Sacramento, CA - This fall, the California Network of Educational
Charters (CANEC) will become the first recognized charter schools association
in the nation to launch an accreditation program designed specifically
to measure charter school quality. The program, a partnership between
CANEC and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), aims
to raise the standards for charter schools operating throughout the state.
The new WASC-CANEC Accreditation Program -- which emphasizes
rigorous self-study, self-evaluation, and regular on-site visits by trained
external review teams -- will provide school faculty, families, and community
leaders with reliable verification of charter school quality. More importantly,
the program will encourage improvement in the overall effectiveness of
California's charter schools. WASC is one of the six regional organizations
charged with accrediting public and private schools, colleges and universities
in the United States.
"We believe that the new WASC-CANEC Accreditation Program
will give charter schools the guidance and support they need to succeed,
while bringing assurance to key stakeholders," said Sue Bragato,
Executive Director of CANEC. "By holding charter school operators
to the highest levels of performance, this program aims to boost the academic
quality and financial stability of charter schools operating in California."
"We are excited to enter into this new partnership
with CANEC," said Dr. Donald Haught, Executive Director of WASC.
"Our accreditation program is an important step for charter schools
as they strive to provide a high-quality, reliable education for the students
they serve."
Beginning in October, CANEC will have twelve member schools
participating in the accreditation program. By March of next year, the
service will be available to any CANEC member school that meets certain
pre-determined standards for accreditation. CANEC member schools that
do not meet standards for accreditation will be eligible for additional
assistance. CANEC accreditation and membership may be revoked if it is
determined that the charter school is not meeting the necessary criteria.
CANEC's goal is to have all members meet these standards.
As of September 2002, a total of 436 public charter
schools are operating in California, serving more than 166,000 students,
according to the California Network of Educational Charters (CANEC). These
figures represent a dramatic increase in charter school activity over
last year, when there were 358 California charter schools in operation,
with enrollments of roughly 135,000 students.
About
CANEC
The California Network of Educational Charters (CANEC) is California's
premier charter school networking and service organization and is the
public voice of its members for the charter school movement in California.
CANEC represents its members through networking, advocacy and public awareness.
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