Oak Meadow goes through the most rigorous accreditation standards possible for an independent school in Massachusetts. Our school accreditation comes both from The Association of Independent Schools of New England (AISNE) and from The American Montessori Society (AMS).
These two organizations represent the gold standard in school accreditation for independent schools and Montessori schools. There are many private schools in Massachusetts that do not achieve the standards for accreditation by AISNE. And there are many Montessori schools that are not accredited by AMS. At Oak Meadow, parents can be assured that our curriculum, teaching, classrooms, operations, facilities, and governance structures are held to the highest standards possible.
Every five years, Oak Meadow goes through a process of accreditation review, and every year our school is required to submit reports documenting our progress. In October, we hosted a visiting team from AISNE who met with administrators and board members to review the school’s progress. This was an opportunity to review our school’s key goals, and recommit ourselves to school improvement. This spring, I will host program-level parent coffees to share more details about Oak Meadow’s vision and strategy for the future.
Here is how AISNE defines its role in school accreditation:
“Accreditation provides quality assurance that a school is meeting rigorous standards in all aspects of its operations and that it is operating in alignment with its mission. Accreditation emphasizes institutional health and promotes continuous school improvement. The ultimate goal of the accreditation process is the enhancement of student learning and growth in our schools.”
In addition to school accreditation, The American Montessori Society holds the highest standards for teacher training, certification, and continuous professional development, and school accreditation from AMS is contingent on teachers and the head of school meeting these high standards as well.
