MEMBERSHIP

Applying to CESA

CESA is committed to the rigorous application of aspirational standards through the trusting, collegial relationships and expertise of like-minded peers. Three characteristics of school Heads are imperative to a successful relationship with CESA:

School leaders who are committed in humility to the continuous pursuit of the CESA Standards of Accountability©
A desire for accountability to the Council and
A sense of responsibility for the growth of other CESA schools

If you are ready to learn more, please contact us or reach out to a Member of the Council Head, who can help you discover the transformational value of CESA.

“Being a CESA-member school has inspired us to remember who we are. The accountability we have through the process of renewing and maintaining our member-of-council status keeps us moving forward. When we consider all of our programs, initiatives, and plans, CESA encourages us to filter everything through the lens of our mission and vision. It’s motivating, as well, to engage with other schools that are mission-driven.”

– C. Perona, Central Christian School

Ready to apply for Candidacy?

If you are ready to apply for candidacy, please review the CESA standards first, then you can complete the application for membership.

cesa standards

application

Steps to Becoming a Member of Council School

CESA Member of Council schools are those that have hosted a successful Institutional Review, submitted a Standards Achievement Plan, and have been approved by the Executive Committee of the Council. The steps to receiving this designation are as follows:

Step One: Apply to Become a Candidate School

We want to ensure that membership with CESA is mutually beneficial, so we take the application process slowly! The purpose of the application stage is for school leaders to get familiar with the ethos, values, and standards of CESA, and for CESA to become acquainted with the history, leadership, and aims of schools. The steps to becoming a Candidate School are:

Review the CESA Standards of Accountability© with your school’s board and administrative team. As you do so, consider if the Standards align with your aims. If you are aligned, consider how well you believe you are meeting the standards.
Complete the application.
The Director of Reviews will schedule a call with the Head of School to review the primary standards and discuss the process of preparing for an Institutional Review.
If accepted, schools begin engaging with the CESA network! Once a school becomes a Candidate School, it is granted all the rights and privileges of CESA membership.

Step Two: Prepare for and Host an Institutional Review

Once a school becomes a Candidate, we want to work alongside its leaders to prepare for a successful Institutional Review. The purpose of the Institutional Review is to gain perspective on your school and where it performs in relation to the CESA Standards of Accountability – research-based best practices for Christian schools.

The Head of School must take primary responsibility for leading a team in the preparation for the review and the report. While it is helpful and necessary for many leaders to be involved in the preparation, CESA is unique in our urging that the Head of School lead this process. Here is what to expect while preparing:

Join the Candidate School Cohort: this cohort meets five times throughout the school year. Led by the Director of Reviews and Member of Council Heads, the purpose of this cohort is to explore how schools can think about the standards and see multiple ways that Member of Council schools have done so.
Prepare your report: In responding to the Standards, with both a narrative and necessary documentation, schools should be reminded that in order to receive accreditation and Member of Council status, 100% of primary and 80% of secondary standards must be met.
The Head of School should review the full report with his/her team, approve the report, and send it to the Director of Reviews a minimum of 60 days prior to the visit. The Director of Reviews will then schedule a call with the Head of School to discuss each of the primary standards.
The Institutional Review Visit is comprised of a team of four leaders from CESA schools and CESA staff, whose aim is to help leaders view their schools with new eyes in relation to the Standards. Through a conversational approach, the CESA Institutional Review Visit provides ample time for in-depth exploration of school practices, norms, and culture. A full narrative of the Institutional Review Visit can be found here, and a sample schedule can be found here.
At the end of the Visit, the team will present the findings in person to the head of school, followed by a written report.
The School will then have 60 days to respond to the report with a Standards Achievement Plan. The Director of Reviews and Executive Director will then make a recommendation to the Executive Committee of the Board for approval or denial of accreditation and Member of Council status.
A template for the SAP can be found here. After the SAP is submitted, CESA will regularly follow up with the leadership team to provide support in continuous improvement. We desire that this is a dynamic process, and we hope to support schools in whatever way needed, including connecting schools with their peers in Member of Council schools who may be able to provide targeted support.

