for self-managed learners) in the strategic planning process, which also needs to be taught with greater emphasis in university-based leadership programs.

Cognia defines continuous improvement (Elgart, 2017) as "an embedded behavior within the culture of a school that constantly focuses on the conditions, processes, and practices that will improve teaching and learning." The key dimensions of that work require four successive strategic actions (i.e., visioning, planning, implementing, and evaluation) that need to be revisited and repeated as a new cycle. For anyone interested, the best tool available for understanding what's involved in this process is Cognia's "inFocus guide for strategic thinking and improvement planning," (2023) which should be a regular focus of every leader.

As shown in the chart below, the cycle begins with imagining the possibilities, communicating with stakeholders, plotting the journey, initiating the journey with training and fostering buy-in, building momentum and capacity, and reflecting, evaluating, and adjusting to begin the cycle again.
Unleashing andragogy and heutagogy to improve learning
To effectively educate adults, andragogy must be paired with heutagogy-the administration of learning for self-managed learners. In my work with schools and districts, to identify root causes of low performance across all dimensions of school quality, I see how indispensable andragogy and heutagogy are to the future of our education system.

The following chart identifies key principles of heutagogy in addition to pedagogy and andragogy.

Young, S. (2018, March 7). Heutagogy: the art of self-directed learning. Acts of Leadership.

The old focus on traditional pedagogy, in which dependent learners follow external motivations and a prescribed curriculum to get to the next level and are directed by teachers who manage the process of learning and hold the knowledge that needs to be changed to usher in a new era of active, student-directed learning. While this approach can be useful for younger students, it cultivates the kinds of passive learning that are better suited for the industrial era rather than the digital age, where students learn more independently than in lockstep with each other. The pedagogical model needs to be changed to usher in a new era of active, student-directed learning.

The pedagogical model needs to be changed to usher in a new era of active, student-directed learning.

What will a new system look like? Teachers will be collaborators and active co-constructors of learning, optimizing support for each student. Learners will make choices in how they learn, helping to design their own learning experiences and pathways and progressing through content as they demonstrate competence in projects that engage with communities outside the school.

Taking adult learning to heart, we can create new ways for teachers to learn from one another and address the problems of practice, allowing them to be propelled by teachers' intrinsic motivation and aided by expert peers who serve as facilitators and collaborators.

The areas needing improvement indicate that focusing on andragogy to improve adult learning for teachers and leaders can help shift the focus to student needs and experiences. It can also encourage teachers to conduct research to make improvements and begin the transition to a heutagogic system that will shift teachers' roles and encourage self-directed and self-paced learning.
Looking ahead
When we have changed from policies that direct where and how long students must learn to an approach that allows them to learn where and how fast they can, we will be ready to create a system of learning through heutagogy. In the future, students will work with their teachers to create their own unique courses of learning-to go as far and as fast as they can on an unplanned, non-linear journey of exploration and discovery.

We can encourage students to set goals that are meaningful to them, draw on the passions and interests that drive them to learn, focus on knowledge domains (not subjects and courses), and develop the skills to become lifelong learners. Ultimately, we must ensure that all students have agency and can equitably achieve 21 st -century learning goals at the pace appropriate for their learning. Only then will our education system be as powerful as our students can make it.
References
Cognia (2022), Performance Standards K-12 and Postsecondary Institutions, Performance-Standards.pdf

Cognia (2023), inFocus: A guide for strategic thinking and improvement planning, inFocus Guidebook

Cox, Elaine (2015), "Coaching and Adult Learning: Theory and Practice," New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, chapter 3, Wiley Online Library

Darling-Hammond, L., Wechsler, M. E., Levin, S., Leung-Gagné, M., & Tozer, S. (2022). Developing effective principals: What kind of learning matters? [Report]. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/641.201. Updated September 14, 2023. Revisions are noted here.

Davidson, Scott (Spring 2022), "Get More Out of Professional Learning," appearing in Cognia, The Source, Get More Out of Professional Learning - Cognia - The Source

Dufour, Rick (Fall 2009), Professional Learning Communities: The Key to Improved Teaching and Learning, appearing in Cognia, The Source, Professional Learning Communities: The Key to Improved Teaching and Learning - Cognia - The Source

Elgart, Mark A. (September 2017), Meeting the Promise of Continuous Improvement, Cognia White Paper, Meeting-the-Promise-of-Continuous-Improvement-White-Paper.pdf (cognia.org)

Eripuddin and Jufrizal (2021), JEE (Journal of English Education) Vol. 7 No. 1, June 2021, pp. 103-123, Eripuddin Jufrizal 2021

Gutierrez, Karla (2021), Three Adult Learning Theories Every E-Learning Designer Must Know, Association for Talent Development, 3 Adult Learning Theories Every E-Learning Designer Must Know (td.org)

