Accreditation+Handbook

**Education Service Agency Accreditation** **A Handbook For Education Service Agencies**

=**Table of Contents**=
 * **Welcome**
 * **Resources**
 * **Introduction to Education Service Agency Accreditation**


 * Overview
 * Prerequisites
 * The Education Service Agency Accreditation Process: Responsibilities of the Agency
 * Role of the Agency Facilitator
 * Steps to Education Service Agency Accreditation

**Chapter 1: Beginning the Education Service Agency Accreditation Process**
 * Submitting the ESA Application
 * Preparing for and Hosting the Readiness Visit
 * Candidacy Status

** Chapter 2: Preparing for the Quality Assurance Review **
 *  Understanding the Quality Assurance Review
 *  Working with the State Office and Quality Assurance Review Lead Evaluator
 *  Hosting the Pre-Visit Review with the Lead Evaluator and/or Vice Chair
 *  Understanding the Standards Assessment Report
 *  Completing the Standards Assessment Report
 *  Developing the Visit Schedule
 *  Preparing Artifacts for Review
 *  Preparing the Agency Head’s Overview
 *  Preparing Brief Presentations on the Standards
 *  Setting up Interviews
 *  Understanding and Preparing for the External Visits
 *  Preparing for the Final Day of the Visit
 *  Setting up the Board Meeting to Receive the Oral Exit Report
 *  Coordinating Team Logistics
 *  Making Final Preparations


 * Chapter 3: Hosting the Quality Assurance Review **


 * Welcoming the Team
 * Attending to the Details
 * Keys to Success


 * Chapter 4: Continuing the Journey **


 * Receiving the Written Report of the QAR Team
 * Receiving Notice of Accreditation Status and Celebrating with the Community
 * Acting on the QAR Team’s Findings
 * Completing the Accreditation Progress Report
 * Maintaining Momentum


 * Conclusion **
 * Appendix **

=**Welcome**= Thank you for your interest in pursuing AdvancED Education Service Agency (ESA) Accreditation. By beginning the AdvancED ESA Accreditation process, you have made a commitment to a systems approach to continuous improvement. You are not alone in this commitment. You join a growing network of education service agencies along with hundreds of school districts across the country that have made this same powerful commitment. In addition, AdvancED stands ready to support you with all aspects of the ESA Accreditation Process through state office assistance, workshops, on-site support, and a wide range of materials.

This brief handbook is designed to help you with the steps and logistics of the ESA Accreditation Process – from beginning the process to preparing for and hosting the Quality Assurance Review to continuing the journey after the review. Agencies will find that this handbook complements the more thorough and substantive //AdvancED Accreditation for Quality School Systems: A Practitioners’ Guide// which is designed to support districts in their efforts to earn and maintain District Accreditation. Even though the Guide is written for school districts, it provides a detailed overview of each of the components of accreditation and includes helpful tools and discussion questions at the end of each chapter that are also relevant to ESA accreditation. The Guide can be purchased online at [|www.advanc-ed.org] in the “Products and Services” tab.

If you have questions or need assistance during the process, please contact your AdvancED State Office. A directory of State Offices can be found at [|www.advanc-ed.org] in the “About Us” tab.

**© AdvancED 2010** Users may reproduce these materials for noncommercial, educational purposes only, provided all copyright and other proprietary notices contained on the materials are retained. Unauthorized use of the AdvancED logo is not permitted.

=**Resources**=

AdvancED provides a range of support and resources to assist education service agencies in their pursuit and maintenance of Education Service Agency Accreditation. It is helpful for agencies to become familiar with these resources as they begin the ESA Accreditation process.

**Standards** //AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality Education Service Agencies// //AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality School Systems// //AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality Schools// The standards are the foundation of the accreditation process and can be downloaded at [|www.advanc-ed.org] in the “Accreditation” tab.

**Practitioners’ Guide** //AdvancED Accreditation for Quality School Systems: A Practitioners’ Guide// The Guide provides a detailed overview of the three components of accreditation – meeting standards, implementing a continuous process of improvement, and engaging in quality assurance. The Guide includes helpful tools and discussion questions at the end of each chapter. Even though it is written for school districts, the information will also be invaluable to education service agencies. The Guide costs $40 and can be purchased online at [|www.advanc-ed.org] in the “Products and Services” tab.

**Processes, Steps, and Procedures** Visit [|www.advanc-ed.org], click on “Accreditation,” then “Education Service Agency Accreditation.” You will find:
 * An overview of the ESA Accreditation Process
 * A brief outline of the Steps to ESA Accreditation
 * Accreditation Policies and Procedures
 * A Resources and Tools section that compiles in one location the key reports, documents, and guides that agencies need through the process

**Reports, Resources, and Tools** <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: middle;">The following reports and resources can be accessed online at [|www.advanc-ed.org], “Accreditation” tab, then “Education Service Agency Accreditation,” then “Resources and Tools.”

> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: middle;">The Standards Assessment Report is designed to serve as a valuable self-assessment and as a tool to help agencies prepare for their Quality Assurance Review. The report must be completed between six months and six weeks prior to the Quality Assurance Review. > This document is a companion to the Standards Assessment Report. After completing the indicators rubrics and answering the focus questions in the Standards Assessment Report, ESAs use this overall assessment rubric to indicate the level of implementation that most accurately reflects the agency's adherence to each standard. > This tool is designed to help agency personnel assess their readiness for ESA accreditation by examining the agency's practices in relation to the research-based conditions, core tasks, and effective practices of continuously improving schools and districts (NSSE, 2004). > The //Technical Guide to School and District Factors that Impact Student Learning// identifies a number of organizational conditions and effective practices within a school system that can contribute to improved students learning. This research review identifies necessary conditions for improving school systems and core tasks and effective practices of improving schools or districts. AdvancED's seven accreditation standards and accompanying indicators are tied directly to this review.
 * **<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: middle;">Standards Assessment Report **
 * **AdvancED Standards Assessment Report Overall Assessment Rubrics for ESAs**
 * **Examples of Evidence for Education Service Agencies** This resource is designed to provide a starting point for agency personnel as they consider the evidence available in their agency that demonstrates the agency's adherence to the AdvancED quality standards. Intended to be used in conjunction with an as a resource to the Standards Assessment Report, this document provides examples of practices and artifacts that the agency might consider using to support its responses to the indicators and focus questions in the Standards Assessment Report.
 * **Readiness for AdvancED Accreditation: A Self-Assessment of Readiness for Education Service Agencies**
 * **Technical Guide to School and District Factors that Impact Student Learning**

**Products and Services** AdvancED offers a range of products and services to schools, districts and education service agencies. Visit [|www.advanc-ed.org] and click on the “Products and Services” tab for a current listing of publications, resources, and tools.

**State Office Support** State Offices provide hands-on support and technical assistance to ESAs as they engage in the Education Service Agency Accreditation Process. Many states tap the expertise of trained Field Consultants to support agencies. ESAs can contact their state offices to learn more about the range of services and support available to them. A complete directory of State Offices is available at [|www.advanc-ed.org] in the “About Us” tab under “State Offices.”

=**Introduction to Education Service Agency Accreditation**=

**Overview**
AdvancED Education Service Agency Accreditation is a systems approach to improving learner performance results over time. ESA Accreditation recognizes that increasing student achievement is more than improving instruction. It is a result of how effectively all the parts of the education system - the ESA and the districts, schools, and classrooms it serves - work together to meet the needs of learners.

ESA Accreditation applies the three pillars of accreditation - high standards, continuous improvement, and quality assurance – to the entire agency to ensure alignment and support between and among the ESA, the districts it serves and its schools. The ESA Accreditation process provides the ESA and all of its schools with a comprehensive framework for continually improving student achievement and ESA performance.

To earn and maintain ESA Accreditation, ESAs must: > >
 * 1) **Meet quality standards.** The ESA meets the //AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality Education Service Agencies// and has a process in place for ensuring that the schools it operates meet the //AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality Schools.//
 * 1) **Engage in a continuous process of improvement.** An agency-led continuous improvement process is in place at both the agency and school levels, whereby the agency (including all departments and support systems) and all of its schools identify a shared vision, maintain an agency-wide profile of the current reality, establish plans and assess the implementation of interventions, and document the results of their efforts to improve student learning and school/ESA effectiveness.
 * 1) **Demonstrate quality assurance through internal and external review.** The ESA has in place quality assurance systems and processes to maximize ESA effectiveness to improve learner performance. The agency engages in regular internal self-review and hosts an external review once every five years.

**Prerequisites**
There are several prerequisites to ESA Accreditation. The agency:
 * Ensures that all schools operated by the agency are accredited or are candidates for accreditation.
 * Embraces a systems approach to improvement.
 * Commits to meeting the ESA Accreditation standards, policies, and procedures.
 * Leads and supports a continuous improvement process at both the agency and school levels.
 * Has the capacity to engage in an internal self-review and an external quality assurance review process.

**The ESA Accreditation Process: Responsibilities of the ESA**
The Education Service Agency Accreditation Process is based on a five-year term accreditation. It is an ongoing process of meeting standards, engaging in continuous improvement, and demonstrating quality assurance. The following chart outlines how the process unfolds and the responsibilities of the agency over the five-year term. Weeks before Quality Assurance Review || * Prepare and submit the Standards Assessment Report. The report helps the ESA prepare for the review and provides the review team with the basis for its evaluation. || Review Visit || * Act on the team's Required Actions and document progress. || Assurance Review Visit || * Act on the team's Required Actions and document progress.
 * **Timing** || **ESA Responsibilities** ||
 * Every year || * Adhere to the //AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality Education Service Agencies.//
 * Monitor and ensure that every school operated by the agency adheres to the //AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality Schools//
 * Implement a continuous process of improvement.
 * Engage in ongoing internal review and quality assurance.
 * Document results of improvement efforts.
 * Update school and agency demographic information.
 * Notify AdvancED of any substantive changes in the agency's ability to meet the standards.
 * Submit annual accreditation dues for the agency and the schools it operates. ||
 * Between Six Months and Six
 * Year of Quality Assurance Review || * Prepare for the Quality Assurance Review Team, working with the Team Lead Evaluator to establish the review schedule and make arrangements for the team.
 * Gather evidence to document the agency's adherence to the standards.
 * Host the Quality Assurance Review Team.
 * Share the findings from the Quality Assurance Review Team report with the community.
 * Begin acting on the team's Required Actions. ||
 * Year following the Quality Assurance
 * Two Years following the Quality
 * Submit the Accreditation Progress Report on the agency's response to the team's Required Actions. ||

**Role of the ESA Facilitator**
The agency head assigns a senior staff member to facilitate the ESA Accreditation Process for the agency. The ESA Facilitator:
 * Serves as the key point of contact between AdvancED and the agency;
 * Works with the Quality Assurance Review Team Lead Evaluator to prepare for and host the Quality Assurance Review;
 * Oversees the accreditation process for the agency and its schools;
 * Supports agency and school constituents throughout the accreditation process, answering questions and providing guidance;
 * Ensures that all requirements of the accreditation process are met; and
 * Manages the logistics and oversees the schedule for the Quality Assurance Review.

