Definitions of Educational Terms

ACSI Association of Christian School International

ACCS Association of Classical Christian Schools


The following definitions are from the ACSI REACH 2.0 | pg.35-36 | Accreditation Manual 2016.

accreditation The status granted to a school after standards are met, a self-study has been written, a visiting committee has verified the self-study, and the commission has approved the school for accreditation. Accreditation is granted for five years or a period commensurate with that of another agency in a joint accreditation.

achievement testing A standardized testing program typically used annually to measure student achievement, or how well the students perform when compared with a national sample of similar students. Test results assist the school in measuring its effectiveness and give parents additional information about their children’s performance.

ACSI Commission on Accreditation The nine-member commission is appointed by the ACSI Board of Directors, and it reports to them. It is made up of three board members and six members elected from the various ACSI regional accreditation commissions. The commission sets accreditation policy, serves as the global schools commission, and hears and adjudicates appeals from the regional commissions.

annual report A report that provides the school and ACSI with a yearly evaluation of how well the school is maintaining the ACSI accreditation standards.

annual statement of financial practices A statement that consists principally of inquiries of personnel and analytical procedures applied to financial data. It is substantially smaller in scope than an audit and is in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

assessment (elementary and secondary) Methods of evaluating student performance and attainment—the process of documenting, usually in measurable terms, knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs (formative, summative, objective, subjective, formal, informal, etc.).

biblical integration The weaving of God’s truth—in precept, principle, and practice—into teaching and learning in such a way that a unified, God-centered view of life is presented.

certification The status given to teachers who meet specified academic requirements for an ACSI teaching/administration credential.

code of ethics An identified set of standards that each individual commits to upholding in his or her role (see ethical guidelines).

continuous improvement A consistent effort to improve the school’s processes, procedures, and practices that focus on improved teaching, student achievement, and learning.

continuous school improvement plan (CSIP) A school’s specific long-range and short-range goals and plans; strategies for reaching these goals; and assessment, analysis, and reporting procedures to determine whether the goals have been achieved.

core instructional areas Bible, language arts (reading, English, literature, grammar, and composition), mathematics, science, and social studies or history.

core values A set of principles that will guide the practice of the school in fulfilling its mission (see guiding principles).

curriculum The planned instructional program to be delivered to the students. It is not a textbook series.

curriculum guide A description of what is taught throughout the school, and as such it (1) describes the school’s instructional program, (2) helps to ensure continuity between grade levels and subject areas, and (3) provides a basis for evaluation of the school’s instructional program.

curriculum guide/plan introduction The introduction to the curriculum guide/plan, which includes the subject or grade level that the curriculum guide/plan is designed for, an overview of the school’s approach to the subject, and any suggestions that might help those using the guide.

dual enrollment/dual credit program  A program that offers high school students the opportunity to take college-level courses while receiving high school credit for the same course. Depending on the school system, students can participate in dual enrollment while in grades 10, 11, or 12. Each school system has different policies regarding dual enrollment.

early education Both the care and the education of children before and/or during kindergarten. 

ethical guidelines An identified set of standards that each individual commits to upholding in his or her role (see code of ethics).

evaluation The process used to measure the stated instructional objectives (e.g., observation, oral or written tests).

expected student outcomes What the school intentionally targets for all students to know, believe, understand, prefer, and be able to do in academic and non-academic areas after their tenure in the school. Outcomes are based in the philosophy of the school as well as its statements of mission and vision and then personalized to the lives of the students.

executive leadership A person or group of persons having administrative or supervisory authority in an organization.

financial review A specific procedure conducted by an external CPA in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). It is less thorough and less complete than an audit. A review or an audit is recommended every year, but is required at the time of initial, as well as renewal of, accreditation.

governing body A group of elected or appointed individuals who come together to act as one for the purpose of establishing policies that will enable an organization to achieve its established desirable ends and to avoid results it considers unacceptable. These individuals are “trustees” who have authority when sitting as members of the governing body.