Henschke, J.A. (2014) "Andragogical Curriculum for Equipping Successful Facilitators of Andragogy in Numerous Contexts" from the Selected Works of John A. Henschke, Ed.D. , Lindenwood, Henschke 2014

Holmes, Kathryn and Preston, Greg (2020), "Concept of Pedagogy and Andragogy Education" appearing in Community Medicine & Education Journal Vol 1 Issue 1 2020, Holmes Preston 2020

Patrick, Susan (Spring 2023), "Next Generation Accountability Systems for Student Success," appearing in Cognia, The Source, Next Generation Accountability Systems for Student Success - Cognia - The Source

Rohlwing, Ruth L. and Spelman, Maureen, (2015) "Characteristics of Adult Learning," Implications for the Design and Implementation of Professional Learning programs, chapter12, in Martin, L.E. Kragler, S, Quatroche, D.J., Hargreaves, A., and Bauserman, K.L., Handbook of Professional Development in Education, Successful Models and Practices, preK-12

Young, S. (2018, March 7). Heutagogy: the art of self-directed learning. Acts of Leadership. https://www.samyoung.co.nz/2018/03/heutagogy-art-of-self-directed-learning.html

André L. Harrison, Ed.D., currently serves as Vice President of Accreditation Services for Cognia. Dr. Harrison has supported institutions throughout the United States and other countries across the world during their continuous improvement journeys. He has over three decades of experience in the field of education, including more than 25 years of experience as an adjunct university instructor. He is currently serving as an adjunct assistant professor of Educational Leadership for the University of Alabama and teaches school finance in leadership courses at universities in Alabama. Dr. Harrison has written extensively about school leadership and board governance, curriculum and instruction, and school finance. He recently co-authored The Alabama School Finance Handbook, which will be used in training sessions for aspiring and new superintendents.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Andragogy: Supporting Adult Learners - Cognia - The Source

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Adult and independent learner strategies could be the next big driver of school improvement Scholars have synthesized Knowles's assumptions about how to best support adult learners in an andragogical curriculum model of learning. The six fundamental attributes of this model are: Resources: The adult learner's experience becomes a rich resource...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As an improvement organization, Cognia believes that every institution, even great ones, can be better tomorrow than today. We hold ourselves to the same ideal. Like the members we serve, Cognia continually works to innovate and improve. Our commitment to school quality and continuous improvement compels us to examine and update our accreditation standards and protocol to acknowledge changes and set expectations for quality education institutions in a new era.

Cognia's Performance Standards and Protocol underpin all our solutions in service to schools and learners-professional learning, accreditation and certification, assessment, turnaround, and school improvement. The accreditation standards outline expectations for Cognia accredited institutions based on what the latest education research indicates makes for quality schools. The protocol outlines the requirements of the accrediting process.
New Cognia Performance Standards and Protocol
New Cognia Performance Standards and Protocol go into effect July 1, 2022, for member institutions undergoing an Accreditation Engagement Review and institutions pursuing accreditation for the first time. These new standards will help schools address today's education challenges and set a vision for the future. In our last edition we wrote about The Meaning of Standards but here is what is most important to know.

The new protocol includes Self-Assessment, Engagement Review, and Progress Reporting. If you are familiar with the previous Cognia standards for different institution types, you will notice a significant change. One set of standards applies to all K-12 and postsecondary institution types, including systems of institutions. Not to worry we have ways of capturing relevant details that make your institution unique, and still provide useful information that leverages the power of community to share what we know works for high-quality schooling and is relatable among institutions with similar profiles, challenges, and experiences.

Members institutions now have new improvement tools and more opportunities for support and collaboration to help your institution's team achieve a shared vision and understanding and make progress on improvement objectives.

Starting this fall, in response to evolving institution needs Cognia will:

Move to a six-year accreditation cycle* for most institutions so you have more time to implement initiatives, evaluate them, and prepare for the next cycle

Offer orientation and training for your team to prepare for success

Guide and support you with Cognia experts throughout your accreditation and improvement activities

Add Institution Self-Assessment to identify institution strengths and needs and ensure personnel understand the new standards and protocol

Add Progress Reporting and collaborate to help institutions sustain momentum

Throughout the engagement review process, Cognia provides guidance, tools, and resources as we shift from a review event to a relationship that fosters ongoing progress with momentum. With Cognia Standards as your guide to high-quality schooling you choose how to address your institution's specific needs and leverage our knowledge to help you succeed.

Based on current research in education, input from practitioners, and multiple expert reviews, Cognia's cyclical development process assures that the standards at the foundation of our improvement and accreditation strategies continue to be viable, feasible, and relevant. Learn more about the new Cognia Accreditation Performance Standards or reach out to your local Cognia contact for assistance.

*Some institution accreditation cycles will differ based on the needs or requirements of the institution, or the state/country in which it operates including Early Learning, Department of Defense Education Activity, and international schools.