**Steps to AdvancED ESA Accreditation**
The following flow chart depicts the steps to AdvancED Accreditation. As the agency successfully completes these steps, it moves from Applicant to Candidate to Accredited status. This handbook is designed to assist the ESA with each of these steps.

__<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Steps to ESA Accreditation __



Corresponding Chapters from this Handbook that address each step of the process: ** the Quality ** ** Assurance Review ** || ** Chapter 3: ** ** Hosting the ** ** Quality Assurance ** ** Review ** || ** Chapter 4: ** ** Continuing the Journey ** ||
 * ** Chapter 1: ** ** Beginning the ESA Accreditation Process ** || ** Chapter 2: ** ** Preparing for **

Chapter 1: Beginning the ESA Accreditation Process

**Submitting the ESA Application**
The Education Service Agency Accreditation Process begins with the agency completing the AdvancED application for Education Service Agency Accreditation. The application can be found at the AdvancED website at [|www.advanc-ed.org] in the Accreditation section. Along with the application, the agency should submit the application fee and first year dues for the agency and any schools it operates. A schedule of school dues is located on the application. All schools operated by the agency will become accredited with the agency and must also complete an individual school application which can be found on the AdvancED website. Upon receiving the ESA application and fees, AdvancED sends the agency a Readiness Letter which explains that the next step in the ESA Accreditation Process is to host a successful Readiness Visit.

**Preparing for and Hosting the Readiness Visit**
**Purpose.** The purpose of the Readiness Visit is to make a determination regarding:
 * 1) The agency's capacity to meet the standards;
 * 2) The degree to which continuous improvement and quality assurance processes are in place in the agency; and
 * 3) The commitment of the agency to meet the standards and adhere to all policies within the two-year candidacy timeline.

**Participants and Length of Visit.** The AdvancED State Office assigns one to three State Office representatives to conduct the Readiness Visit. The State Office representatives meet with the agency leadership team, which, depending on the size and nature of the agency, could include the Head of the Agency, ESA Accreditation Facilitator, department heads, and other constituents as determined by the agency. Many ESAs have found it helpful to include board members in the Readiness Visit to enhance their level of knowledge and understanding of the process. The visit typically lasts two to four hours.

**Preparing for the Readiness Visit.** To prepare for the Readiness Visit, the district:
 * 1) [[image:question.jpg width="18" height="18"]]Studies the //AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality Education Service Agencies// to gain an understanding of the standards, indicators, and impact statements.
 * 2) [[image:question.jpg width="18" height="18"]]Reviews the AdvancED Accreditation Policies and Procedures and the Steps to ESA Accreditation to ensure they can fulfill the requirements and steps involved in the ESA Accreditation Process.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> [[image:checkmark.jpg]] Completes the //Self-Assessment of Readiness for ESA Accreditation.// This self-assessment, which is sent to the agency after it submits its Letter of Interest, is a tool designed to help ESAs determine their readiness for accreditation by examining its practices in relation tot he research-based conditions, core tasks, and effective practices of continuously improving systems. This research forms the basis of the //AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality Education Service Agencies.// By self-assessing against the research, the ESA can determine its capacity to meet the AdvancED Standards. ESAs often involve their leadership team and board in the completion of the self-assessment.

** Activities Conducted During the Visit. ** The Readiness Visit typically begins with a brief tour and overview of the agency presented by the agency leadership team. The AdvancED State Office representatives then provide a brief orientation to the AdvancED ESA Accreditation Process, answering any questions that the ESA might have. After providing the brief orientation, the State Office representatives meet with the ESA leadership to: > The agency leadership should be prepared to answer such questions as: >> > The AdvancED State Office representatives highlight each of the seven standards and discuss with the ESA its perception on its ability to meet the standards within the two-year candidacy time frame. > > The AdvancED State Office representatives engage the leadership team in a discussion of the steps to accreditation, answering any questions the team might have. The ESA should be prepared to answer questions related to its processes for improvement, methods of quality assurance, and processes to ensure that each of the schools it operates meets the AdvancED standards. > > The visit concludes with a discussion of next steps. The AdvancED State Office representatives explain that they will prepare a brief report, the Readiness Visit Report, summarizing the findings from the visit.
 * 1) ** Review and discuss the agency's Self-Assessment of Readiness. **
 * Who completed the assessment?
 * What did you learn about yourself as an agency through the completion of the tool?
 * What strengths and areas of improvement did you identify through the tool?
 * 1) ** Provide an overview of the AdvancED standards. **
 * 1) **Discuss the AdvancED accreditation process.**
 * 1) **Outline next steps.**

Based on the visit, the AdvancED State Office representatives make a determination as to the agency’s readiness for ESA Accreditation. If the representatives believe the agency would benefit from more time to address specific areas of need, they will recommend that the agency remain in Applicant status. If this is the case, the agency will receive specific instructions regarding necessary next steps. If the representatives believe the agency is ready for ESA Accreditation, they will recommend that the agency move to Candidacy Status.

**Candidacy Status**
Upon receiving the information in the Readiness Visit Report that the agency is recommended for Candidacy Status, AdvancED sends a Candidacy Letter to the head of the agency. The Candidacy Letter outlines the next steps in the ESA Accreditation Process which include: > The AdvancED State Office works with the ESA to develop and implement a plan to bring all schools into the accreditation process. > The AdvancED State Office and the ESA's assigned Quality Assurance Review Team Lead Evaluator are available to support the agency as it prepares for its Quality Assurance Review.
 * 1) ** Ensuring that all schools operated by the agency are accredited or candidates for accreditation. **
 * 1) **Preparing to host the Quality Assurance Review.**

In addition, the Candidacy Letter asks the ESA to identify an Agency Facilitator who will serve as the primary contact between the ESA and AdvancED and who will lead the ESA Accreditation process. The agency should inform the State Office of the name and contact information of the Agency Facilitator.

The Candidacy Letter includes a Visit Date and Team Member Expertise Request Form. The form asks the agency to:
 * [[image:esu17cip/checkmark.jpg caption="checkmark.jpg"]]** Identify and submit to the Office of Accreditation of AdvancED three preferred dates to host the Quality Assurance Review visit. ** The visit dates normally reflect a Monday through Wednesday schedule with the team arriving on the Sunday evening prior to these dates. The visit needs to be scheduled within two years of receipt of the Candidacy Letter. Visit date requests must be made at least 6 months prior to the preferred dates.
 * [[image:esu17cip/checkmark.jpg caption="checkmark.jpg"]]** Indicate any specific expertise ** the agency would like members of the Quality Assurance Review Team to have based on the needs facing the agency.

Most ESAs identify and submit their preferred visit dates and desired expertise shortly after receiving their Candidacy Letter. This provides them with a targeted time frame for their visit and helps them begin to prepare for the Quality Assurance Review.

Upon receiving the agency’s preferred dates and desired team member expertise, AdvancED selects and sends a letter confirming the dates for the visit to the ESA. The letter provides detailed instructions for preparing for the review and includes the amount of the QAR visit fee that is assessed following the visit to help defray the costs of managing and coordinating the visit.

At this point, the agency has moved from interest to commitment and is ready to begin preparing for the Quality Assurance Review.

Chapter 2: Preparing for the Quality Assurance Review

**Understanding the Quality Assurance Review**
**Purpose.** The purpose of the Quality Assurance Review is to:
 * Evaluate the agency's adherence to the AdvancED quality standards.
 * Assess the efficacy and impact of the agency's continuous improvement process.
 * Assess the effectiveness of the agency's methods for quality assurance.
 * Identify strengths deserving of Commendations and provide Required Actions to improve the agency
 * Make an accreditation recommendation for national review.

**Composition.** The Quality Assurance Review Team is comprised of a nationally-certified Team Lead Evaluator and team members selected for their expertise and fit with the agency’s needs. The number of team members varies depending on the size of the agency. An effort is made to ensure that some of the team members are from outside the state. This provides the agency with both national and local perspectives and insights. The Office of Accreditation of AdvancED works with the AdvancED State Office to appoint the Team Lead Evaluator and team members at least three months prior to the agency’s review. The agency is provided the name and contact information for the Team Lead Evaluator and all team members.

**Structure.** The Quality Assurance Review occurs over a three-day time period with the team arriving the day before for orientation. The review includes the following three components, each of which helps the review team members gather evidence about how the agency is meeting the requirements for ESA Accreditation. > //The team meets at the agency offices for a presentation by the head of the agency, standards presentation, and interviews with agency stakeholders.// The agency presentations and interviews provide team members with a chance to gain a big picture perspective of the ESA, its vision, how it is meeting the standards, and what it views as its strengths and weaknesses. > //The team splits into smaller sub-teams to visit all schools operated by the agency and a sampling of districts served by the agency.// The school visits provide an opportunity for the team to gather additional evidence pertaining to the alignment and consistency of the internal systems within the education service agency. During the school visit, the team receives an instructional walkthrough led by the principal, conducts interviews with school stakeholders, and visits classrooms. The district visits give the team an opportunity to verify how the district benefits from the programs and services in the district that are delivered by the agency and their level of satisfaction with the agency. > //The team meets at the agency offices to complete its standards verification work, review evidence, and craft the team's findings.// The standards verification and team deliberations allow the team an opportunity to gather additional evidence on the standards, review quality assurance practices, verify findings, engage in professional deliberations around the findings, reach consensus, draft standard narratives, and write Commendations and Required Actions.
 * 1) **Agency Presentations and Interviews (Day One)**
 * 1) **External Visits (Day Two)**
 * 1) **Standards & Quality Assurance Verification and Team Deliberations (Day Three)**

**Activities of the team.** Over the course of the review, the Quality Assurance Review Team engages in **artifact review, interviews, external visits to districts served by the agency and schools operated by the agency, and professional deliberations**. These activities help the team gather and analyze evidence to determine how the agency is meeting the standards and engaging in effective quality assurance practices. To ensure that all the standards receive proper attention and focus, team members are assigned to focus on a specific standard. Team members are trained to approach every activity during the visit with an eye for how the agency is meeting the standards, strengths, and suggestions for improvement.

