Extended Education & Outreach
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

---

Lincoln, Nebraska ' November 30, 2005 ' Director Tim Ernst announced today that the University of Nebraska'Lincoln Independent Study High School (ISHS) was granted continuing accreditation for the 2005-2006 school year from the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI). ISHS joins over 9,000 schools across a 19 state region that were honored for earning accreditation. ISHS has maintained its accreditation status since 1978.

To earn accreditation, schools must meet NCA CASI's high standards, be evaluated by a team of professionals from outside the school, and implement a continuous school improvement plan focused on increasing student performance. The accreditation process is voluntary and requires annual review.

'NCA accreditation demonstrates to our students, parents, and community that we are focused on raising student achievement, providing a safe and enriching learning environment, and maintaining an efficient and effective operation staffed by highly qualified educators,' stated Director Tim Ernst. 'NCA CASI accreditation is recognized across state lines, which not only eases the transfer process as students move from accredited school to accredited school but also assures parents that the school is meeting regionally and nationally accepted standards for quality and successful professional practice.'

Accreditation provides an external mark of quality and a proven process for school improvement. Lisa Bourlier, who leads the school's improvement team, stated, 'The real value of NCA CASI accreditation is the school improvement process, which focuses the school staff on analyzing student performance data, identifying areas of weakness, and developing clear goals and plans for improvement. We regularly assess and measure our progress in all goal areas, and NCA CASI holds us accountable for demonstrating growth. The process keeps everyone in the building focused on raising student achievement.'

Parents, students and interested community members can learn more about NCA CASI accreditation at www.ncacasi.org.

###

The Independent Study High School offers self-paced high school courses in more than 15 subjects. Students may supplement their curriculum with ISHS courses or earn a high school diploma from the ISHS. Accredited by NCA CASI and the Nebraska Department of Education, the ISHS has more than 3,000 students in more than 100 countries.

The North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement is a non-governmental, voluntary association of public and private elementary and secondary schools in 19 states, the Navajo Nation, and the Department of Defense Dependents' Schools overseas. NCA CASI accredits more than 9,000 schools, challenging them to prepare all students for success as they move from home to school to higher education and/or careers.

For more information, please visit NebraskaHS.unl.edu or call 1-866-700-4747 or (402) 472-2175.