For the past few months, Pierce has been in the midst of a process of self-study, preparing for our application for accreditation from the US accrediting organization MSA (Middle States Association). This process is led by a planning team, consisting of the heads of all programs and services of the school.
The self-study consists of three parts: 1) a description of each program or service; 2) an evaluation and assessment of each program of service; and 3) a description of the strengths of each program and of each area that may need attention. This last section will lead to the creation of a Plan for Growth and Improvement, that will guide the school through the next 6 years.
The first part of this process has been finished, and the second step is underway. The evaluation and assessment will take place within departments and offices, and was begun during the work on the program descriptions of phase 1. This assessment will be completed by a survey given to all teaching faculty (on Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment), a more general survey given to a selection of administration, staff, and teachers, and general surveys given to a selection of parents and students.
We will continue to keep you updated on the progress of the self-study. We expect to have the first draft of the document done by summer, and the final plan written in August and September, with the date of submission to MSA sometime in October. That will be followed by a visit from an accreditation team in February or March 2022. The final decision on accreditation will be made by MSA in October 2022.
See also article here.