**The Standards Assessment Report**. The guiding document for the Quality Assurance Review is the ESA’s Standards Assessment Report (SAR). The ESA completes and submits the SAR between six months and six weeks prior to its Quality Assurance Review. The SAR engages the agency in a comprehensive review of each of the seven AdvancED standards. It guides the agency’s internal review and becomes the basis for the Quality Assurance Review Team’s external review.

**Working with the State Office and Quality Assurance Review Team Lead Evaluator**
Having a general understanding of the purpose and functions of the Quality Assurance Review helps the ESA prepare for a successful review. In addition, the ESA has the ongoing support of the AdvancED State Office and nationally-assigned Quality Assurance Review Team Lead Evaluator.

The State Office is available to support the agency with all aspects of the ESA Accreditation Process – from informing and engaging constituents to completing the Standards Assessment Report to providing technical assistance in responding to the team’s Required Actions. ESAs are encouraged to use their state offices as a resource and partner in their accreditation and continuous improvement efforts.

The Team Lead Evaluator is also available to support the agency. As the visit date approaches, the agency works closely with the Team Lead Evaluator to:
 * Establish the visit schedule.
 * Identify the location of the external visits.
 * Coordinate logistics for the team.
 * Address any questions and/or concerns related to visit preparation.
 * Host a pre-visit and/or contact with the agency approximately eight weeks prior to the review.
 * Ensure the agency is ready for the review.

**Hosting the Pre-Visit Review with the Lead Evaluator and/or Vice Chair**
Approximately eight weeks prior to the Quality Assurance Review, the Team Lead Evaluator or Vice Chair conducts a Pre-Visit Review with the ESA to ensure that the agency is ready to host a successful Quality Assurance Review. This review can occur through conference call, webinar, or an on-site visit.

During the review, the Lead Evaluator/Vice Chair meets with and/or contacts the Agency Head and Agency Facilitator to:
 * 1) Review the Standards Assessment Report for quality and completeness.
 * 2) Review artifacts assembled for the team.
 * 3) Discuss the interview schedule and confirm interviewees. Ensure interviewees include a broad and representative cross section of the community.
 * 4) Discuss the purpose and structure of the school and district visits.
 * 5) Confirm that the ESA has called a Board Meeting to hear the Oral Exit Report and that constituents have been notified of the meeting.
 * 6) Ensure the schedule and necessary logistics to accommodate the team have been finalized.
 * 7) Answer any questions the agency has with regard to the Quality Assurance Review.

The following sections of this chapter will help ensure that ESAs are ready for this Pre-Visit Review and well prepared for the Quality Assurance Review.

**Understanding the Standards Assessment Report**
As stated earlier, the guiding document for the Quality Assurance Review is the ESA’s Standards Assessment Report (SAR). The agency completes and submits the SAR to the Office of Accreditation and the QAR Lead Evaluator between six months and six weeks prior to its Quality Assurance Review. The SAR can be downloaded from the homepage of the AdvancED website ([|www.advanc-ed.org]) as a Microsoft Word document. Be sure to also download the accompanying document entitled, “AdvancED Standards Assessment Report Overall Assessment Rubrics,” as this document is part of the SAR. The SAR includes five sections: 1) executive summary of the agency profile; 2); a review of each standard; 3) a description of the ESA’s methods for quality assurance; 4) online peer-to-peer submission; and 5) conclusion. A brief overview of each section is provided below.

**Executive summary**. The executive summary of the agency profile provides an opportunity for the agency to give an overview of the agency’s vision, goals, demographics, and community and service area characteristics. The agency profile is developed by collecting and examining data to determine the agency’s current reality as it relates to its vision. The profile includes data on students and their performance; school and agency effectiveness; and the agency and community contexts for learning. (ESAs can refer to //AdvancED Accreditation for Quality School Systems: A Practitioners’ Guide// for more detail on the components of a good profile.) The executive summary of the agency profile highlights the information in the profile and helps provide the context for the SAR.

**Standards review**. The review of each standard is divided into three components: 1) the indicators rubric; 2) focus questions; and 3) overall assessment rubric (which is available as a separate, accompanying document from the homepage of the website). The indicators rubric enables the ESA to assess the degree to which practices and/or processes are in place that indicate adherence to the standard and indicators. For each indicator, the agency may check if the practices and/or processes are highly functional, operational, emerging, or not evident. The agency should use the rubric as an opportunity to ask itself challenging questions and to respond with accurate answers geared toward self-improvement. After completing the rubric, the agency can quickly see areas of strength and opportunity. The section asks, “To what degree are the noted practices/processes in place?”

The focus questions allow the agency to expand on and think more deeply about the responses to the indicators rubric. The focus questions provide an opportunity for the agency to describe the systematic and systemic processes that are in place to support its ability to meet the indicators. The section asks, “How are the practices/processes implemented?”

The overall assessment rubric, available as a separate document accompanying the SAR, describes how well the ESA and the schools it operates are implementing practices and/or processes and the impact these practices and/or processes have on student results and overall agency effectiveness. The overall assessment helps the agency judge where it is in relation to each standard. The “operational” level is required in order to demonstrate meeting the standard. The section asks, “How well are we meeting the standard overall?”

**Description of quality assurance methods**. The description of the ESA’s methods for quality assurance allows the agency to provide an overview of the practices and methods it uses to monitor and document improvement, provide meaningful feedback and support across the agency, ensure that the AdvancED standards are met and strengthened, and regularly collect, use, and communicate results. A Quality Assurance Practices Tool located in the Appendix is designed to help the agency think more deeply about its methods for quality assurance as it completes this section of the Standards Assessment Report.

**Peer-to-peer submission**. The peer-to-peer submission section asks the ESA to share an effective practice for inclusion in the online AdvancED Resource Network. The submission allows the agency to highlight a practice that it feels is indicative of the quality work occurring across the agency and its schools. The review team may refer to the practice and use it as the basis for identifying other successful practices occurring in the agency. In addition, by contributing to the network, the agency becomes part of an international professional learning community, making available its practice to AdvancED schools, districts and other education service agencies around the world.

**Conclusion**. The conclusion provides an opportunity for the ESA to share final insights and information.

**Completing the Standards Assessment Report**
**Establishing a plan**. The Standards Assessment Report serves as the vehicle to engage the agency in meaningful internal review. ESAs that engage in a thorough and purposeful internal review benefit the most from the ESA Accreditation Process. In fact, many schools, districts and education service agencies rate the internal review, which is guided by the Standards Assessment Report, as the most powerful aspect of the accreditation process. The Agency Facilitator should work with agency leadership to develop a plan with clear timelines, strategies, and responsibilities to ensure that the SAR is completed on time, has the involvement of a broad cross-section of agency constituents, and provides an accurate depiction of the agency.

**Allowing the right amount of time**. The amount of time that ESAs devote to the internal review and completion of the SAR varies from agency to agency. Some are able to complete the SAR in a six-month time frame; others use a year to 18 months. The key determinants in the amount of time it takes are the agency’s overall readiness to pursue ESA Accreditation, its sophistication and experience in implementing a systems approach to improvement, and its overall commitment and buy-in from constituents.

**Gaining experience and training**. During this process, ESAs find it helpful to have representatives from the agency serve on Quality Assurance Review (QAR) Teams to other agencies or school districts. This helps them gain a greater understanding of the QAR process and how to prepare for a successful QAR. ESAs also send teams to training sessions on ESA Accreditation and systems thinking or bring in presenters to provide focused training on leading a systems approach to improvement. ESAs consult with other agencies and districts that have hosted their QAR, obtain technical assistance from their AdvancED State Office, and consult with their Team Lead Evaluator. Many agencies and districts have found that the //AdvancED Accreditation for Quality School Systems: A Practitioners’ Guide// available for purchase at [|www.advanc-ed.org/products_and_services] provides valuable resources and tools to support their internal review and completion of the Standards Assessment Report.

**Organizing to complete the SAR**. ESAs use a wide range of strategies for organizing themselves to conduct their internal review and complete the Standards Assessment Report. All of the strategies rely on the broad involvement of agency, school, district, and community constituents. Some sample strategies that agencies have used are provided below; however, agencies should design strategies that best fit their unique needs and circumstances.
 * **Standard teams.** Some agencies assign agency leadership to specific standards. These individuals then form teams for their assigned area, involving staff and community members from different agency-level departments, its schools, and a range of staff positions. They work in their cross-functional and cross-organizational teams to review the standard, self-assess against the indicators rubric, respond to the focus questions, and make an overall assessment regarding the agency's level of adherence to the standard. They then share their work with the other standard teams, agency leadership,and board for review, validation, and final refinement. The Agency Facilitator takes the work of the teams and finalizes the SAR.
 * ** Cross-functional internal review team. ** Some agencies create one team, representing all agency constituents, to review all standards and prepare a draft SAR that is then distributed widely for input and feedback. The document is then refined and finalized.
 * **Focus groups.** Some agencies conduct a range of focus groups of agency, district and school constituents, using the indicators rubric and focus questions of the SAR to guide the discussions. Agency leaders gather input from these focus groups and use the input to help inform the completion of the SAR. Agency leaders with primary responsibility for particular standard areas draft and complete their respective sections of the SAR.

**Considering the evidence**. Regardless of the strategies used to complete the report, the ESA considers the evidence that addresses the question, “How do we know we are doing what we say we are doing?” The agency should be able to provide the evidence to support the ratings it gives itself in the indicators rubric and the overall assessment for each standard. For example, if the agency rates a particular practice as “highly functional,” the agency should be able to produce evidence to support that rating.

AdvancED has developed the “Examples of Evidence for Education Service Agencies” resource to help them as they consider the evidence supporting each standard. This resource can be downloaded from the Home Page of the AdvancED website at www.advanc-ed.org.

**Seeking feedback and support**. As the agency engages in its internal review, it is encouraged to seek feedback and support from the AdvancED State Office. State Office staff are available to provide ongoing guidance and direction to ensure a meaningful internal review and a quality SAR.

**Developing the Visit Schedule**
The Agency Facilitator works with the Quality Assurance Review Team Lead Evaluator to develop the visit schedule. The typical ESA Quality Assurance Review visit lasts three days with the team arriving the day before the review for orientation. Following is an overview of key components of an ESA Quality Assurance Review visit.

