Programs » School Accreditation » Accreditation Process

The Voluntary Accredication of Christian Schools (VACS) is a process which involves a number of steps that are to be undertaken by a school.

A.    Initial Step:

1.   Request VACS materials from the SCACS office.  VACS manual cost is $65.00.

2.   Study the manual to determine what the school needs to do to complete the self-study phase.

3.   Contact the SCACS office to schedule a pre-consultative visit.

B.    Pre-Consultative Visit:

1.   The administration and the SCACS representative will discuss the key components of the accreditation process.

2.   The SCACS representative will give counsel with respect to the accrediting process.

3.   The SCACS representative will make a preliminary appraisal of the school’s program.

C.    Formal Application:

1.   File a formal application for accreditation with appropriate fee.

2.   The administrator should contact the SCACS office.

3.   The administrator should establish goals for completion of the various aspects of the accreditation sequence.

D.    Self Study:

1.   Object standards are measured by a number of “yes” or “no” questions which have been developed by Christian educators.

2.   Subjective standards are measured by a narrative section which shows uniqueness of operation.

3.   The time frame involved in responding to and completing the self-study will range from three to six months.

E.    Consultative Visit:

1.   After examining the materials and judging the school’s readiness, the school administrator should request a consultative visit by a SCACS representative.

2.   Prior to a consultative visit, a school should have work accomplished on the four manuals, self-study, and teacher certification.

3.   The school is responsible for the expenses of the consultative visit.

F.    Accreditation Team Visit:

1.   The Executive Director selects the team members, which the school administrator approves.

2.   The size of the team is determined by the size of the school, in particular the number of faculty members needed to be observed.

3.   The team spends from 2-3 days at the school verifying the self-study.

4.   The team makes its recommendations to the SCACS Accreditation Commission.

G.    Accreditation Commission Review:

1.   The school may be granted full approval for a term of five years for accreditation or seven years for advanced accreditation.

2.   Deficiencies may delay accreditation for a specified time period.

3.   Accreditation may be denied if severe deficiencies exist.

4.   A complete written report is given to the school.

H.    Annual Report:

1.   Accredited schools must file an annual maintenance fee and report which are due October 31 each year of accredited status.

2.   The teacher certification report must be updated annually.  The 100% certification requirement must also be satisfied annually.

I.     Renewal:

An accredited school must apply for re-accreditation at least twelve months prior to the expiration date, so that the school’s accreditation does not lapse.