The Accrediting Commission for Schools, WASC, accredits private schools throughout the region. 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. WASC also works collaboratively with a variety of private school associations. Separate agreements exist with respect to the use of protocols and procedures for these joint processes.

The WASC 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.

The schools utilize either:

• the WASC Focus on Learning protocol
• a jointly developed modification of the WASC Focus on Learning protocol
• a nationally or locally developed protocol that has been approved by the WASC Commission.

A list of the websites of the numerous associations working collaboratively with WASC can be found below.

WASC has an international Focus on Learning protocol and webpage for private international schools in the Asia or EARCOS region. See the Ongoing Process: International for more information.

• Request for WASC Affiliation
• WASC Initial Visit Procedures Manual, 2013 Edition
• Steps for WASC Affiliation

• WASC Focus on Learning, 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.

  Preschool Accreditation Criteria Supplement, 2000
  Note: Preschools are only accredited by WASC when they are part of a multiple grades school. Please contact the WASC office for more details.

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

  WASC 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

• WASC Focus on Learning, 2010 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.

  • Preschool Accreditation Criteria Supplement, 2000
    Note: Preschools are only accredited by WASC when they are part of a multiple grades school. Please contact the WASC office for more details.
  • WASC Supplement for Schools with Online Learning as the Primary Delivery System
  • WASC 2010 Edition Self-Study School Report Template: Word Doc File
    This is an optional template for the school's Self-Study Report. The 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 2010 Edition 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 Self-Study School Report Layout
  • WASC Sample Evidence Forms: Word Doc File

• ACTS/WASC Accreditation Process, California/Hawaii
• AWSNA/WASC Evaluation/Accreditation Guide, 2010 Edition
• WASC/CAIS Accreditation Manual, Fall 2012 Edition
• WASC/HAIS Procedures for Appraising the Independent School, Elementary, Fall 2008 Edition, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools
• WASC/HAIS Procedures for Appraising the Independent School, Secondary or K-12, Spring 2009 Edition, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools
• WASC/NLSA Focus on Learning, 2012 Pilot Edition

  WASC/NLSA Self-Study Template

• AAA/WASC Focus on Learning Accreditation Instrument for Seventh-day Adventist Schools in the Pacific Union Conference, 2010 Edition
• WASC/WCEA Focus on Learning for Catholic High Schools, WASC/WCEA Adaptation, 1999 (Criteria Addition - July 2004)
• WASC/WCEA Improving Student Learning, A Self-Study Process for Catholic Elementary Schools, 2010 Edition
• WASC/WCEA Improving Student Learning, A Self-Study Process for Catholic Elementary Schools, 2012 Edition
• WASC Supplement for Online Programs/Courses

• WASC Accreditation Process: Ongoing Improvement
• School Follow-up Checklist
• Annual Follow-up for Schools Training Webinar: Training Recording  | Training Handout

Private schools follow the same procedures, dependent upon the accreditation. Appropriate directions can be found in the following documents.

• 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

Below is the list of websites for the numerous associations working collaboratively with WASC.

• Association of Christian Schools International  (ACSI)
• Association of Christian Teachers and Schools  (ACTS)
• Association of Waldorf Schools of North America  (AWSNA)
• Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Los Angeles  (BJE)
• California Association of Independent Schools  (CAIS)
• Council of International Schools  (CIS)
• Golden State Association of Christian Schools  (GSACS)
• Hawaii Association of Independent Schools  (HAIS)
• The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, California-Nevada-Hawaii District  (LCMS)
• The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Pacific Southwest District  (LCMS)
• National Lutheran School Accreditation  (NLSA)
• Pacific Union Conference of Seventh Day Adventists  (SDA)
• Western Catholic Educational Association  (WCEA)