**Evening before review** Team meeting for orientation at the Hotel (2-3 hours)
 * **Key Components of a Typical ESA Quality Assurance Review Schedule**

**Day 1 – ESA Presentations and Interview**
 * Agency head provides general orientation to Team (approx. 45-60 minutes).
 * Agency personnel provide brief presentation on the agency's adherence to each of the seven standards and highlight key artifacts related to the standard.
 * Team interviews agency head, leadership staff, board members, and major constituents; team members conduct artifact review.
 * Team work sessions & artifact review in preparation for school and district visits.

**Day 2 – External Visits**
 * Mini-teams visit a sampling of districts served by the agency and all schools operated by the agency. During the visits, the teams receive an instructional walkthrough, visit classrooms, and interview: 1) the district or school leadership team and school improvement team; 2) teachers; 3) parents and community constituents; and 4) students (teams typically visit two schools and/or districts - one in the morning and one in the afternoon). A brief concluding meeting is held with the principal at the end of each school visit.
 * Team debrief of school and district visits and team work sessions.

**Day 3 – Standards & Quality Assurance Verification and Team Deliberations** A schedule template is provided in the Appendix that the agency can adapt and use.
 * Team conducts follow-up interviews with agency head and leadership staff to finalize verification of the agency standards and quality assurance practices.
 * Team reviews findings and develops final consensus Required Actions.
 * Team Lead Evaluator meets with agency head to review key findings and Required Actions of the Team.
 * Team Lead Evaluator provides oral exit report to agency constituents and the school board at the conclusion of the review. ||

**Preparing Artifacts for Review**
In preparation for the Quality Assurance Review Team’s arrival, the ESA makes artifacts (documents, assessment data, plans, policies, etc.) available to the team that it references in its Standards Assessment Report and any additional artifacts it feels demonstrate the agency’s adherence to one or more of the standards. These can be made available in written or electronic formats. Many agencies post files on webpages or place them on disks or thumb drives.

Included with the artifacts that the ESA provides in support of its Standards Assessment Report, the agency provides the following essential artifacts for team review. The list is organized by standard area; however, many artifacts will address more than one standard area ESAs may call the artifacts by different names than those provided below and should provide whatever comparable artifacts they maintain.
 * **Essential Artifacts** **Vision and Purpose**
 * Agency vision and mission statement
 * Agency annual report to the community
 * Agency demographic and community profile information
 * Guide and description of services offered
 * Other

**Governance and Leadership**
 * Agency governing board policies
 * Agency documents outlining contracted programs
 * Agency organization chart
 * Agency policy manual
 * Personnel evaluation plan
 * Documents outlining program responsibilities defined by state and federal agencies
 * Other

**Teaching and Learning**
 * Agency curriculum guides (and relevant accompanying artifacts such as pacing guides; especially those developed/used in schools operated by the agency)
 * Agency calendar with number of instructional days and teacher work days, if applicable
 * Media services and technology plan
 * Other

**Documenting and Using Results**
 * Student performance data within the service area and/or in schools operated by the agency
 * Trend data - past three years, multiple assessments
 * Comparative data with other like districts or service agencies
 * Government report cards and/or accountability ratings (including Adequate Yearly Progress data)
 * Student assessment plans (including short-cycle/formative assessments and summative assessments), especially for schools operated by the agency
 * Other

**Resources and Support Systems**
 * Professional development plan (including induction program for new agency staff)
 * Number of staff members and student-teacher ratios where appropriate
 * Annual Budget
 * Latest financial audit
 * Facilities maintenance plan and long-range facilities plan
 * Crisis management and other emergency plans
 * Other

**Stakeholder and Constituent Communication and Relationships**
 * Constituent and other stakeholder perception data
 * Needs assessment data compiled from constituent districts and programs
 * Other

**Commitment to Continuous Improvement**
 * Written agency improvement plan including strategies, interventions, timelines and assignments and results of improvement efforts
 * School improvement plans for all the schools operated by the agency
 * Other

**Quality Assurance**
 * Artifact supporting quality assurance processes described in the Standards Assessment Report ||

**Preparing the Agency Head’s Overview**
On the morning of the first day of the Quality Assurance Review, the agency head welcomes the Quality Assurance Review Team and provides an overview of the education service agency. The purpose of the agency head’s remarks is to set the tone and context for the visit. The following questions are designed to assist the agency head in thinking about the type of content to include in his/her remarks:
 * What will help the team quickly gain an understanding of the agency community, challenges, strengths, and opportunities?
 * What information will best convey what the agency is trying to accomplish?
 * How is the agency meeting the needs of its constituents - currently and over time?
 * What does the agency want the team to look for? What advice/support would the agency like the team to provide over the course of the visit?

Team members find it helpful when the agency head’s comments include an overview of the agency vision, basic demographic information about the agency, a description of challenges, an overview of key programs and improvement initiatives, and a snapshot of agency and learner performance results using multiple measures over time. The agency head’s overview typically lasts between 30 and 45 minutes. It is helpful to provide team members with a copy of the agency head’s comments for use and reference during the visit.

**Preparing Brief Presentations on the Standards**
Also on the morning of the first day, ESA personnel provide brief presentations on each of the seven AdvancED Standards. The presentations provide the QAR Team with a general overview and description of how the agency is meeting each standard. The overview lasts approximately one hour. The following questions are designed to help agency personnel as they develop the presentations for the overview:
 * What does the agency most want the team to know about each standard as the team begins its work?
 * What information about each standard does the agency wish to highlight and/or clarify from the Standards Assessment Report?
 * What artifacts does the agency wish to bring to the team's attention that help demonstrate the agency's adherence to one or more standards?
 * What processes and practices does the agency with to explain that demonstrate how the agency is meeting the standard?
 * What does the agency want the team to look for and/or verify with regard to each standard as it conducts its review?

**Setting Up Interviews**
**Purpose and coordination**. A critical component of the Quality Assurance Review is interviews of agency, district and school stakeholders. The purpose of the interviews is to provide an opportunity for the QAR Team to gather information from a variety of constituents about the agency’s adherence to the AdvancED accreditation requirements. The Agency Facilitator, in conjunction with agency and school leadership and with guidance and support from the Team Lead Evaluator, identifies, invites, and schedules stakeholders to be interviewed by the Quality Assurance Review Team.

**Structure of the interviews and questions asked**. The interviews last between 45 minutes and one hour. They begin with a brief overview of the purpose of the interviews and the role of the Quality Assurance Review Team. The team members and the interviewees then introduce themselves. Following these introductory activities, the team asks approximately 9-10 broad questions which address each of the AdvancED standards, the agency’s profile, and the agency’s methods for quality assurance. The questions are tailored as appropriate for each stakeholder group. The agency may request a copy of the sample interview questions from the Team Lead Evaluator. Some agencies share the sample questions with interviewees so that they can prepare in advance for the questions that will be asked.

**Stakeholder groups to be interviewed**. The team interviews the following stakeholder groups:
 * **Day One - Agency-level Interviews**
 * Agency head
 * Agency staff responsible for programs and service delivery
 * Board members
 * Parents, business members, and community members
 * Superintendents or key leaders of districts served by the agency that will not be visited on Day Two
 * Agency support staff


 * **Day Two - District and School-level Interview (on site)**
 * District leadership of districts served by the agency
 * School leadership of districts using programs and services of the agency
 * School leadership and school improvement teams of agency-operated schools
 * Teachers
 * Parents, business members, and community members
 * Students enrolled in agency-operated schools or those involved in ESA programs


 * **Day Three - Follow-up Interviews**
 * Determined on-site, often follow-up interviews are with agency personnel whose responsibilities relate to the AdvancED Standards

The agency and Team Lead Evaluator may add to and/or adapt the groups interviewed as appropriate for the agency setting.

**Selecting interviewees**. The following guidelines are designed to help the Agency Facilitator in identifying stakeholders to be interviewed.

**Guidelines for Identifying Stakeholders to Be Interviewed** Stakeholders should collectively: > //(socio-economic levels, race and ethnicity, regions served by the agency, etc.)// > > // (strong and active supporters of the agency, critics of the agency, those who are less involved, etc.) // > > //(e.g., preK to career/technical, if applicable)// > > //(e.g., leadership, administrative, teaching, guidance, and support functions)// > >
 * Reflect the agency's broader community
 * Provide a range of viewpoints and perspectives
 * Represent all schools operated by the agency and districts served by the agency
 * Represent all major categories of positions in the agency
 * Include individuals who are knowledgeable of the agency's efforts in the AdvancED standards
 * Include individuals who can discuss strengths and challenges that the agency wishes the team to understand

The overarching questions to ask when identifying stakeholders to be interviewed are:
 * Will the stakeholders collectively provide an accurate assessment of the agency for the QAR team?
 * Do the stakeholders collectively have enough knowledge of the agency's practices with regard to the AdvancED standards to yield meaningful information?
 * Will the stakeholders collectively yield information that will prove valuable to the agency in its continuous improvement efforts?

While it may be tempting to identify only those constituents who are active and strong supporters of the agency, it does not maximize the insights and richness of the findings that can emerge from these interviews that ultimately benefit the agency’s improvement efforts.

**Inviting interviewees**. The Agency Facilitator should begin inviting stakeholders to be interviewed as soon as it has finalized the visit schedule (approximately eight to twelve weeks prior to the visit). Following is sample language that the Agency Facilitator can adapt and use as appropriate when inviting stakeholders to participate in the interviews.

Dear ,
 * **Sample Invitation to Potential Interviewees**

You are cordially invited to participate in <insert name of ESA>’s upcoming Education Service Agency Accreditation review by serving on a stakeholder interview team.

As you may know, <insert name of ESA> is actively pursuing AdvancED Education Service Agency Accreditation. In order to earn this prestigious designation, the agency must meet the AdvancED quality standards, implement a process of continuous improvement, and host a Quality Assurance Review once every five years.

<insert name of ESA>’s Quality Assurance Review will take place. The review is led by a team of professionals from inside and outside the state. During the review, the Quality Assurance Review Team interviews a wide range of agency, district and school-level stakeholders, examines artifacts, conducts school visits, and engages in professional deliberations to determine the degree to which the ESA meets the AdvancED standards. The team shares its findings in oral and written formats and makes an accreditation recommendation for national review. The agency uses the findings from the team to further its continuous improvement efforts. If the agency is awarded accreditation status, the ESA and all of the schools operated by the agency are accredited.

On, the Quality Assurance Review Team will be interviewing several stakeholder groups. We would like the team to interview you as part of the at in. The interview will last approximately <insert allotted time for interview> minutes. We believe that you have experience, knowledge, and insights that would enhance the team’s understanding of our ESA.

