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Institution Progress Report FINAL-Bessemer City Schools

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Dr. Jeff Wooten​, Senior Director Southeast Region
Office: 888.413.3669 | ext. 5735
Direct number: 256.366.1251
Email: jeff.wooten@cognia.org

Dr. Jeff Langham, Director Southeast Region
Office: 888.413.3669 | ext. 9377
Email: jeff.langham@cognia.org

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Dr. Andre L. Harrison,
Vice President of Accreditation Services
andre.harrison@cognia.org
Direct number:  334-322-2666

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Mrs. Carmen Pough-Banks, Lead Evaluator

Cognia

Email:  carmenpough.banks@cognia.org

Mr. Jerry Cooper, Team Member

Regional Vice President, Cognia

Mid-Atlantic Region

Mrs. Ayena Jackson, Team Member

Director of Middle Schools

Elmore County School District

Mr. Timothy Young, Team Member

Principal

Drew Middle School

Talladega County Schools

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Cognia Performance Standards:  Examining the Research

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Cognia Performance Standards:  Examining the Research

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CEO Message: The Power of Community - Cognia - The Source

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As a global organization, we serve all types of institutions-every type of institution you can imagine from all over the world. Each institution has its own set of beliefs, their own vision, and directed purpose. As do we. As improvement experts, in our accreditation work, we craft standards designed to improve education quality.

The standards are written so that they adapt to the unique context of every institution and every institution's vision, purpose, and core values. They are written to help institutions pursue their vision for a better future. Our role is to guide and support institutions on their improvement journeys. We are an extra set of independent, objective eyes on how well states, districts, schools, and learners are progressing toward their desired future. As we prepare to implement a new set of Cognia standards and protocols for accreditation this upcoming school year, we are focused on helping institutions and their educators improve the learner success.

The last few years have been isolating and have challenged us to connect in new ways within our personal and professional networks. We have all had to find ways to maintain and build the connections that sustain us and our school communities. As we look to summer it is time for us to reflect, relax, and prepare to re-engage our communities to continue the journey of improvement.

In this edition of The Source, we feature:

Schools are ecosystems that thrive in community. We leverage the power of community to support learners, teachers, and leaders.

Dr. Mark A. Elgart has served as president and CEO of Cognia since 2002. Under his leadership Cognia was established, following the merger of AdvancED and Measured Progress, to bridge the gap between school evaluation and student assessment. Cognia serves as the trusted partner with over 36,000 institutions in 85 countries to advance learning for 25 million students. Elgart has a long, distinguished career of 40 years as an educational leader including time as a math and physics teacher, school principal, and chief executive leading a global, education non-profit. He is annually recognized, both locally and internationally, as an influential leader in education due to his impact on education policy and the work of schools. He is an internationally recognized speaker on education and frequent author on educational issues including recent whitepapers on federal policy and school improvement. In education, Elgart is widely viewed as the foremost authority on school improvement and education quality. Elgart earned a bachelor's in Mathematics from Springfield College, a master's in Educational Administration from Westfield State College, and Doctorate in Education in Leadership in Schooling from the University of Massachusetts.

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CEO Message: The Power of Community - Cognia - The Source

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The standards are written so that they adapt to the unique context of every institution and every institution's vision, purpose, and core values. They are written to help institutions pursue their vision for a better future. Our role is to guide and support institutions on their improvement journeys. We are...

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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 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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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

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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 Process Training for School Boards

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Accreditation Process Training for School Boards

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Accreditation Process Training for School Boards - Cognia - The Source

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Accreditation Process Training for School Boards - Cognia - The Source

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Training for School Boards Regarding Accreditation Process As the world’s largest accrediting agency and improvement organization, it is Cognia’s belief that every institution, even those that have experienced great success, can determine strategic next steps to improve in an effective manner. We at…

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Accreditation and Certification Policies and Procedures

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Accreditation and Certification Policies and Procedures

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Types of Accreditation and Certification Reviews 

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Types of Accreditation and Certification Reviews 

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Monitoring Review Orientation Meeting-Bessemer City Schools