Accreditation guides
Plain answers to the questions families, school leaders, and accrediting bodies ask most about private school accreditation. Pick a guide to start reading.
What private school accreditation is, and why it matters.
Accreditation is the most common way families, colleges, and state agencies judge whether a private school is doing what it says it does. Here's what the word actually means, what gets reviewed, and why the accreditor behind the accreditation matters too.
Private school accreditation agencies, explained
Many different organizations accredit private schools in the United States, and they don't all look alike. This guide walks through the main kinds of accrediting agencies, how an agency earns recognition of its own, and the questions that separate a credible accreditor from one that's accreditation in name only.
How to check if a private school is accredited.
Most schools will tell you they're accredited, and most of them are telling the truth. Still, it only takes a few minutes to confirm it yourself, and knowing which agency accredited the school tells you a lot about what that accreditation is worth.
How a private school gets accredited.
Accreditation isn't an application form. It's a structured process that usually takes a school a year or more, and most leaders who go through it say the work of preparing is as valuable as the result. Here's what the path typically looks like.
What it means when an accreditor is NCPSA-recognized.
When a school says its accreditor is recognized by NCPSA, it's pointing to a second layer of review. Here's what that layer is, how it works, and what it does and doesn't tell you about a school.
Private school accreditation and school choice programs
Education savings accounts, vouchers, and tax-credit scholarships have opened private school options for many more families, and accreditation is often part of how states decide which schools can take part. Here's how that connection works and how to confirm the rules that apply to you.
Early childhood program accreditation, explained
Accreditation isn't only for K-12 schools. Preschools, child care centers, and early education programs can earn it too, and for families choosing care for a very young child, it's one of the clearest signals of a program's commitment to quality.
Online school accreditation and distance learning
More families are choosing online and blended programs, and the question of whether an online school is properly accredited matters just as much as it does for a school with a campus. Here's what accreditation looks like when learning happens on a screen.
How accrediting associations earn national recognition
Schools need structure, oversight, and credibility, and so do the organizations that accredit them. This guide explains how a state, regional, or national accrediting body earns recognition from NCPSA and what membership asks of it over time.