Please reply to this invitation by. I hope you can participate in this exciting and valuable process.

Sincerely, <Agency Facilitator and/or Agency Head> ||

**Preparing interviewees**. After stakeholders accept the invitation to serve on an interview team, the agency sends a brief note to confirm the interview date, time, and location. The note should emphasize the importance of being on time. The note should repeat some of the information from the invitation letter that highlights the purpose and activities of the team. Depending on the stakeholder being interviewed, the agency may wish to include supporting materials such as a copy of the agency’s Standards Assessment Report and a list of the sample questions that may be asked in the interview (as noted earlier, these can be obtained from the Team Lead Evaluator).

**Understanding and Preparing for the External Visits**

 * Purpose of external visits under ESA Accreditation.** On Day Two of the Quality Assurance Review, the team visits a sampling of districts served by the agency and all schools operated by the agency. During the visits to the districts served by the agency, the team will observe district operations and verify how the district benefits from programs and services in the district that are delivered by the agency and their level of satisfaction with the agency. Leaders of districts not being visited should be included in Day One interviews. Interviews should be scheduled with the district superintendent, district leadership that coordinate ESA programs and services for the district as well as school leadership from the district who use or benefit from the ESA’s programs and services. If appropriate and time permits, visits to district schools and classrooms using ESA programs or services would be beneficial.

The purpose of the school visit is to: 1) validate the school’s participation in the agency’s continuous improvement planning framework; 2) seek evidence that the school is implementing its improvement plan as intended; 3) verify the school’s participation in the agency’s quality assurance practices; 4) observe teaching and learning in action; and 5) gather evidence pertaining to the alignment and consistency of the internal systems within the education service agency.

The Team Lead Evaluator will work closely with the Agency Facilitator to develop the Day Two visit schedule. The visit schedule should be set at least 20 working days prior to the review.


 * Materials for the team.** The Agency Facilitator should provide for the team (either electronically or in paper format) the vision and mission statements, demographic data, performance data, school improvement plans, and website addresses for the districts and schools to be visited. These materials will assist the team in their preparations for the visits.


 * Components of the school visit.** The school visit includes an instructional tour, interviews, and classroom visits. The following sections offer support for each of these elements.


 * Instructional tour.** The Principal or School Head should lead the instructional tour of the school. The tour should occur when classes are in session and should be scheduled to avoid the start of school, passing periods, and lunch. If the team arrives at the school during this time, the instructional tour should be scheduled after the initial interview to allow time for classes to begin.

The purpose of the tour is to see instruction in action and to view the implementation of key improvement initiatives in the school; it is not a facilities tour. For example, if the school is focused on literacy, the Principal or School Head may wish to show the team a literacy lab where specialists are working one-on-one with students, classrooms where literacy coaches are aiding teachers in instruction, the media center where literacy is reinforced, a music class where literacy concepts are integrated into the curriculum, the teacher workroom where samples of student work/portfolios are on display and an intervention wall that tracks students’ literacy progress, etc.

During the instructional tour, the Quality Assurance Review Team looks and listens for data pertaining to:
 * The nature of the overall learning environment - how welcoming is it, does it support students learning, are teachers and students actively engaged in the learning process
 * The use of a variety of instructional and assessment methods
 * The implementation and monitoring of improvement priorities in the classroom and throughout the school
 * The role all staff play in the teaching and learning process


 * School interviews.** In most cases, the review team will interview four groups during the school visit: 1) the school leadership team and school improvement team; 2) teachers; 3) parents and community stakeholders; and 4) students. The interviews last between 30 and 45 minutes. The purpose of the school interviews is to hear how the agency vision and improvement efforts are implemented at the school level and to check for alignment, coherence, and strategies in action across a range of stakeholders. The interviews provide an opportunity to hear how the school interprets and adheres to the AdvancED standards and how the agency supports them in meeting those standards. To ensure that all voices and opinions are heard during the interviews, it is requested that the school principal only participate in the interview of the school leadership and improvement team. He/she should not participate in or observe the other interviews.

The team asks questions that are similar to those asked during the interviews on Day One. The questions are tied to each of the AdvancED standards with additional questions pertaining to the school profile and quality assurance methods.

The Agency Facilitator can request the sample questions from the Team Lead Evaluator should he/she wish to share them with the school to assist in preparing for the review.

> //race and ethnicity, etc.)// > > //critics, those who are less involved, etc.)// > > > //teaching, guidance, support functions)// > The overarching questions to ask when identifying stakeholders to be interviewed are:
 * Identifying interviewees for the school interviews**. The Agency Facilitator supports the schools in identifying stakeholders to be interviewed. The following guidelines, which mirror those provided for the agency interviews, are designed to help the school identify interviewees.
 * < **Guidelines for Identifying School Stakeholders to Be Interviewed** Stakeholders should collectively:
 * Reflect the population served by the school //(socio-economic levels,//
 * Provide a range of viewpoints and perspectives //(strong and active supporters,//
 * Represent a variety of grade levels and/or departments
 * Represent a range of positions in the school //(e.g., leadership, administrative,//
 * Include individuals who can discuss the school's strengths and challenges ||
 * Will the stakeholders collectively provide an accurate assessment of the school for the QAR Team?
 * Will the stakeholders collectively provide information that will prove valuable to the school and agency in its continuous improvement efforts?

**Inviting interviewees**. With help from the Agency Facilitator, the school invites stakeholders to be interviewed. The sample invitation provided earlier in this handbook can be adapted for use at the school level.

**Preparing interviewees**. After stakeholders accept the invitation to serve on an interview team, the school sends a brief note to confirm the interview date, time, and location. The note should emphasize the importance of being on time. The note should repeat some of the information from the invitation letter that highlights the purpose and activities of the team. Depending on the stakeholder being interviewed, the school may wish to include a list of the sample questions that may be asked in the interview (as noted earlier, these can be obtained from the Team Lead Evaluator).


 * Classroom visits.** The purpose of classroom visits is for the team to view teaching and learning in action and to corroborate information obtained from interviews and artifacts. This is the opportunity for the team to see how agency-level initiatives, operations, and support are translated into the classroom and to view the impact on teachers and students. The classroom visits allow the team to check for alignment from the agency to the classroom level.

Team members will select classrooms to visit at random. They are instructed not to interrupt or disrupt the learning in process and to spend no more than five to ten minutes in the classroom. The schools selected for the visits should inform their teachers that team members may visit their classrooms as part of their visit. Reassure them that the team members are observing processes and activities in the school; they are not evaluating teachers.


 * Debrief with the team.** Prior to end of the school visit, the team briefly shares with the principal the observations and findings made through the artifact review prior to the visit, the instructional tour, interviews, and classroom visits.

**Preparing for the Final Day of the Visit**

 * Standards and quality assurance verification**. The final day of the Quality Assurance Review occurs at the agency offices. The Agency Facilitator schedules time for each standard team to meet with the agency personnel whose work most directly pertains to the standard. The standard teams use this time to verify data that has been gathered over the course of the visit and ask any remaining questions that the team has. The team may wish to meet with additional agency personnel or review artifacts during this time. The team also uses this time to ask any final questions related to the agency’s quality assurance processes. The Agency Facilitator helps connect team members to personnel and/or artifacts as needed.


 * Team deliberations**. After gathering additional data and clarifying questions, the team meets to deliberate and prepare its report. The Agency Facilitator provides a work room for the team to use during this time. The team needs access to the Internet, power cords for multiple computers, and a printer.


 * Meeting with the Agency Head**. When the team has finished its deliberations and solidified its findings, the Team Lead Evaluator and Vice Chair meet with the Agency Head and any staff members he/she designates to participate in the meeting to share the team’s findings. The Agency Facilitator schedules the meeting time and location and ensures that all participants are informed of the meeting. The meeting provides an opportunity for the Team Lead Evaluator and Vice Chair to discuss the team’s findings with the Agency Head and his/her staff, answer questions, and address any concerns. The Team Lead Evaluator and Vice Chair review the Oral Exit Report with the Agency Head and his/her staff to ensure that they are familiar with and prepared for the content that will be shared at the public sharing of the Oral Exit Report.

**Setting up the Board Meeting to Receive the Oral Exit Report**

 * Overview.** After reviewing the team’s findings with the Agency Head and his/her staff, the Team Lead Evaluator will present the Oral Exit Report at a publicly called meeting of the agency’s governing board. The board meeting typically occurs between 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm on the final day of the visit. It is a special meeting of the board that is open to the public and held for the purpose of receiving the findings from the Quality Assurance Review Team. The meeting contains only one agenda item – to hear the team’s findings – and no other actions or items are discussed. Questions are not taken during the meeting (the meeting between the Team Lead Evaluator and Agency Head that occurs prior to the Oral Exit Report is the venue for questions). Because it is a special meeting of the board, it is critical that ample notice is provided to the board, public, and media of the meeting.


 * Logistics.** The Agency Facilitator coordinates all of the logistics pertaining to the board meeting, including:
 * Notifying all board members of the meeting date, time, and purpose
 * Notifying the agency community through internal and external communication vehicles
 * Notifying the media as appropriate
 * Preparing a room for the meeting to occur with appropriate seating and audio/visual
 * Providing a computer, LCD projector, and screen for the Oral Exit Report presentation which will be delivered via PowerPoint slides
 * Providing a podium and/or table from which the Team Lead Evaluator can deliver the findings
 * Providing a microphone, if needed
 * Preparing the Board Chair and Agency Head to call the meeting to order and to provide preliminary background information about the education service agency's involvement in ESA Accreditation and the purpose of the meeting


 * Agenda.** The Board Chair typically begins the meeting, calling it to order. Often, the Board Chair makes some general remarks about the ESA’s participation in the ESA Accreditation Process and the board’s support of the agency’s pursuit of ESA Accreditation. The Board Chair then introduces the Agency Head who explains the work the agency has undertaken and provides an overview of the Quality Assurance Review Team’s role and activities. The Agency Head then introduces the Team Lead Evaluator who introduces the rest of the team and begins the Oral Exit Report. The Board Chair and Agency Head make introductory comments typically lasting five to seven minutes. The Team Lead Evaluator’s report lasts 20-25 minutes. Following the report, the Board Chair and/or Agency Head thanks the team and concludes the meeting.