guiding principles/statements A set of principles that will guide the practice of the school in fulfilling its mission (see core values).

head of school The chief administrator. Titles for that role vary significantly from school to school (e.g., principal, administrator, headmaster, head of school, director, president, superintendent).

indicators Descriptions of exemplary practices, processes, and procedures that are evident in educational programs that are highly effective in meeting the standards of accreditation.

instructional goals The general objectives of large blocks of instruction such as yearlong or semester courses. Instructional goals should reflect the rationale, both biblical and educational, for the inclusion of the subject as part of the school’s curriculum.

instructional methods The instructional techniques that a teacher uses (e.g., hands-on activities, peer tutoring, discussion, experimentation, learning centers, debates, role-play, drill and practice) and adapts to the learning styles of the students.

instructional objectives Statements that describe the skills or concepts the student has attained when instruction in a particular subject, grade, unit, or lesson is completed.

midterm report The report at the midterm of accreditation that holds the school accountable for working on the recommendations from the self-study and the visiting committee report.

mission The objective that a school seeks to accomplish in order to fulfill its vision.

oral report An exit report given by the chairperson of the visiting committee to the school’s administrator and others who are invited to the meeting by the school. Significant recommendations and commendations are shared with the school along with the team recommendation concerning accreditation which will be sent to the regional accreditation commission.

philosophy The system of thought that will guide the school.

philosophy of teaching and learning The philosophy that articulates the program’s beliefs about how children learn and how they should be instructed, guided, and assessed. The statement determines the instructional methods and classroom practices deemed appropriate in light of the program’s view of the nature and needs of children.

precollege admissions testing Registration information and practice materials for precollege tests such as the ACT and SAT given to students. Pretests, usually given in grades 10 and 11, prepare students for the types of questions they will encounter and the degree of content knowledge these tests will require.

profile A written snapshot of the school, as described in Appendix E.

regional accreditation commission The commission elected by the ACSI-accredited schools in each region. The commission meets, usually twice a year, to review and monitor the accreditation activity in the region and to make decisions on school accreditation.

resources The required and supplemental instructional materials that are used in the instructional program and that are identified in the curriculum guides/plans.

rubric An assessment tool to assist schools in measuring their level of compliance with the standards of accreditation.

scaffold To support a child’s learning by asking questions, connecting new information to existing knowledge, providing encouragement for attempting something new, or providing assistance to move understanding to the next level.

scope and sequence Indicates the breadth of the content to be taught and the order in which it will be taught.

self-study The document produced by the steering committee and the various subcommittees of the school as they answer the questions in the evaluative criteria. Subcommittees are composed of administrators, board members, and faculty, and at times parents and students. This document is a collaborative effort of the school groups. It must represent the combined input, analysis, and consensus of all those involved.

spiritual formation The broad area of teaching and nurturing of students in their spiritual development, including their understanding that all truth is God’s truth, they are created in the image of God, they must confront the issue of sin and redemption, they can know God as revealed in Christ and made present in the Holy Spirit, and they have been called to become a disciple of Jesus and become more like Him. In addition, the school’s role in spiritual formation is to help students develop a biblical worldview as they are taught and nurtured intellectually, socially, and physically through every planned learning activity.

stakeholder(s) A person or group of individuals who have direct interest, involvement, or investment in the realization of the mission/vision (e.g., parents, community, faculty, staff).

standards The eight established qualitative conditions for school accreditation.

vision A description of what the (school, department, division, program) will look like in the future. Alternatively, a description of a preferred future.

visiting team The team of educators from outside the school who visit it in order to validate the self-study, assess the accuracy and completeness of the report, and construct a report on their visit. The visiting team evaluates the school according to the ACSI accreditation standards and policies.

visiting team report A report written by the visiting team that is sent to an ACSI regional accreditation commission or the ACSI Commission on Accreditation for international schools with a recommendation about the school’s accreditation. ACSI accreditation commissions are not bound by the recommendation. The final report is given to the school.