Standards

Click here to read the full standards.

Providing a high quality education, meeting the demands of consumers with more and more choices in the marketplace, and seeking to do so within a framework of Christian excellence are are critical to quality Christian schools. Raising the bar of excellence in Christian schools is at the heart of all that is done at CESA. To do so, The Council on Educational Standards and Accountability has established the Five Standards of Accountability, which provide a concrete, objective framework for schools to work within as they aspire to excellence that are applied with in the context of the peer-to-peer relationships of like-minded school leaders that set CESA apart.

CESA catalyzes Christian schools with objective standards, providing the tools to reach such standards, and the networks necessary to propel Christian schools into the future with humility, excellence, and accountability as their hallmarks.

While it is not the purpose of CESA to impose uniformity among its member schools, it is the purpose of the standards to provide a construct meant to influence the design and outcomes of what CESA schools are providing institutionally.

Mission Clarity

CESA member schools are accredited, mission-driven, Christian institutions aspiring to be academically, programmatically, and institutionally excellent. 

Effective Governance

CESA member schools commit to a model of leadership that includes a governing board, which formally (policy statement) and informally (daily practice) delegates the daily operation of the institution to the head of school who supervises the administrative team, faculty, and staff.  

Institutional Viability

CESA member schools follow best practices that demonstrate astute financial management, appropriate budget forecasting, and thoughtful short and long-term financial planning processes.  

Academic & Programmatic Distinction

CESA member schools shall provide high quality academic, artistic, and athletic programs designed to meet the mission of the school and to distinguish the institution as one of high quality. 

Sense of Coherent Christian Community

CESA member schools shall develop a Christian ethos rooted in a commitment to the Nicene Creed and/or Apostles Creed, the foundational tenets of Christian orthodoxy, that distinguishes them from other local public and independent schools and we should have a nice sense of community.