 * Preparing for media interest**. At most Oral Exit Reports, representatives from the media attend. Often, they will ask to interview the Team Lead Evaluator, Agency Head, and Board Chair. They may also ask for copies of the Oral Exit Report. The Agency Facilitator, most likely working with agency personnel from the public relations or communications departments, helps coordinate these interviews and makes copies of the Oral Exit Report to ensure that accurate information is shared with the media.

**Coordinating Team Logistics**
The Agency Facilitator is responsible for coordinating all the logistics associated with the Quality Assurance Review. The following checklist is intended to assist the Agency Facilitator with this task.
 * Coordinate transportation for the team members for each day of the visit (from the airport to the hotel, from the hotel to the agency offices, from the agency back to the hotel, from the hotel to the school and district visits, etc.).
 * Secure hotel room reservations for team members.
 * Make all meal arrangements for the team for each day of their stay (and coordinate any necessary transportation to meals, such as dinner each evening).
 * Reserve meeting space at the hotel for each night of the visit. The meeting room should be organized as a hollow square, with enough chairs to accommodate all members of the team. A screen, LCD projector, power cords (2-3), flip chart paper (at least one full pad), markers (at least one for every member of the team), masking tape, and sticky notes (standard square size, at least one pad for each member of the team). Water and light refreshments are appreciated.
 * Reserve a team meeting room at the agency office where the team can work, discuss their findings, and review artifacts. The room should include power cords for multiple computers.
 * Schedule rooms for the Day One interviews and Day Three standards verification meetings.
 * Work with the districts and schools that will be visited on Day Two to coordinate all logistics associated with the visits (including transportation, food, rooms for the interviews, etc.).
 * Ensure the logistics pertaining to the public meeting of the Oral Exit Report (outlined earlier) are addressed.
 * Make name badges for the team members and ensure that agency personnel wear their name badges.
 * Prepare information packets for the team's arrival (often including a hard copy of the agency's Standards Assessment Report, the final schedule, and other agency-specific materials).

**Making Final Preparations**
Following is a checklist to help the Agency Facilitator address final preparations for the Quality Assurance Review Team.
 * At least a week prior to the Quality Assurance Review Team visit, confirm all details related to the schedule.
 * Ensure that all staff, districts, schools, and stakeholders involved in the review have a copy of the QAR Team schedule.
 * E-mail and/or send a reminder to all interviewees.
 * Confirm with the districts and schools the details for the external visits. Remind the school about the purpose of the instructional tour and the focus of the interviews. Ask the school to remind all of its interviewees.
 * Remind board members of all the details pertaining to their role in the visit.
 * E-mail and/or send a reminder to the media regarding the review and the public meeting on the final day.
 * Make sure that artifacts are accessible and ready for review.
 * Confirm lodging reservations for the team.
 * Confirm transportation arrangements for each day of the visit.
 * Confirm meals and dinner reservations for the team.

Chapter 3: Hosting the Quality Assurance Review By following the guidelines outlined in Chapter 2, the ESA should find that it is well prepared for the Quality Assurance Review. Chapter 2 provides a detailed overview of each component of the visit and how to prepare for it. This chapter provides brief tips to help the agency host a successful Quality Assurance Review.

The visit schedule serves as the primary guide for the three-day review. The Agency Facilitator manages the schedule and ensures that all activities of the review occur as planned. The Agency Facilitator should maintain the schedule and extra copies at all times during the visit. He/she should be available for questions and to help the team access needed information throughout the visit. It is a good idea for the Facilitator to provide the Team Lead Evaluator and members with his/her contact information (including cell phone) and the names and contact information of other agency staff should questions or emergencies arise.

**Welcoming the Team**
The agency may wish to have an agency representative, often the Agency Facilitator, at the hotel as team members arrive to welcome them and provide them with any information needed for the review. Often, the agency supplies name badges, a hard copy of its Standards Assessment Report, a final schedule, and additional agency-specific materials. Please note that team members cannot accept gifts from the agency (agency name/logo items of nominal value such as pens and notepads designed for use during the visit are acceptable).

**Attending to the Details**
Once the review team has arrived, the Agency Facilitator ensures that all details unfold as planned.


 * Arrival and Orientation Night **
 * Confirm dinner reservations for the team.
 * Check to see that the meeting room for the team's evening orientation is properly set-up (hollow square with enough seats to accommodate the team, flip chart paper, sticky notes, markers, masking tape, LCD projector, power cords, screen, any agency artifacts that the agency wants in the team's work room, water and refreshments).


 * Day One**
 * Ensure all team members have transportation to the agency.
 * Make sure the team's meeting room at the agency is properly set up and meets the team's needs.
 * Ensure easy access to artifacts the team will need.
 * Manage the presentations and interviews for Day One, ensuring all activities stay on schedule.
 * Provide lunch for the team.
 * Make available coffee, water, and light refreshments throughout the day for the team.
 * Provide transportation to the hotel.
 * Ensure dinner reservations are confirmed and transportation to dinner is provided, if needed.
 * Check to see that the team meeting room at the hotel is set up as needed and ready for the team.

**Day Two**
 * Check that all team members have transportation to their assigned districts and schools.
 * Support the districts and schools as they host the external visits.
 * Ensure lunch is provided for the teams.
 * Check to see that transportation to the afternoon visit sites is provided to the teams.
 * Ensure transportation to the hotel is provided to the teams.
 * Confirm dinner reservations and transportation to dinner, if needed.
 * Check to see that the team meeting at the hotel is set up as needed and ready for the team.

**Day Three**
 * Ensure all team members have transportation to t he agency.
 * Make sure the team's meeting room at the agency is properly set up and meets the team's needs.
 * Ensure easy access to artifacts the team will need.
 * Manage the schedule for interviews and additional follow-up as directed by the team.
 * Provide lunch for the team.
 * Make available coffee, water, and light refreshments throughout the day for the team.
 * Host the meeting between the Lead Evaluator, Vice Chair, Agency Head, and designated agency staff.
 * Set up the room for the presentation of the Oral Exit Report (see details in Chapter 2).
 * Have materials available and be prepared for questions from the media.
 * Provide transportation for team members to the airport, as needed.

**Keys to Success**
Education service agencies and school districts that have hosted Quality Assurance Reviews offer the following advice to their colleagues.
 * **Be open and honest with the team.** The more authentic and accurate your responses are to the team, the better able the team is to assess the strengths and needs of the agency.
 * **Stay on schedule.** Use the schedule to guide the visit.
 * **Communicate with all stakeholders about the visit;** the more people who know about the visit and the activities of the team, the better. Be as open and transparent about the process as possible.
 * **Use and refer to the Standards Assessment Report.** The self-assessment is perhaps the most valuable component of the review process. The Standards Assessment Report represents the work and thinking of a broad range of stakeholders. Reference it regularly with the team so that it is used to maximize the team's time and their ability to provide meaningful feedback to the agency.
 * **Share and encourage the team to review specific artifacts** that you feel are critical to the team's understanding of your work.
 * ** Highlight the areas where you need the team's assistance. ** The earlier in the process that the team discovers the challenges the agency is facing, the more time the team has to consider and craft powerful Required Actions to support the agency in addressing those challenges.
 * **Remember, you get out of a process what you put into it.** The agency has the ability through its own commitment to the process to make the most out of the Quality Assurance Review. The more committed the agency is to gaining valuable support and feedback from peers, the more likely the agency is to receive a meaningful Quality Assurance Review.

Chapter 4: Continuing the Journey While the majority of this handbook is devoted to preparing for the Quality Assurance Review, the majority of the ESA’s time is spent following the review, acting on the team’s findings and continuing the journey of the accreditation process. This chapter reviews the key activities that occur on an ongoing basis as agencies seek to maintain their accreditation and continuously improve.

**Receiving the Written Report of the Quality Assurance Review Team**
At the conclusion of the Quality Assurance Review visit, the Team Lead Evaluator works with the team to finalize the written report of the team’s findings and recommended accreditation status. The report is submitted for review to an AdvancED Reader who reads and finalizes the report to ensure quality. After the Reader finalizes the report, it is sent to the ESA, State Office, and Team Lead Evaluator. The ESA receives the report within 30 days of the visit.

Upon receipt of the written report, the agency communicates the QAR team’s findings to the board and agency constituents. Sharing the results of the visit with a wide range of stakeholders helps educate the community about the ESA’s accreditation and garners buy-in with regard to next steps that the agency will take to address the findings in the report. The agency will also receive an invoice for the reimbursement of team members and the ESA Accreditation Quality Assurance Review Fee. This fee is assessed once every five years to defray some of the costs associated with preparing and coordinating the visit.

**Receiving Notice of Accreditation Status and Celebrating with the Community**
The Quality Assurance Review Team’s recommended accreditation status is submitted to AdvancED for state and national review and action. The national AdvancED Accreditation Commission, the body that grants accreditation, reviews and acts on all accreditation status Required Actions. After the Commission has taken action on the agency’s accreditation status, a letter is sent to the agency confirming its accreditation status.

Upon receiving the accreditation letter, the agency communicates its final accreditation status to the board and agency stakeholders. The agency receives and displays a certificate of accreditation. Press releases (see samples in the Appendix), flags, Q&A guides, and more are available from the AdvancED website at [|www.advanc-ed.org] to help agencies share and celebrate their accreditation with their community. Practices that many agencies and districts find useful include: sharing information about their accreditation with parents at every “Back to School Night” through brochures and/or handouts; including the NCA CASI or SACS CASI accreditation seal on their website, stationery, and student transcripts; posting information about accreditation in a regular column of their agency newsletters; and including a section on accreditation in their annual reports to the community.

**Acting on the QAR Team’s Findings**
The Quality Assurance Review Team report serves as a resource to the agency as it furthers its continuous improvement efforts. The agency celebrates and strengthens the successes and accomplishments noted in the team’s commendations. The agency builds on these accomplishments, enhancing their impact across the system and using what it has learned from its accomplishments to inform other work of the agency and to help address Required Actions noted by the team.

The team’s Required Actions identify areas of needed action designed to enhance agency effectiveness and improve student learning and constituent district effectiveness. The agency is held accountable for making progress on each of the team’s Required Actions. Two years following the review, the agency submits a report (discussed in the next section) which details the progress made on the Required Actions.

To begin acting on the team’s findings, the agency reviews the full team report with agency stakeholders. In addition to spending time discussing the team’s commendations and Required Actions, the agency studies the detailed description of strengths and opportunities for improvement provided in each of the standard reports. These reports provide greater clarity, guidance, and direction on the commendations and Required Actions. Should questions arise during this process, the agency seeks clarity from the QAR Team Lead Evaluator and/or AdvancED State Office.

