Accreditation – What it Means and Why it Matters

Accreditation is the recognition that an institution maintains standards requisite for its graduates.  The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality. Accrediting agencies, which are private educational associations of regional or national scope, develop evaluation criteria and conduct peer evaluations to assess whether or not those criteria are met. Institutions and/or programs that request an agency’s evaluation and that meet an agency’s criteria are then “accredited” by that agency.

Accreditation is important because:  

• Helps determine if an institution meets or exceeds minimum standards of quality.
• Helps students determine acceptable institutions for enrollment.
• Assist institutions in determining acceptability of transfer credits.
• Involves staff, faculty, students, graduates, and advisory boards in institutional evaluation and planning.
• Creates goals for institutional self-improvement.

Grove Christian School believes in excellence based on a solid philosophy of Christian Education.  Grove Christian School values accreditation to the degree that it carries both Christian accreditation (ACSI) and secular accreditation (SACS).  The Association for Christian Schools International (ACSI) Accreditation with ACSI engages schools in a vigorous, holistic process of organizational appraisal and improvement that engages every school constituent. The program is a highly regarded Christian program for member schools and ACSI has partnerships with all of the U.S. regional accreditation agencies and offer joint accreditation with numerous accrediting organizations.  

AdvancED is the largest community of education professionals in the world. As a non-profit, non-partisan organization that conducts rigorous, on-site reviews of a variety of educational institutions and systems to ensure that all learners realize their full potential, this agency provides Grove Christian School accountability for SACS accreditation (Southern Association for Colleges and Schools).   Grounded in more than a hundred years of work in school accreditation, AdvancED is far from a typical accrediting agency. This accreditation demands a commitment to continuously improve.
The Virginia Council for Private Education (VCPE) as authorized by the Virginia Board of Education recognizes Grove Christian School as a fully accredited private school in the Commonwealth of Virginia with all of the rights and privileges associated with this recognition.