WASC Philosophy
The philosophy of the Accrediting Commission for Schools centers upon three beliefs: (1) a school's goal is successful student learning; (2) each school has a clear purpose and schoolwide student goals; and (3) a school engages in external and internal evaluations as part of continued school improvement to support student learning.
Accreditation is integral to a school's perpetual cycle of assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring, and reassessment based upon student achievement. It fosters excellence in elementary, secondary, adult, and postsecondary education by encouraging school improvement through a process of continuing evaluation and to recognize, by accreditation, schools that meet an acceptable level of quality in accordance with established criteria. In addition to its official title, WASC also means We Are Student-Centered.
Why Accreditation?
Assures a school community that the school's purposes are appropriate and being accomplished through a viable education program — a trustworthy institution for student learning
Validates the integrity of the school's program and transcripts
Facilitates transfer of credits to other English-speaking schools — critical for college/university acceptance worldwide
Fosters the ongoing improvement of the school's programs and operations to support student learning
Provides valuable insight from fellow educators visiting the school
Benefits schools that choose joint accreditation or other collaborative processes
Link to El Diamante High School's 2018 WASC Self-Study Report:
El Diamante High School 2018 Self-Study