After thorough review of the QAR Team’s findings, the agency establishes a plan of action, engaging a representative group of stakeholders in the process. The agency determines what this plan looks like and how it puts the plan into action to ensure ongoing progress. The plan typically outlines next steps related to the team’s findings, including actions to strengthen commendations and clear strategies for addressing Required Actions. In addition, the plan includes implementation strategies and methods for monitoring, documenting, and analyzing results.

The agency implements its strategies for responding to the team’s finding, tracks the progress it is making, and is prepared to answer the questions, “What steps have been taken? What progress has been made? How do you know you’ve made an impact?”

**Completing the Accreditation Progress Report**
Two years following the QAR visit, AdvancED sends a letter to the Agency Head requesting an Accreditation Progress Report (APR) detailing the agency’s progress in addressing the Required Actions from the QAR Team report. Some agencies are asked to report more frequently. The report asks the agency to summarize its actions to date related to each of the team’s Required Actions. In addition to the summary, the agency is asked to classify the current status of each recommendation in one of three categories:
 * 1) **Completed** – All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The agency has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
 * 2) **In Progress** – The agency is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
 * 3) **No Action** – The agency has not taken any action for one or more of the following reasons: a) it lacks the resources necessary to address the recommendation; b) it fully intends to address the recommendation but has yet to initiate action; or c) it professionally disagrees with the recommendation and does not believe that fulfillment of the recommendation will help the agency improve (the summary statement must provide substantive evidence to support this claim).

It is the responsibility of the agency to address (except Required Actions that are rejected with cause as noted above) each of the Required Actions within the 5-year term accreditation.

The agency completes the report and submits it to AdvancED for review and action at the state and national level. The agency receives feedback from AdvancED on the report and notice of any action taken by the AdvancED Accreditation Commission.

**Maintaining Momentum**
Accredited education service agencies understand and honor the concept of continuous improvement. They are dynamic, in motion, and continuously evolving with an unrelenting focus on becoming better on behalf of the districts, schools and students they serve. Quality agencies operate as learning communities by possessing healthy cultures where individuals collectively analyze practices and results, engage in professional learning and dialogue, take meaningful action, and assume responsibility for results.

When the visit concludes and progress reports are filed, the commitment and action continues. Agencies remain focused on improving organizational effectiveness and student learning.

**Strengthening the three pillars of accreditation.** On an ongoing basis, accredited education service agencies and their schools adhere to the AdvancED standards, engage in continuous improvement, and demonstrate quality assurance. As agencies continuously improve, they monitor, build capacity, and grow more effective in each of these activities. The agency and its schools aim to exceed the AdvancED standards and aspire to reach ever higher levels of quality. Practices within each standard are strengthened to increase effectiveness. The agency uses the standards to engage in regular self-assessment and to guide ongoing improvement.

Systemic processes for continuous improvement provide a framework for purposeful and strategic growth. ESAs and schools continue to address each element of quality improvement processes (vision, profile, plan, results). These elements should be regularly reviewed and thoughtfully revised at all levels to maximize relevance and impact. Successful practices are embedded into the culture to ensure sustainability while new interventions are identified and tested. Results are documented, analyzed, and used to inform decisions and actions.

The agency and its schools maintain quality assurance through practices and methods that monitor and document improvement; provide meaningful feedback and support across the agency; ensure that AdvancED standards are met and strengthened; and regularly collect, use, and communicate results.

AdvancED is available to support the agency as it furthers its improvement efforts. ESAs are encouraged to take advantage of AdvancED’s web-based resources, publications, workshops, conferences, and on-site technical assistance as they continue on their journey of improvement.

**Sustaining interest and commitment.** As agencies seek to sustain interest, momentum, and commitment to the ESA accreditation process, they find that competent and committed educators are the key to sustained improvement. ESAs recognize the importance of enhancing the capacity of staff through continued professional learning that is aligned with organizational purpose, improvement goals, and QAR Required Actions. Staff confidence comes from having the knowledge, understanding, and skills to thrive while engaging in professional practice. Agency leaders who create conditions and provide resources to optimize performance and professional growth find the most success in sustaining improvement.

Successful agencies shape a culture of learning, collaboration, and high expectations for staff and students and weave it into the fabric of the system. All staff are encouraged to grow through action, experimentation, and reflection. Successes are identified, celebrated, and embedded into practice.

Educators are motivated by their collective mission to impact learners and make a difference in their lives. Agencies that find the most success with the ESA Accreditation Process ensure that the connection between accreditation initiatives and student learning is established and understood by all stakeholders.

Conclusion
Congratulations on your commitment to AdvancED ESA Accreditation. As you engage in the ESA Accreditation process, you will find that all elements of your agency become stronger. Your agency will become more sophisticated as a system, as its understanding of systems improvement increases. The entire community, and most importantly all learners, benefit, as the agency works to improve its systems and processes to increase agency-wide effectiveness and enhance student learning. AdvancED looks forward to supporting you throughout the ESA Accreditation process. We hope this Handbook has been helpful, and we welcome any feedback you have on improving its usefulness. Please feel free to share your comments with us at accreditation-info@advanc-ed.org.

Appendix

 * ===<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Quality Assurance Practices Tool ===
 * ===<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Quality Assurance Review Team Sample Schedule ===
 * ===<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sample Press Releases ===

Quality Assurance Practices Tool
In addition to meeting standards and engaging in continuous improvement, education service agencies must have in place processes for quality assurance. The QAR Team will look for evidence that the agency and the schools it operates have processes in place to systematically improve the quality of their work and their results. In agencies with strong quality assurance methods, the team will find evidence of stable processes that are predictable and repeatable and have little variation. They will find examples of the agency sustaining, monitoring, and improving processes.

This document provides guiding questions and examples that are intended to assist the agency in preparing for the team’s review of its quality assurance methods.

>>> 2) The agency has scheduled cross-functional meetings where functional heads report on the critical processes, identify and address any problems, and work to ensure alignment. >>> 3) The agency has in place clear methods for monitoring processes to ensure they are being implemented (reports from departments, performance metrics). >>> 4) The agency systematically uses quality process improvement tools such as AdvancED's Breakthrough School Improvement, PDSA (Plan, Do, Study, Act), Six Sigma, or others >>> 2) If the agency operates schools, it has a training process for new teachers, monitors the tenure of new teachers, knows when teachers leave and why, and works to strengthen teacher training as a results of that knowledge. >>> 3) The agency has clear performance targets for each element of its improvement plan, has processes in place to monitor and report the degree to which its schools and departments are engaged in the plan, knows current progress toward the plan, and can make system-wide adjustments as needed. >>> 4) The agency's budgeting process is mapped out with definite cycle time from preparation to completion, the process is monitored to ensure cycle times are met. >>> 5) The finance department monitors the process for bill receipt and payment and has definite targets for payment cycle time. >>> 2) The agency has evidence of specific initiatives and/or strategies that have been developed to address processes in need of improvement. >>> 3) The agency has forums in place (such as regular agency-wide meetings, leadership meetings, etc.) where process metrics and needs are discussed and reviewed so that action can be taken. >>> 4) The agency can provide examples of specific process improvements that have been made based on data gathered through their ongoing quality assurance work. >>> 5) The agency is able to predict and/or forecast performance based on its knowledge of how current processes are functioning. >>> > How does the agency maintain a dynamic agency profile? >> 2) The agency's "dashboard" items are aligned with the vision and with the goals for improvement. School dashboards are similarly aligned (if applicable). >> > What process does the agency use to unsure that the agency and the schools it operates are meeting the AdvancED standards? >> 2) The agency annually asks its schools and agency departments to self-report on their adherence to the standards; these reports are reviewed and analyzed, and follow-up is provided. >> 3) The agency conducts internal on-sire reviews of its schools (if applicable) on a rotating basis; the reviews supplement data that is gathered regularly to ensure that standards are being met. >> > How does the agency share and use results? >> 2) The agency can provide specific examples of how it uses results to make decisions, improve processes, focus improvement efforts, etc.
 * 1) **How does the agency regularly review its systems and process for alignment and for their contributions to learner performance and agency effectiveness?**
 * **What are the critical processes operating in the agency?**Are they clearly articulated and/or mapped out so that all know the processes, how they function, who's responsible, and the desired results?
 * //**Examples:**// continuous improvement process, budgeting process, master capital improvement planning process, admissions process, testing process, hiring process, curriculum planning process, professional development process, calendar and school scheduling processes, bus scheduling process (if applicable), etc.
 * **How does the agency regularly review these processes to ensure that they are aligned with other critical functions within the agency and working to improve learner performance and agency effectiveness?**
 * **//Examples://** 1) the agency maps out critical processes, has in place performance targets for those processes, measure the processes to see if targets are met, analyzes results and makes adjustments if targets are not met.
 * **How does the agency know if its processes are working?**
 * //**Examples:**// The agency has in place clear performance targets for its processes and regularly monitors its processes to see if targets are met. Examples include: 1) The agency measures cycle time from job posting to hire, has targets for short cycle time, knows when those targets are exceeded, and seeks to find out why - all in an effort to ensure they quickly hire qualified candidates rather than letting them find jobs elsewhere.
 * **What does the agency do with the information it gathers on its processes?**
 * **//Examples://** 1) the agency has task forces or study groups that are formed to work on process improvements based on the data received.
 * 1) **How does the agency regularly analyze current learner and organizational effectiveness?**
 * **//Examples://** 1) The agency can discuss when each element or the agency profile data is collected, how it is reviewed, by whom, how frequently it is updated, how it is analyzed, and how the agency uses the data to make decisions.
 * 1) **How does the agency ensure adherence to the AdvancED standards at both the agency and school level (if applicable)?**
 * **//Examples://** 1) The agency profile includes key performance metrics that measure adherence to the standards. Regular analysis of these metrics points to specific parts of the agency that may need structured follow-up.
 * 1) **What are the agency's processes for communicating and using results?**
 * **//Examples://** 1) The agency has clearly defined processes for communicating results to internal and external stakeholders - the processes detail the times results are shared, by whom, and in what ways and includes mechanisms to evaluate the effectiveness of such communication (did the communication reach its intended audience, what questions/concerns did the audience have related to the communication, etc.).

