Archdiocese pursuing districtwide school accreditation

The Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools are embarking on a two-year process to become accredited by AdvancED, the world’s largest educational accrediting agency. This process represents a significant step forward for Catholic elementary schools in Cook and Lake counties.

Prior accreditation for a majority of Archdiocesan elementary schools has been through an internal process. All Catholic elementary schools are currently recognized by the state of Illinois and will continue to participate in that separate process. The archdiocese strategic plan calls for an externally vetted, ongoing school improvement process leading to systemwide accreditation.

“Our high schools choose this process for individual validation,” said Sr. Mary Paul McCaughey, schools superintendent. “Including our elementary schools as a ‘district’ validates that we remain serious about standards for Catholic schools across Lake and Cook counties.”

More information about the process, including the key review steps and timeline, is available by visiting the Accreditation page (http://ocs.archchicago.org/AcademicExcellence/Accreditation.aspx) on the Catholic School Resource Portal.