What is accreditation?

Accreditation is a way for schools to validate the courses for which they offer credit by creating standards among member schools.  Therefore; the larger the body of member schools the more likely courses will be accepted when transferred.  It is important to realize that just because a student transfers from an accredited school all credits may not be counted the same due to differences in graduation requirements and course offerings between schools.  Accreditation may insure the credits are accepted but how they are accepted is at the sole discretion of the receiving school’s administration.

Accreditation, Certification, and Qualification, what’s the difference?

Accreditation is awarded to a school based on its ability to meet specific standards established by the accrediting body and validates credits and diplomas awarded by the school.  Accreditation also implies that all teachers within the accredited school meet qualifications established by the accrediting agency.  Certification is given to a teacher who has met specific requirements of the State’s department of education.  These requirements vary from state to state.  Most consist of content area knowledge as well as courses on teaching theory, state and federal law, classroom management, etc.  Qualification is a term used to describe a person’s ability to meet the standards established by the accrediting agency/agencies of which that school is a member. 

Example, a person with a Ph.D. in organic chemistry who had not taken any of the education training courses required by the state in which they wished to teach would not be certified and would not be considered qualified to teach in a public school as most require teaching certification as part of their accreditation requirements.  This is mostly due to federal and state funding requirements.  However; in the non-public schools, where certification is not mandatory by the accrediting body this person more than meets the requirements to be considered a qualified teacher.  In all reality this individual knows far more than most high school science teachers.  So having said this, while all of the teachers at Darrington Academy may not be certified, they are most certainly qualified.  Many are retired teachers who have not maintained certification most have twenty or more years of classroom experience, again not certified but definitely qualified.

Darrington Academy is accredited

by the following agencies: