Charter Schools USA Recommended for SACS CASI Accreditation

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Dec. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The AdvancED Accreditation Commission made history yesterday when it recommended corporate accreditation for Fort Lauderdale-based Charter Schools USA (CSUSA).  AdvancED is the national commission that confers the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) accreditation seal. Once conferred, CSUSA will be the first education management company in the nation to receive the SACS CASI accreditation seal, meaning that all of its current schools and new schools will be accredited. Accreditation is expected to be officially conferred within the next 30 days.

"We are so proud of the accomplishments of our corporate team and the schools we support," said Jonathan Hage, founder and CEO of CSUSA. "We look forward to continuing to change the face of public education through operating high performing charter schools that offer parents a high quality educational choice for their children."

The accreditation process involves three ongoing components:  1) meeting high quality standards; 2) implementing a continuous process of improvement; and 3) engaging in quality assurance through internal and external review.  The corporate accreditation is for a five-year term with regular monitoring of progress and reporting occurring during the term. CSUSA will submit a two-year report showing a continuous improvement plan created as a result of the team's findings. CSUSA will then be reviewed for that continuous improvement every five years with a team returning for a site visit.

Dr. Mark Elgart, president/CEO of AdvancED, stated, "Corporate accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school system on the primary goal of creating lifelong learners. Charter Schools USA is to be commended for engaging in this process and demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement."

SOURCE Charter Schools USA