| Announcing the
Unification of NCA CASI, SACS CASI, and NSSE -- Leading Excellence
in Education |
We are pleased to announce that the Board of Trustees of
the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement
(NCA CASI) and the Board of Directors of the Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI)
have voted to bring together NCA CASI, SACS CASI, and the National Study
of School Evaluation (NSSE) into one strong and unified organization which
will serve as a national leader for quality education.
This unification creates the world's largest education community, representing
over 23,000 public and private schools and districts in 30 states and
65 countries and serving over 15 million students. Through our strong
state presence and volunteer network, we will leverage our size and global
network to deliver the powerful combination of accreditation, research,
and school improvement in a customized way to every school and district
we serve.
Click here
to find out more about this historic unification and the benefits it will
bring to accredited schools and districts.
Leadership for Change and School Improvement
By: Dr. Lisa McLaughlin, Assistant Superintendent, Western Heights
School District, Oklahoma, Chair-Elect of the NCA CASI Board of Trustees
In this time of increasing accountability for student achievement, school
leaders often struggle for the best ways to engage all stakeholders in
the critical work of school improvement. There are so many factors to
consider. But what factors does the research indicate are most vital to
lead successful change efforts? Click
here to read Dr. McLaughlin's review of the research on leadership for
change and school improvement. You will find four primary contextual
factors necessary for successful change and six effective school improvement
strategies as well as Dr. McLaughlin's professional insights and observations.
Leading Forward
By: Dr. Kathy Dale, Interim Assistant Dean, College of Education &
Technology, Fort Hays State University, Kansas
Educational leaders continually engage in two specific roles, those of
Leader and Instructor. Both are lifelong role commitments
and inseparable from each other-Leader/Instructor. Both roles enable leaders
to act upon what they know about the best practices of leadership-lead
forward. Click
here to read Dr. Dale's article on Leading Forward. You will find
helpful definitions of leadership, leader, and instructor that help move
beyond the "what" and "why" of leadership to the "how."
Dr. Dale also provides a useful framework to help leaders map their leadership
initiative.
| Sharing from the NCA Network |
Reducing the Achievement Gap: Ensuring the Success of African American
Male Students
Three NCA CASI accredited high schools in Ohio were recognized in the
fall of 2005 by the Schott Foundation for Public Policy for their work
in accelerating the success of African American male students. E.L. Bowsher
High School in Toledo, Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati, and Charles
F. Brush High School in Lyndhurst received awards for maintaining unusually
high graduation rates and/or academic performance by black male students.
This spring, NCA CASI staff interviewed the leadership in each of these
high schools to learn more about the promising practices in place in each
of these schools that have led to their success. Click
here to read about the practices that these schools are finding effective
in meeting the needs of African American male students.
Historic Unification of NCA CASI, SACS CASI, and NSSE
As noted in the lead announcement to this e-News, NCA CASI is proud
to announce the coming together of NCA CASI, SACS CASI, and the National
Study of School Evaluation (NSSE) into one strong and unified organization
which will serve as a national leader for quality education. Click
here to read the full announcement. We will be using the 2006-07 school
year to share more information with you on the unification. Be sure to
look for a packet of information to arrive in late August/early September
of 2006 that will include detailed information on the unification and
the benefits it will bring to you.
Accreditation Dues/Fees for 2006-07 - Increase for Middle Schools
The accreditation dues/fees for 2006-07 will remain at their 2005-06
rate for all school categories with the exception of middle schools. At
the January meeting of Board of Trustees, the board approved aligning
middle school dues with their high school counterparts. Middle schools
in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio will experience no change
in their dues, as state fees are being reduced in proportion to the increase
in dues. Dues for middle schools in Indiana will increase by $100 increase,
and by $125 for middle schools in Kansas. The dues for middle schools
in all other states (states which do not charge additional fees) will
increase by $175 (from $425 to $600).
| Upcoming Professional Development |
State Workshops
NCA CASI offers state conferences and workshops on all aspects of
school improvement. Contact your state office at 800-525-9517 to find
out about the workshops nearest you.
Systems Leadership Summer Academy
June 18-20, 2006
Brownsburg, IN
NCA CASI is hosting a three-day summer academy on systems leadership.
The academy is designed for district teams that are interested in pursuing
or have already made the commitment to pursue NCA CASI's District Accreditation.
The academy provides hands-on technical assistance to district teams as
they develop action plans for system improvement. In-depth training on
the components of high performing systems is provided throughout the academy.
Teams are afforded ample time to work together to discuss, plan, and begin
practicing the concepts they learn at the academy. Teams will leave the
academy with a detailed action plan aimed at helping the district improve
system performance. Visit http://www.ncacasi.org/district/district_academy
to find out more.
About
e-News
e-News is a bi-monthly newsletter of the North Central Association
Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI). The mission
of e-News is to provide you with up-to-date information to aid you in
your ongoing efforts to continually improve student achievement. To subscribe
or unsubscribe, go to Your Profile
at the NCA CASI website.
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Reach Us
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need to continually improve student learning. Please share with us your
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Thank you for reading this issue of NCA CASI e-News. To view past issues
of e-News, go to http://www.ncacasi.org/enews/index.
Please report problems to enews@ncacasi.org.
North Central Association
Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement
P.O. Box 871008
Tempe, AZ 85287-1008
800-525-9517
http://www.ncacasi.org
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