ALL public elementary and high schools in the CNMI are now accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, which makes the Northern Marianas the only Pacific jurisdiction with such an accomplishment.
“We’re the only area in the Pacific Rim that has accredited public schools and we’re proud of that. The WASC accreditation is an improvement process in terms of the curriculum and it’s very important for schools and students,” Public School System Accreditation Coordinator John M. Guerrero said.
Eight out of the 10 elementary schools here were accredited by WASC for six years, the highest term given to any school in California, Hawaii and the region, PSS said.
The eight elementary schools are San Vicente, Tanapag, Oleai, San Antonio, Koblerville, Garapan, William S. Reyes and Tinian.
San Vicente, Tanapag and Oleai were each given a six-year accreditation term that would expire in 2008.
Koblerville Elementary School’s term will expire on June 30, 2003.
Garapan Elementary School’s will expire on June 30, 2005. WSR and Tinian Elementary School’s terms will expire on June 30, 2006.
Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School was given a three-year term accreditation. But Guerrero said GTC is striving to achieve a higher accreditation term by making improvements in various areas.
Among secondary schools, Hopwood Junior High School has the lowest accreditation term—two years.
Marianas High School’s term is three years. Rota Elementary School and Rota Junior High School also got three years.
Guerrero said WASC is an independent private organization based in California which is made up of education experts who periodically assess schools in terms of their curricula.
It is also recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a prestigious body authorized to assess the curricula and the teaching methods used by educators in various schools.
Students from WASC-accredited schools—private or public—are allowed to transfer to any educational institution in the United States.
Guerrero said the WASC seal is a proof that the school gives its students quality education at par with that of the U.S.
In 1994, it was only Marianas High School that was WASC-accredited.
But the Board of Education eventually decided to ask WASC to also review all the other public schools in the CNMI.
By 1997, the WASC assessment included both the school’s physical facilities and its curriculum.
“Before, the accreditation was just descriptive. It just describes what WASC saw in the school that it has visited. But Since 1997, WASC has been looking into what the students are really learning. They focus on learning and improvements—and where do schools want to go from there,” Guerrero said.
