The Seminole County School System has earned 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 focused on productive learning environments, equitable resource allocation that meets the needs of learners, and effective leadership. Earning accreditation from the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission means that the school is accredited, and that Seminole County Schools are recognized across the nation as a school that meets Cognia Standards of Quality, and maintains a commitment to continuous improvement.
“System accreditation as conferred by Cognia provides the district a nationally recognized mark of quality for the school system and each school within it,” shared Mark Earnest, Seminole County Schools Superintendent. “It demonstrates to the 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.”
For a school district to receive accreditation from Cognia, it also must implement a continuous process of improvement and submit to internal and external review. School systems in good standing can maintain their accreditation for a five-year term.
The Seminole County Cognia review was conducted by an external team, composed of educators from across the country, during the week of March 13, 2022.
As part of the accreditation process, interviews were conducted with both internal and external stakeholders. Additionally, Cognia rates the effectiveness and quality of three components: Leadership, Learning, and Resource Capacity.
Concluding the review, Cognia provides each system with an Index of Education Quality (IEQ) rating based on their performance on a comprehensive set of standards and review criteria. The IEQ results are reported on a scale of 100 to 400 and provide information about how the institution is performing compared to expected criteria. Currently, the national system average IEQ score falls between 278.34 and 283.33.
In 2017, the Seminole County School System earned an IEQ score of 248.29. An IEQ score below 250 indicates that the institution has several areas within the Initiate level and should focus on its improvement efforts.
During the March 2022 Cognia Accreditation Review, the Seminole County School System earned an IEQ score of 307.58, proudly exceeding the national IEQ average. An IEQ score of over 300 indicates that the institution is beginning to reach the Impact level and is engaged in practices that are sustained over time and are becoming ingrained in the culture of the institution.
The Seminole County School System is proud of its IEQ score and accreditation status. Congratulations to the staff of the Seminole County School System for your dedication to student success!
“Learning Today, Succeeding Tomorrow … Every Student, Every Day”