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     Michigan State Office Accrediting Michigan Schools Since 1904! Welcome
    Message from the Director:
    We are pleased that you are visiting the Web site of the Michigan North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) to learn more about our organization and our quest to "Advance Excellence in Education Worldwide" through regional and international accreditation.
    The concept of a regional accrediting association in the Midwest was first introduced at the 1894 Schoolmaster's Club meeting in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The organization then sponsored a conference for education officials from several Midwestern states in 1895. Michigan, as one of the original states, accredited 16 schools in 1904, the first year NCA accredited schools.
    In 2006, NCA CASI joined with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), and the National Study of School Evaluation (NSSE) to form one strong and unified organization under the name AdvancED. We are very excited about the strong accreditation standards and rich process that have emerged from this partnership.
    In 2008, Michigan proudly accredits:
    • 1,310 public and non-public elementary, middle, high school and career technical schools
    • 11 school districts with more than 40 additional districts in process
    • 2 Intermediate School Districts (Educational Service Agencies) with three more in process
    Additional Points of Pride:
    • An historic partnership with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), which affords NCA CASI accredited schools the opportunity to use their accreditation reporting requirements to satisfy state reporting requirements. The latest development of this partnership is a common electronic School Improvement Planning template and related tools for use by all schools in Michigan. Another facet of the partnership has been the successful delivery of a joint NCA CASI/MDE Spring School Improvement Conference.
    • Numerous professional learning opportunities including our annual Fall Conference, Summer Leadership Academy, workshops that span the entire state, hosted by local and intermediate school districts, as well as in our own state-of-the-art training facility in our Lansing office.
    • Guided Work Sessions throughout the state in which school teams can come together to gain assistance on the various components of their accreditation/school improvement work.
    • On-site and regional technical assistance by our trained cadre of Field Consultants and Internal Facilitators.
    • Quality Assurance Reviews (QARs), which have provided unequaled professional learning for schools and educators alike, conducted by trained chairs with reports vetted by trained reviewers to offer high-quality guidance and feedback to schools.
    • Our link to the AdvancED Research Network, which connects educators and "promising practices" from around the world to our schools in Michigan.
    As the Michigan Director it is my pleasure to work side by side with my fellow educators as we celebrate and uphold the rich traditions of our history, while venturing enthusiastically into our newest territories of accreditation. I also look forward to continuing to lead our efforts to bring quality resources and support to each of you on behalf of the students we mutually serve! Thank you for visiting our Web site, and please do not hesitate to contact any of us in our State Office at any time with any questions and/or suggestions.
    Kathy Sergeant
    Director