Quality Assurance Review Team
** Sample ESA Schedule ** ** <Insert Dates> ** Note: Adjust Times as Appropriate ** SUNDAY, <Insert Date> **


 * **Time** || **Event** || **Where** || **Who** ||
 * Check in 3:00 p.m. || QAR Team arrives ||  || QAR Team Members ||
 * 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. || Dinner ||  || QAR Team Members ||
 * 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. || Team Orientation & Meeting ||  || QAR Team Members ||

** MONDAY, <Insert Date> Agency Office **

QAR Team Members || 9:30 a.m. || Agency Head’s Interview ||  || QAR Team Members ||
 * **Time** || **Event** || **Where** || **Who** ||
 * 7:30 a.m. || Pick-Up QAR Team ||  || Agency Office Staff ||
 * 8:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. || Agency Head’s Overview ||  || Agency Head, Cabinet Members, Key Agency Leaders
 * 8:45 a.m.-
 * 9:30 a.m.- 9:45 a.m. |||||| Break ||
 * 9:45 a.m.- 10:45 a.m. || Standards Overview ||  || Key Agency Leaders ||
 * 10:45 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. || Break ||  || QAR Team Members ||
 * 11:00 a.m.- 11:45 a.m. || Board Interviews ||  || QAR Team Members and Board Members

(divided into interview teams) || (divided into interview teams) || community, and business stakeholders (divided into interview teams) || Superintendents/district leadership of districts not being visited ||  || QAR Team Members and selected district leaders (divided into interview teams) || (divided into interview teams) || Work Session ||  || QAR Team Members ||
 * 11:45 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. || Lunch ||  || QAR Team Members ||
 * 12:30 p.m.- 1:15 p.m. || Key Agency Leadership Interviews ||  || QAR Team Members and Agency Leadership Staff
 * 1:15 p.m.- 2:00 p.m. || Stakeholder Interviews ||  || QAR Team Members and identified parent,
 * 2:00 p.m.- 2:15 p.m. || Break ||  || QAR Team Members ||
 * 2:15 p.m.- 3:00 p.m. || District Leadership Interviews -
 * 3:00 p.m.- 3:45 p.m. || Support Staff Interviews ||  || QAR Team Members and support staff
 * 3:45 p.m.- 4:30 p.m. || Work time – review of artifacts ||  || QAR Team Members ||
 * 4:30 p.m. || Return to Hotel ||  || QAR Team Members ||
 * 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. || Team Dinner/

** Tuesday, <Insert Date> External Visits **

7:40 a.m. |||| Breakfast Pick-Up QAR Team Members ||  || QAR Team Members Agency Office Staff || School Improvement Team & Some Teachers ||  || QAR Team Members || School Constituents ||  || QAR Team Members || Students ||  || QAR Team Members || QAR Team Members || District Central Leadership Team ||  || District Central Leadership Team, QAR Team Members || and/or Classroom Visits (to observe agency programs/services) if appropriate ||  || District School Leadership Staff, QAR Team Members || QAR Team Members ||
 * ** Time ** |||| ** Event ** || ** Where ** || ** Who ** ||
 * 7:00 a.m. - 7:35 a.m.
 * MORNING VISIT TO AGENCY-OPERATED SCHOOL ||  ||   ||   ||
 * 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. |||| Instructional Walk-through ||  || Principal, QAR Team Members ||
 * 8:30 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. |||| Interview: School Leadership Team ||  || QAR Team Members ||
 * 9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. |||| Interview:
 * 10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. |||| Classroom Visits ||  || QAR Team Members ||
 * 10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. |||| Interview:
 * 10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. |||| Interview:
 * 11:15 a.m. - 11:25 a.m. |||| Team debrief ||  || QAR Team Members ||
 * 11:25 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. |||| Concluding meeting with Principal ||  || QAR Team Members and Principal ||
 * 11:30 a.m. |||| Lunch ||  ||   ||
 * 12:15 p.m. |||| Transportation to next school ||  || School/district personnel and QAR Team Members ||
 * AFTERNOON VISIT TO DISTRICT ||||  ||   ||   ||
 * 1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. |||| Interview: School District Superintendent ||  || Superintendent,
 * 2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. |||| Interview:
 * 3:00 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. |||| Interview District School Leadership Staff
 * 4:00 p.m. - |||| Transportation to hotel ||  || School/district personnel and
 * 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. |||| Dinner and Evening Work Session ||  || QAR Team Members ||

** Wednesday, <Insert Date> Agency Office ** 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. || Check out of hotel and be ready to leave hotel Breakfast ||  || QAR Team Members QAR Team Members || and quality assurance practices ||  || Agency Head, Cabinet Members, and Key Agency Leadership Staff responsible for 7 Standards, QAR Team Members || designated by the Agency Head, Lead Evaluator and Vice-Chair || All Agency Administrators Board Members, and Public ||
 * ** Time ** || ** Event ** || ** Where ** || ** Who ** ||
 * 7:15 a.m.
 * 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. || Follow-up interviews to verify standards
 * 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. || Work time and deliberations ||  || QAR Team Members ||
 * 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. || Working lunch; Continued deliberations ||  || QAR Team Members ||
 * 1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. || Final Meeting with Agency Head ||  || Agency Head, agency personnel as
 * 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. || Oral Exit Report during called Board meeting ||  || Lead Evaluator, QAR Team Members
 * 3:30 p.m. || Departure of Team ||  || QAR Team Members ||

Sample Press Releases //Sample Press Release Announcing Candidacy// Date FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACTS:

Name

Phone number

e-mail

** <Insert Name of ESA> Announces Pursuit of AdvancED Education Service Agency Accreditation **

, Head of, announced that the agency has become a candidate for AdvancED Education Service Agency (ESA) Accreditation.

AdvancED Education Service Agency Accreditation provides nationally recognized accreditation for the agency and all of the schools it operates. To earn AdvancED ESA Accreditation, the agency must: 1) meet the AdvancED accreditation standards; 2) implement a continuous process of improvement; and 3) host an external review team once every five years.

“Education Service Agency Accreditation is a new approach to accreditation. It is a rigorous process that demonstrates to our community that we are focused on improving agency performance and service to our constituents,” stated.

Using the //AdvancED Standards for Quality Education Service Agencies// as a framework, the agency will begin the process by conducting a thorough self-assessment of its strengths and opportunities for improvement. The agency will engage a broad cross section of representatives from across the agency, the districts it serves, its schools, and the broader community in its self-assessment.

Following its internal review, the agency will host an AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Team comprised of trained professionals from across the nation and state. The review team will visit the agency on to evaluate the agency’s self-assessment, determine the degree to which the agency meets the AdvancED accreditation standards, and make an accreditation recommendation.

“<Insert name of ESA> is a good system,” stated. “We believe strongly that the AdvancED ESA Accreditation Process will make us even better. Our entire community will benefit when the agency commits to examining all of its processes and systems to determine what more we can be doing to benefit the constituents we serve. This is the essence of the accreditation process.”

Parents and interested community members can learn more about the AdvancED Accreditation Process at [|www.advanc-ed.org].

### // AdvancED is the parent organization for the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), and the National Study of School Evaluation (NSSE). NCA CASI and SACS CASI are accreditation divisions of AdvancED. Dedicated to advancing excellence in education worldwide, AdvancED provides accreditation, research, and professional services to 23,000 public and private schools and 4,500 school districts worldwide. //

For more information, please contact.

// Sample Press Release following the ESA QAR Visit // Date

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACTS:

Name

Phone number

e-mail

** <Insert Name of ESA> Receives Praise and Required Actions from National Accreditation Team **

On, <insert name of ESA> hosted an AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Team that visited the agency, all of the schools it operates and a cross section of the districts it serves to evaluate the agency’s adherence to the AdvancED accreditation standards and to make a recommendation for national accreditation.

Comprised of trained professionals from across the state and nation, the team reviewed agency documents and performance data; interviewed over agency, district, school, and community stakeholders; conducted site visits; and observed agency and school practices.

The team commended the agency for <insert highlights of commendations>.

In addition, the team recommended that the agency <insert highlights of Required Actions.> The agency will be developing plans to respond to and address these Required Actions. In two years, the agency must report to AdvancED its progress in addressing the team’s Required Actions.

<Adapt the following section as necessary based on the team’s findings.>

Overall, the team found that met the requirements for AdvancED Accreditation. The team announced that it will be recommending the agency for Education Service Agency (ESA) Accreditation. Their recommendation will be reviewed and acted upon by the national AdvancED Accreditation Commission in <insert month action will be taken>.

<Insert quote from the agency head or agency facilitator commenting on the value of hosting the review team. Emphasize what the agency learned, how external review provides the opportunity to take an objective look at oneself, and how the process is geared toward continuous improvement.>

Parents and interested community members can learn more about the AdvancED ESA Accreditation Process at [|www.advanc-ed.org].

### // AdvancED is the parent organization for the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), and the National Study of School Evaluation (NSSE). NCA CASI and SACS CASI are accreditation divisions of AdvancED. Dedicated to advancing excellence in education worldwide, AdvancED provides accreditation, research, and professional services to 23,000 public and private schools and 4,500 school districts in 30 states and 65 countries. //

For more information, please contact.

// Sample Press Release When ESA is Awarded ESA Accreditation //

Date

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACTS: Name Phone number e-mail

** <Insert Name of ESA> Awarded Education Service Agency Accreditation ** <Insert agency head’s name> announced today that <insert name of ESA> was granted Education Service Agency (ESA) Accreditation from the AdvancED Accreditation Commission, the national commission that confers the <insert appropriate seal for region in which the agency resides - North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) or Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement> accreditation seal. This means that the agency and all the schools it operates are accredited, and that is recognized across the nation as a quality system.

The accreditation process involves three ongoing components: 1) meeting high quality standards; 2) implementing a continuous process of improvement; and 3) engaging in quality assurance through internal and external review. The agency’s accreditation is for a five-year term with regular monitoring of progress and reporting occurring during the term. “ESA Accreditation as conferred by the AdvancED Accreditation Commission provides a nationally-recognized mark of quality for our agency and all the schools we operate,” shared . “It demonstrates to our community our commitment to excellence, our openness to external review and feedback, and our desire to be the best we can be on behalf of the constituents we serve.”  Dr. Mark Elgart, President/CEO of AdvancED, stated, “Education Service Agency Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire system on the primary goal of creating lifelong learners. is to be commended for engaging in this process and demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement.” Parents and interested community members can learn more about the AdvancED Accreditation Process at [|www.advanc-ed.org]. ### // AdvancED is the parent organization for the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), and the National Study of School Evaluation (NSSE). NCA CASI and SACS CASI are accreditation divisions of AdvancED. Dedicated to advancing excellence in education worldwide, AdvancED provides accreditation, research, and professional services to 23,000 public and private schools and 4,500 school districts in 30 states and 65 countries. //

For more information, please contact.