Holly King, Ph.D., is senior vice president of Evaluation Services for Cognia, overseeing all aspects of accreditation and certification services offered to PK-12 schools around the world. Over her career, Dr. King has directed education programs in private, non-profit, and school district settings. She has held adjunct faculty positions in Early Childhood Education for eight years at three colleges, teaching adult learners in online and face-to-face settings, and is an adjunct faculty member for the Master's in Organizational Leadership program at the University of Denver. She also serves as Affiliate Research Faculty for Antioch University's Ph.D. in Leadership and Change in quantitative methods. To her leadership roles, Dr. King brings expertise in best practices in early learning and K-6 education; strategic planning; leadership development; quality assurance; data analysis; health, mental health, and disabilities services; family support; and professional development and coaching. Dr. King holds a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University, as well as master degrees in Early Childhood Education and Leadership and Change.

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Expectations for Quality Education - Cognia - The Source

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Cognia's Performance Standards and Protocol underpin all our solutions in service to schools and learners-professional learning, accreditation and certification, assessment, turnaround, and school improvement. The accreditation standards outline expectations for Cognia accredited institutions based on what the latest education research indicates makes for quality schools. The protocol outlines the requirements...

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Accreditation and Certification Policies and Procedures

# data[].attributes.subject
Accreditation and Certification Policies and Procedures

# data[].attributes.headline
Types of Accreditation and Certification Reviews 

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Types of Accreditation and Certification Reviews 

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Events - Cognia

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Engagement Review training-prepare on your schedule

Whether you will be the facilitator leading your own institution in training on the Cognia standards and protocols or are attending training with your school, ongoing events are available to support you. Register for the current self-paced asynchronous course. Available through December 31, 2023.

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Find a workshop or conference near you to stimulate your practice.

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Sample Accreditation Timeline for Tuscaloosa City Schools

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Sample Accreditation Timeline for Tuscaloosa City Schools

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Tuscaloosa City Schools Proposed Work Teams

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Tuscaloosa City Schools Proposed Work Teams

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Tuscaloosa Accreditation Training for CST- Spring 2024

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Tuscaloosa Accreditation Training for CST- Spring 2024

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TCS Accreditation Training for CST- Spring 2024

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Help school boards overcome challenges and advance institutions' continuous improvement.

Enhance school board effectiveness

Throughout our history, Cognia has worked with school boards to ensure that they understand how best to support their schools and systems. Leveraging this expertise, we have developed a first-of-its-kind board governance certification to recognize school boards, giving them the opportunity to proactively commit to continuous improvement alongside the schools they serve.

Our research-based standards for effective school board governance empower school boards to:

Collaborate effectively as a school board and with school and system leaders

Have a clear vision for the institution

Establish and sustain a culture of ongoing improvement

Center student learning and data in decision-making

Communicate and partner with their community

Start your board governance certification journey

Cognia Board Governance Certification is available to school boards of accredited institutions.

Board governance certification is not a grade-it is a recognition of a school board's operational effectiveness and commitment to ensuring high-quality education. Cognia experts will provide resources and guidance to support your school board's ongoing improvement efforts to meet Cognia Board Governance Certification standards. These standards focus on the school board's role in their institution's culture, leadership, community engagement, and student success.

Three-phase process

1. Reflection and Analysis

Review and analysis of an institution's data and a thorough self-assessment based on our performance standards.

A third-party review, including observations of a board meeting.

A school board will receive expert feedback and must work to make progress in their improvement within three years of their review.

Frequently asked questions

The Cognia Accreditation process evaluates an institution's overall ability to meet the needs of learners. Cognia Board Governance Certification evaluates whether and how a school board has fulfilled its role in overseeing and guiding an institution's effective operation and continuous improvement.

Cognia Accreditation is a prerequisite for Cognia Board Governance Certification. New members seeking certification will earn it alongside accreditation and will undergo a simultaneous review. The institution will be due for reaccreditation and recertification at least every six years.

Institutions already accredited by Cognia may seek initial Board Governance certification outside of the accreditation term by hosting an "off cycle" certification review. Once initially certified, the Board Governance certification and accreditation terms will align.

If your institution is accredited by another U.S. regional accreditor, you may request a transfer of your current accreditation to Cognia and then seek Board Governance certification. As part of the Cognia global network, you'll receive unsurpassed resources, including observation tools, surveys, and access to our online professional learning platform.

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Cognia's Board Governance Certification equips school boards to lead with vision, drive improvement, and center decisions on student success.

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DeKalb County Schools Accreditation Timeline (1)

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Blazing a Trail of Continuous Improvement Through Accreditation

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Blazing a Trail of Continuous Improvement Through Accreditation

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Blazing a Trail-Alabama IMPACT Conference 2025

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I have Hosted My Accreditation Engagement Review:  Now What?

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I have Hosted My Accreditation Engagement Review:  Now What?

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My Institution has hosted Its Accreditation Engagement Review-Now What Participants Copy 2025