Dearborn Public Schools Receives Full Accreditation

Dearborn Public Schools has received full accreditation from an external review team.

The Dearborn Public Schools Board of Trustees got the good news from the visiting AdvancEd external review team during a special meeting on March 27. The team was led by Dr. Sharon Knudson.

The accreditation process happens every five years in order to align Dearborn's schools, reinforce the district’s commitment to improve student achievement and accountability, and gain a professional analysis of efforts toward continuous improvement, Superintendent Brian Whiston said.

Members of the eight-member accreditation team reviewed district assessment and responses related to five standards over a three-day period. The five standards included: vision and purpose, governance and leadership, teaching and learning, resources support services, and using results for continuous improvement.

Knudson said after talking with 293 stakeholders, including 58 teachers and 70 students, themes emerged including the district’s "strong commitment to instructional practices" and "active student engagement." She also commended the district for maintaining clean and safe buildings.

The AdvancEd scores are based on a 4.0 scale. For Dearborn, the scores are as follows:

• Purpose and Direction, 3.5
• Governance and Leadership, 3.0
• Resources and Support Systems, 3.13
• Using results for continuous improvement, 2.8
• Teaching and Assessing for Learning, 3.0

"You should be proud of your work in Dearborn," Knudson told the school board.

Whiston said the district's scores reflect the hard work of both teachers and staff, as well as students and parents in the district.

"I want to thank every administrator, every teacher, and every parent. It's that partnership that makes Dearborn special," he said.

Knudson said the accreditation team's recommendation will be sent to the AdvancEd Commission in June for approval, and the district will receive its certified accreditation by January 2014.

Whiston said district administration officials will review the team's full 35-page report, develop a plan to address any concerns, and bring an action plan before the school board at a later meeting.