WASC

WASC held a successful Spring Commission Meeting, with nearly 400 schools and institutions receiving accreditation or reaccreditation actions from WASC’s 35-member Commission. These schools join a global community of more than 6,000 institutions accredited through WASC. This year, more than 270 schools have newly joined the WASC membership, and we are pleased to welcome these newly accredited members into the WASC community. The meeting also featured several informative and engaging presentations. Guest speakers included Leilani Aguinaldo, Senior Director of Governmental Relations for School Services of California, Inc.; Lisa M. Lasky, who presented on behalf of the National Equity Project; and representatives from Pinole Valley High School, including Principal Todd Irving and WASC Coordinator Corinna Carlile, who shared insights from their school’s accreditation experience. Commissioners also heard from Melissa Handy, who provided an EIA Commissioner voice and perspective, as well as a report from Dr. Jeff Davis, retired from the California Association of Independent Schools. The Spring Commission Meeting reflected WASC’s continued commitment to thoughtful dialogue, strong partnerships, and meaningful accreditation work that supports schools in their ongoing growth and improvement. As the global gold standard of school accreditation, WASC remains committed to serving schools and institutions through a process rooted in reflection, accountability, and continuous improvement.

I recently had the opportunity to meet with distinguished educators from India who are visiting schools in California to learn about our educational processes and procedures. They have been exploring various schools across the state, including elementary, middle, high, and post-secondary levels. Pictured here with me is my good friend and group leader, #Arati Nagaraj, who has been doing significant work in India with some of the most needy students.

WASC is proud to highlight its partnership with the Multilingual Learning Research Center (MLRC) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, a collaboration focused on strengthening multilingual practices and supporting schools in serving increasingly diverse student populations. Together, WASC and MLRC are working to elevate research-based, asset-oriented approaches to multilingualism across schools around the world. This partnership reflects a shared belief that language is not a barrier, but a bridge — one that supports identity, belonging, access, and meaningful student success. As part of this work, WASC has integrated the MLRC School Improvement Framework into its updated Focus on Learning manual, helping schools connect accreditation and continuous improvement with research-informed multilingual best practices. Read the full press release to learn more about how WASC and MLRC are helping schools move beyond compliance toward meaningful, sustainable change. #WASC #MLRC #MultilingualLearners #Multilingualism #Accreditation #SchoolImprovement #InternationalEducation

WASC was pleased to have Brian Jensen represent us at the 5th Annual National Hybrid Schools Conference, where school leaders came together to explore innovative approaches to teaching, learning, and school design. Thank you to everyone who joined the session and contributed to such thoughtful dialogue, and thank you to Kennesaw State University for hosting this meaningful event. We look forward to continuing these important conversations! #WASC #Accreditation #Microschools #HybridSchools

It's great to see so many WASC-accredited online high schools highlighted in this report.

WASC is pleased to share that Malia Pulido-Dahal, Ed.D., Vice President, Innovations and Professional Learning Systems, will be speaking at the 56th Annual JCCASAC Conference, Bridges to Belonging, on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. Her session, “Data-Driven Pathways to Belonging: WASC Reimagined for Alternative Education,” will explore how WASC Reimagined supports alternative education through a more responsive and meaningful accreditation process. Dr. Pulido-Dahal will also highlight the WASC Data Tool, which helps schools transform data into clear trends and actionable insights, as well as introduce the new WASC GPT, an AI coach designed to support fast, meaningful analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data. We look forward to connecting with educators and leaders committed to strengthening belonging, reflection, and continuous improvement in alternative education. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eSMQ_VKP

We are proud to highlight Dr. Linda Norman, Chairperson of the WASC Commission. Representing Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA), Dr. Norman brings more than 30 years of experience as an educator and school administrator across both private and public education. Her lifelong commitment to learning and leadership continues to strengthen the work of the commission. We are grateful for their service and leadership in support of school quality and continuous improvement. To learn more about the WASC Commission, visit https://lnkd.in/gF4jCUeG #ACSWASC #CommissionerSpotlight #EducationalLeadership #SchoolQuality #ContinuousImprovement #Accreditation

WASC was pleased to take part in this week’s meeting of the Texas Private Schools Association (TPSA) and the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC) in Austin, Texas. A special thank you to TPSA and TEPSAC for their thoughtful leadership, dedicated service, and continued commitment to the issues shaping private education across the state. We are grateful for the opportunity to join these important conversations. WASC’s Elizabeth Oberreiter was proud to participate in the meeting and connect with colleagues who are committed to advancing quality and continuous improvement in private education.

WASC was delighted to welcome a delegation of 15 leaders from the State of Selangor, Malaysia, for a special meeting with Dr. Marilyn George on Thursday, April 9. The group represented a public-private collaboration involving technical education leadership and state-level development stakeholders, creating a valuable opportunity for connection, conversation, and shared learning. We are especially grateful to Paul Chan of Legend College Preparatory in Cupertino for initiating this visit and helping bring everyone together. A special thank you as well to Mr. Hakimi, Program Organizer and Operations Lead for Selangor Technical Skills Development Centre Shah Alam (STDCx), for kindly sharing photos from the day. Moments like these reflect the power of global engagement and partnership in education. WASC always values the opportunity to connect with leaders who are working to expand opportunity, strengthen systems, and support students through innovation and continuous improvement.

I had the opportunity to serve on a panel at the United Nations International School in NYC, discussing the future of AI and accreditation. This event was sponsored by 9ine. #9ine #wasc #acswasc #markorchison