Step Three: Become a Member of Council

Because CESA is a Council, Institutional Review reports and their corresponding SAP’s are reviewed by the Executive Committee of the board. The Executive Committee – comprised of peer school Heads – is responsible for approving new Member of Council Schools at one of its three annual meetings.

Once approved, the Head of School is welcomed as a Member of Council and is a voting member of the full board. Member of Council heads are responsible for continuing the mission of CESA through their commitment to the standards of CESA, their peers, and their own continuous leadership growth.

Accreditation Appeal Process

The decision of the Executive Committee of the Board may be appealed in writing by the head of school, referencing specific area(s) in which the school was found deficient. The Executive Committee of the Board will review the original review board’s findings and the head of school’s appeal letter. The school’s accreditation status will remain unchanged during an appeals process. The judgment of the Executive Committee of the Board is final.

All visits and questions about Reviews should be directed to Jim Marsh, Director of Reviews (jmarsh@wcastl.org).

_{**Note: The CESA Institutional Review may be scheduled to coordinate with an accreditation process of another accrediting organization, if appropriate. Additionally, schools may obtain AdvancED accreditation by passing the CESA Institutional Review process (no AdvancEd team will visit, only the CESA team). This is a joint accreditation and schools will become a CESA Member of Council and receive COGNIA accreditation. While this step is not required, it is an option for schools interested in AdvancEd accreditation.}

Review Cycle

CESA is committed to the continuous growth of schools measured by adherence to our institutional standards. Those phases are:

Application: after schools apply and are accepted into the Candidate School category, a CESA Institutional Review will take place within two years. At that point, the annual cycle begins.
Year One: School Review
Years Two and Three: SAP Implementation and Status Report
Year Four: Continue SAP Implementation
Year Five: Complete Five-Year Renewal Report to include identification of three specific areas targeted for evaluation and improvement
Year Six: Institutional Review Visit

Read the Full Review Cycle Description

Renewal

The purpose of the Membership Renewal is to engage Members of Council with the leadership team of the school in evaluating progress on the Institutional Standards, identifying areas of potential growth, and engaging in professional dialogue that edifies the school leaders and the school.

The visiting team (3 members, including the chair) will visit your campus for 3 days/2 nights. The school being visited is responsible for all travel expenses for the visiting team. We encourage Heads of School to work with the Director of Reviews to identify known areas of need prior to the visit so that the visiting team can be built with the expertise the school most needs. The full scope of the Renewal can be found here.

2025-2026 Dues

Members of Council and Candidate schools pay membership dues annually. Members are billed on July 1st for the upcoming year. Dues cover all benefits of membership AND full campus access to The CESA Collective throughout the year. Dues are based on the annual budget.

Members of Council

Under $3 million – $4,960
$3-5 million – $6,335
$5-8 million – $7,955
$8-10 million – $8,360
$10-15 million – $8,458
Over $15 million – $8,910

Candidate Schools

Under $3 million – $4,505
$3-5 million – $5,750
$5-8 million – $7,225
$8-10 million – $7,590
$10-15 million – $7,775
Over $15 million – $8,100

Accreditation

CESA enjoys a dual accreditation partnership with COGNIA. Schools receiving Member of Council designation also will receive COGNIA accreditation if desired. While this step is not necessary, it is an option we consider a value-add for our schools. We strongly recommend, however, that schools continue to utilize another accrediting body such as ACSI, CSI, SAIS, or other reputable agencies. CESA is committed to and has established a history of working seamlessly with other agencies on dual visits.

If schools choose to add or continue with COGNIA as a dual accreditor, the school is responsible for a) filing an application with COGNIA designating CESA as the partner organization, b) payingCOGNIA dues, and c) notifying CESA of their desire to be dual accredited with COGNIA. When using this option, the CESA protocol and team will visit; no COGNIA representatives are needed.If you have questions about your accreditation options, please contact Katie Wiens at kwiens@cesaschools.org or (617) 309-6267.