Purpose of High School Accreditation
High school accreditation is a must for any public or private institution that wishes to remain competitive and maintain a legitimate reputation. Many colleges and universities no longer accept students with diplomas or credits from non-accredited schools; therefore, selecting a secondary school with recognized accreditation is paramount to a student's ability to succeed in post-secondary endeavors.
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History
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Accreditation began with post-secondary institutions in the late 1800s and was federally regulated in 1965 when Congress enacted the Higher Education Act. The history of high school accreditation varies by region and state and is presently not a federal requirement. Some states, such as Pennsylvania, have a strong history of accrediting secondary and/or college preparatory schools since 1887, while secondary schools in California have only been concerned with accreditation since 2006 at the behest of the University of California (UC) system.
Significance
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Weariness on behalf of colleges, universities and employers has led to a push for legitimate accreditation of institutions offering diplomas, degrees, licensing, and certifications. Accreditation by a recognized association conveys to the public and institutions of higher learning that the high school's coursework, services, educators and plans for student achievement have met stringent state and federal guidelines. If a student has obtained a diploma from an institution deemed to be a "diploma mill," post-secondary educational opportunities and/or employability may be extremely limited.
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Benefits
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There are several benefits to high school accreditation, the first being certification and validation to the public that the institution provides appropriate courses for its students. Accreditation also requires that high schools continually improve their programs and services through regular evaluation, data analysis, and revision of outdated practices. If a high school has been accredited by a recognized association, students' coursework will be transferable to other secondary institutions and will also be recognized by area colleges and universities during the application process.
Geography
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There are six federally recognized regional accrediting associations that oversee accreditation for public secondary schools in the United States and U.S. territories within their respective region: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; New England Association of Schools and Colleges; North Central Association; Northwest Association of Accredited Schools; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; and Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Misconceptions
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While recognized accrediting associations charge application and processing fees, they are non-profit and non-governmental, working in conjunction with the Federal Department of Education and State Departments of Education. It is important to note that just because a high school claims to be accredited, it does not necessarily mean that it has been accredited by a federally and/or state-recognized association. Accreditation can be obtained from many organizations at varying costs, but that does not mean that colleges, universities and/or employers will accept the legitimacy of the accreditation.
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