Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho poses for a photo with Public School System principals from Rota, Tinian, and Saipan, program managers and program coordinators.
(PSS) — The Public School System’s national accreditation was reaffirmed for another six years by Cognia.
PSS’ new six-year term of accreditation starts today and will end in June 2030.
“This is a validation of our work over the years and shows how we hold ourselves to a much higher standard as an institution of learning,” Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho said. “I extend my congratulations to everyone — from our policymakers to classroom teachers and school personnel, students, to the central office staff, and all of our stakeholders and supporters — for this accomplishment.”
He added, “What this means is we have to continue the work that we do, including the strategies that help connect our children to quality learning opportunities.”
“Being able to maintain this distinction … demonstrates to our community our commitment to excellence, our openness to review and feedback, and our desire to be the best we can be on behalf of the students we serve,” Camacho said.
Rigorous standards
Throughout its more than 125 years of service, Cognia, formerly AdvancED, has globally recognized schools that meet rigorous standards focused on productive learning environments, equitable resource allocation for the needs of learners, and effective leadership.
To earn Cognia accreditation, a school must also implement a continuous process of improvement and submit to external review.
‘High standards’
According to Dr. Mark A. Elgart, president and CEO of Cognia, “The CNMI Public School System has demonstrated that it has continually met high standards and made progress on key indicators that impact student learning. Maintaining their accredited status for 25 years highlights a commitment to the quality and improvement of the education provided.”
Cognia’s evaluation of PSS was guided by evidence and centered on four areas: 1) culture of learning, 2) leadership for learning, 3) engagement of learning, and 4) growth in learning.
Cognia said interviews and documentation indicate that PSS “stakeholders at various levels are involved, engaged, and felt that they were able to contribute to the process.”
“It was clear from interviews that the whole child and the learner’s well-being are at the heart of [PSS] and are the principles that guide the system,” Cognia said.
“Students consistently said throughout the interviews that teachers, counselors, leaders and community members were both supportive and caring about their academics as well as their non-academic needs and interests,” Cognia said.
Cognia also noted that CNMI Board of Education members serve PSS well by understanding their roles and responsibilities and ensuring that all policies of the district are regularly updated and communicated.
“The board members are dedicated and hardworking community members who hold themselves accountable to the stakeholders of [PSS],” Cognia said.
In interviews with students and staff, Cognia said it “observed that instruction was highly engaging, and expectations were rigorous. Engagement at these levels leads learners to succeed in many different curricula they chose.”
Cognia also commended PSS’ “diverse, thorough, and comprehensive set of program offerings … to further its learners’ and staff’s well-being.”
“Teacher and student interviews confirmed that leaders … can provide insightful data … to support their staff in making impactful decisions for learners,” Cognia said.
Accreditation history
In 1994, Marianas High School became the first public school to be accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges or WASC.
The CNMI Board of Education later asked WASC to also review the other public schools in the Commonwealth.
By 1997, WASC’s assessment included both the public schools’ physical facilities and curricula.
In 2013-2014, PSS pushed for a system-wide/district-wide accreditation by partnering with AdvancED, which eventually became Cognia.
In 2014, PSS became the first school district in the Pacific region to receive a full six-year accreditation in its first year with AdvancED.
This year, PSS became the first school district in the Pacific to achieve a national accreditation reaffirmation.
