Alternative education schools in California use the WASC/California Department of Education (CDE) joint accreditation process. WASC accreditation is an ongoing six-year cycle of quality whereby schools demonstrate the capacity, commitment, and competence to support high-quality student learning and ongoing school improvement.

The WASC/CDE Focus on Learning protocol guides schools into an ongoing improvement process that includes implementation, assessment, and refinement of the schoolwide action plan on an annual basis. Appropriate reports and reviews throughout the six-year cycle of accreditation support this process. .

California alternative education schools will find that the WASC/CDE Focus on Learning process can serve as the basis for the Single Plan for Student Achievement.

• Request for WASC Affiliation
• WASC Initial Visit Procedures for California Public Schools, 2011 Edition
• Steps for WASC Affiliation

• WASC/CDE Focus on Learning Joint Process for all California Public Schools, including California Charter Schools, 2013 Edition

  This edition is to be used for schools preparing for a 2014 WASC Self-Study visit.

  Note: This document is formatted to be printed as a double-sided document.

  • WASC/CDE School Coordinator Self-Study Checklists
  • WASC/CDE Self-Study School Report Layout
  • WASC Sample Evidence Forms: Word Doc File

  WASC/CDE 2013 Edition Self-Study School Report Template: Word Doc Template | Google Drive (Docs) Template

  Click here for information on how to use Google Drive (Docs).

  • Each category of Chapter IV is also available as a separate Word or Google Docs template.
  • Chapter IV:  Category A: Word Doc Template | Google Drive (Docs) Template

  • Category B: Word Doc Template | Google Drive (Docs) Template

  • Category C: Word Doc Template | Google Drive (Docs) Template

  • Category D: Word Doc Template | Google Drive (Docs) Template

  • Category E: Word Doc Template | Google Drive (Docs) Template

• WASC/CDE Focus on Learning Joint Process for all California Public Schools, including California Charter Schools, 2012 Edition

  This edition is to be used for schools preparing for a 2013 WASC Self-Study visit.

  Note: This document is formatted to be printed as a double-sided document.

  WASC Supplement for Schools with Online Learning as the Primary Delivery System

  WASC/CDE School Coordinator Self-Study Checklists

  • WASC/CDE Self-Study School Report Template: Word Doc File
    This is an optional template for the school's Self-Study Report. The Word file includes a template for Chapters I through V of the report, incorporating the criteria indicators and prompts (see below) which form the basis of Chapter IV of the report.
  • WASC/CDE Rubrics
    This file contains rubrics which correlate to the WASC/CDE criteria. The rubrics contain descriptions that assist a school in determining, from the data analyzed, the level to which each criterion is being met.
  • WASC/CDE Tools: Criteria Indicators and Prompts: Word Doc File
    This document is a useful tool to assist the school in the analysis of their program based on the WASC criteria. The attached Word file contains indicators, prompts, and suggested areas to analyze for each criterion. The prompts correlate with the indicators and space is provided for each prompt to fill in your school's findings and provide evidence for each criterion. These responses will form the basis of Chapter IV of the Self-Study Report.
  • WASC/CDE Self-Study School Report Layout
  • WASC Sample Evidence Forms: Word Doc File

• WASC/CDE Focus on Learning Joint Process, 2011 Edition: School Follow-up Checklist
• Annual Follow-up for Schools Training Webinar: Training Recording | Training Handout

• Six-Year Accreditation
  • On-site Midterm (Mid-cycle) Review required: Procedures | Sample Report | School Progress Report Template
  • Third-Year Progress Report (On-site Review not required):  Procedures
  • Follow-up Midterm (Mid-cycle) Revisit:  Procedures
• Three-Year Term Revisits:  Procedures | School Progress Report Template
• Limited-Term (1- or 2-Year Term) Revisits:  Procedures | School Progress Report Template
• Annual Progress Report: Progress Report Template (Generic)
• Special Visits:  Procedures
• Substantive Changes
  • WASC Substantive Change Policy
  • Substantive Change Explanation Form