Cognia System Accreditation
On June 29, 2021, Cognia Accreditation Commission announced that Colstrip Public School District has earned system accreditation by Cognia™, a nonprofit organization that provides quality assurance for schools, school districts, and education service providers.
Cognia, formerly AdvancED, nationally recognizes districts that meet rigorous standards that focus on productive learning environments, equitable resource allocation that meet the needs of learners, and effective leadership. Earning accreditation from the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission means that the system and all of its schools are accredited, and that Colstrip Public School District is recognized across the nation as a school system that meets Cognia Standards of Quality, and maintains a commitment to continuous improvement.
“Systems accreditation as conferred by the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission provides Colstrip Public School District a nationally recognized mark of quality for our school system and each school within our system,” shared Superintendent Bob Lewandowski. “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 students we serve.”
To earn accreditation from Cognia, a school district also must implement a continuous process of improvement, and submit to internal and external review. Colstrip Public Schools went through their review during the week of April 19 through April 23, 2021. During that time, teachers, staff, administrators, board members, parents and community members were interviewed. School systems in good standing can maintain their accreditation for a five-year term.
Dr. Mark A. Elgart, president and CEO of Cognia, stated, “Cognia System Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school system and its community on the primary goal of preparing lifelong learners in engaging environments where all students can flourish. Colstrip Public School District is to be commended for demonstrating that it has met high standards, is making progress on key indicators that impact student learning.”
Cognia is the parent organization of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). Parents and interested community members can learn more about the Cognia Accreditation at cognia.org.
About Cognia
Cognia offers accreditation and certification, assessment, professional learning, and improvement services to institutions and other education providers. The result of the merger of AdvancED and Measured Progress, Cognia was formed to bridge the gap between school evaluation and student assessment. As a global nonprofit working in over 80 countries, our 36,000 institutions serve and support nearly 25 million students and five million educators every day. Cognia serves as trusted partner in advancing learning for all learners. Find out more at cognia.org.