In 1987, the Canadian Educational Standards Institute (CESI) began reviewing independent schools. As a voluntary membership organization of schools committed to school improvement, CESI provides institutional and program evaluation through the establishment and advancement of comprehensive accreditation standards. CESI encourages the highest educational standards while recognizing the independence, integrity, and uniqueness of its individual member schools. In administering the accreditation process for independent elementary and secondary schools in Canada, Switzerland and Bermuda, the Institute assists schools with the ongoing challenge of school improvement in an era of constant change and innovation.
In October 2000, the first comprehensive set of CESI Guidelines were developed and distributed to all schools for field testing. In March 2002, the Standards Council presented its new Manual for the Review and Accreditation of Schools. The publication consolidated all existing review and guideline materials into a comprehensive binder that allowed easy reference by Heads and other school personnel with respect to CESI standards, guidelines and procedures.
In 2002, the CESI Standards and Procedures were granted international recognition and accreditation through the National Association of Independent Schools. The NAIS Commission on Accreditation reviews this regularly.
The Institute provides the evaluation and accreditation of a school’s overall program and educational environment. Schools are evaluated in terms of their own mission, vision and values and in terms of the Institute’s Standards for Accreditation of Schools. The school’s Internal Evaluation is to provide evidence that the school meets the Standards of the Institute and is worthy of accreditation. The Visiting Committee’s Report validates the findings in the school’s own report and provides recommendations and suggestions for school improvement. Evaluations prompt each school to be more accountable to all of its constituents.
Accreditation of a school by CESI indicates that it meets or exceeds the CESI Standards and Effective Practices. The school is assessed every seven years through a process that requires full disclosure and a peer group review process seeking to confirm the congruence between the school’s stated mission and its actual program and services. An accredited school is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated mission and vision through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
Accreditation by CESI applies to the institution as a whole and covers all 12 Standards. As such, it is not a guarantee of quality of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual staff members or graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the school.
CESI accreditation program has been recognized by the Canadian Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). Additionally, CESI is a member in good standing of the NAIS Commission on Accreditation and has voluntarily agreed to abide by the Criteria for Effective Independent School Accreditation Practices and to submit to a thorough ten-year evaluation of its accreditation procedures by the Commission.