Lee County School District earns Cognia Accreditation

BISHOPVILLE - Lee County School District has earned Cognia Accreditation, according to a news release from the school district. Cognia is a nonprofit organization that provides quality assurance for schools, school districts and education service providers.

Cognia, formerly AdvancED, nationally recognizes districts that meet rigorous standards focused on productive learning environments, equitable resource allocation that meets the needs of learners and effective leadership.

Earning accreditation from the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission means the schools within Lee County School District are accredited and that the district is recognized across the nation as a school district that meets Cognia Performance Standards and maintains a commitment to continuous improvement.

"School accreditation as conferred by the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission provides Lee County School District a nationally recognized mark of quality for our school," said Bernard McDaniel Sr., district superintendent, in the release. "It demonstrates to our community our commitment to excellence, our openness to external review and feedback and our desire to be the best we can be on behalf of the students we serve."

To earn Cognia accreditation, a district also must implement a continuous process of improvement and submit to internal and external review. Schools in good standing can maintain their accreditation for a six-year term.

Mark A. Elgart, president and CEO of Cognia, stated in the release "Cognia Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school and its community on the primary goal of preparing lifelong learners in engaging environments where all students can flourish. Lee County School District and the leadership at its five schools are to be commended for demonstrating that it has met high standards and is making progress on key indicators that impact student learning."

Cognia is the parent organization of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, Northwest Accreditation Commission and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement. Parents and interested community members can learn more about Cognia Accreditation at cognia.org.