CAPE SCHOOLS GET SEAL OF APPROVAL FROM NORTH CENTRAL

Cape Girardeau's six public elementary schools have earned accreditation from the North Central Association. It is like a Good Housekeeping seal of approval: an indication to parents, teachers and students that the district takes quality education seriously.

Accreditation is nothing new at the high school level. Cape Girardeau Central High School has been accredited since 1922. But Cape Girardeau's six grade schools are only among 46 elementary schools to earn the distinction in Missouri.

This is not an accreditation for which a school applies, nor is it mandated by anyone. It is strictly voluntary. Teachers and building principals are integrally involved in the yearlong self study. It takes hundreds of hours of work.

This self-examination provides several benefits. It allows staff members to more closely explore the way students are educated. The classroom experience takes so much time it is sometimes hard to step back and evaluate the process.

Much of the study was simply documenting the good things already in place for the district. The process also involved setting goals for improvements.

The self-examination also builds pride in what the system does right. Pride and good feelings on the part of staff can multiply. Statistics show students attending NCA-accredited schools have increased achievement and a better attitude about school.

Another important benefit of a kindergarten-through-12th-grade accreditation is the link established between teachers of all grades. They discuss the goals at each level to achieve more of a seamless education. It builds understanding among teachers and a better coordinated curriculum.

North Central Association is one of six regional accrediting organizations. It covers 20 states and has 7,691 accredited schools, including 2,367 elementary schools. Membership is voluntary, which means only those districts most interested in quality will seek such goals. The accreditation of Cape Girardeau's elementary schools is provisional until an on-site visit later this year.

Accreditation is much more than a certificate. Alma Schrader Principal David Giles, who served on the steering committee, says the process forces educators to focus on improving learning for students. Teachers develop educational plans that emphasize student growth and achievement.

And who should know better how to improve education than the teachers themselves? Too often, teachers are handed mandates from above that aren't formulated in educational circles but by bureaucrats. Such an accreditation process brings education back to ground zero.