Scofield Christian School recently went through the re-accreditation process with the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), the largest accrediting agency for Christian schools in the world. To remain a member of ACSI, schools must be re-accredited every five years. The accreditation process is arduous - no one does it because it is fun!
I am pleased to let you know that last week, we received word that we once again, for the past many years in a row, have earned the status of Accredited by ACSI. We remain in the ranks of the best Christian schools globally for another five years.
What it means to be accredited
To understand the magnitude of what being accredited through ACSI means, here are some numbers. Of the 397 private Christian schools in Texas, Scofield Christian School is one of 73 Christian schools accredited by ACSI. We are proud to remain as one of 4 Christian schools in Dallas to hold this prestigious recognition.
Being accredited verifies our reputation in Christian education and gives our families confidence that Scofield complies with the highest standards. It tells our community we are providing children with a biblical education in a Christian environment, and we are doing it well. It is the highest seal of approval a private Christian school can receive.
To accredit our school, we conducted a lengthy self-examination process over numerous areas, submitting printed and electronic evidence of our perceived compliance. Every teacher and staff member began working in earnest in August 2020 to help compile the required information, and we submitted it the first week of December 2020. Our on-site visit by the ACSI accreditation team was the final step to see if we indeed DO what we claim. They visited every classroom, talked to the school board, parents, teachers, staff, and students. While this was demanding, it was an incredibly beneficial experience to ensure our school is excellent in every area. The team let us know the places we are excelling and gave recommendations in areas where we need to grow. Our intense self-examination had already identified those areas of growth, so are excited to continue our pursuit of excellence!
What accreditation means in the Biblical context
While we can deduce what accreditation means, I wanted to provide you with definitions and Biblical context. First, I consulted Webster’s 1828 Dictionary because of Noah Webster’s view of education and Christianity. The following are excerpts:
Accredit – To give credit, authority, or reputation.
Accredited – Allowed; received with reputation; authorized in a public character. (Christ Jesus and Paul talked of how God accredited Him (Jesus) to mankind.)
Next, I went to the Bible, which directly addresses accreditation in these two passages:
Acts 2:22: “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.”
John 5:36: “But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.”
To accredit is to give authority to someone or an organization based on their reputation. God felt it was important for the world to know he gave Jesus credit to do what He (Jesus) was doing on earth.
Christ-centered education and community
During my decades in Christian education, I have been through this process from both the school side and as a member of an ACSI accreditation team. This time, what stood out to the team and me, was our strong sense of community here at Scofield. They saw it demonstrated between teachers and students in the classroom and the interactions between our staff, parents, and board members. This is especially remarkable considering the impact Covid-19 has had on our ability to assemble as a school family. I cannot wait to see the joy we will have when things become even a little more normal! In the meantime, I am grateful and proud to be part of a school that is living proof of excellent Christ-centered education and community.