Supporting Members
CIS supporting members are educational organizations whose purposes and objectives are aligned with our own and whose services complement those we provide to our higher education and school members. We work cooperatively with these organizations to further our respective missions in the international education community through purposeful collaboration, mutual support, and the exchange of information.
- Academy for International School Heads (AISH)
- American International Schools in the Americas (AMISA)
- Association of International Educators and Leaders of Color (AIELOC)
- Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA)
- Autonomous Educational Organisation NIS, Centre for Pedagogical Measurements
- British Schools in the Middle East (BSME)
- Cambridge Assessment International Education
- College Board
- Common App
- Council of British International Schools (COBIS)
- Duolingo English Test
- East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS)
- Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)
- ETS TOEFL
- HALI Access Network
- IC3 Institute
- International Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC)
- International Baccalaureate (IB)
- International School Leaders of Educational Support (ISLES) Collaborative
- International School Counselor Association (ISCA)
- International Schools Services (ISS)
- Language Testing International, exclusive licensee of ACTFL
- Latin American Heads Conference (LAHC)
- Linden Global Learning Support Services
- Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC)
- Mētō
- National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
- National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
- Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools (NESA)
- RISE
- Safe Passage Across Networks (SPAN)
- Second Chance at Higher Ed
- The Association for International Credential Evaluation Professionals (TAICEP)
- Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)
Academy for International School Heads (AISH)
AISH is a nonprofit that provides resources and professional development opportunities for International School Heads. The Academy is a dynamic, collaborative organization created for and governed by International Heads which:
- advocates for International School Heads;
- provides targeted and differentiated professional and personal development opportunities essential for educational leadership;
- collaborates with educational organizations worldwide; and
- makes a significant contribution to the future of learning and leading.
AISH launched its online Leadership Series in early 2020 for leaders committed to continuous improvement and honing their skills. There are two types of courses. “Skills” courses provide practical strategies to address a leadership challenge and “Impact” courses are a deep dive into the topic with relevant practical outcomes, feedback. and coaching.
AISH leaders have curated all of the content and designed course activities to be mapped to AISH’s Standards and Threads. Produced in partnership with Global Online Academy (GOA), there are choices within the courses so that content is personalized for each leader’s strengths, needs, skills and interests. Come have great learning with us! Visit academyish.org/leadershipseries.
Key contacts
CEO: Dr. Andy Page-Smith
www.academyish.org
American International Schools in the Americas (AMISA)
AMISA's mission is to provide and promote programs and services to member schools whose primary language of instruction is English in order to enhance the quality of American and international education in the Americas. Please refer to the AMISA website for further information and event dates.
Key Contact
Executive Director: Dereck Rhoads
Website: www.amisa.us
Twitter: @amisa_us
Facebook: www.facebook.com/americaninternationalschoolsintheamericas
Association of International Educators and Leaders of Color (AIELOC)
The Association of International Educators and Leaders of Color (AIELOC) is devoted to amplifying the work of international educators and leaders of color with a focus on advocacy, learning, and research. This is led by KDSL Global.
Key Contact
Kevin Simpson, Founder of AIELOC
www.aieloc.org
AIELOC2019@gmail.com
Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA)
The Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA) is a membership community committed to offering a variety of programmes and services that help our schools transform student learning.
Established in 1969, AISA offers a professional learning programme specifically designed to meet the unique needs of our diverse international-school body. In addition to our AISA Conference, AISA also sponsors a wide variety of differentiated Professional Learning Institutes (PLIs) across the continent to foster greater professionalism and to improve teacher and leadership effectiveness.
AISA currently has a membership of 80 schools across 37 countries. Together, these schools serve approximately 35,000 students supported by over 5,000 educators and support staff.
Our Mission
AISA is dedicated to transforming student learning by leading and supporting professional growth, good governance, strategic thinking, and the wellbeing of the entire AISA community of schools.
Our Identity
AISA is a collaborative learning community of accredited, internationally-minded schools in Africa, which provides targeted services and relevant resources, facilitates innovative programmes, and connects people.
Our Core Values
AISA believes that:
- Being open to differences leads to knowledge and understanding
- All individuals have intrinsic worth
- Nurturing is necessary for growth and change
- Personal fulfilment derives from defining a sense of purpose and making connections through service to others
- A sense of belonging enables people and communities to thrive
- All people want to learn, and people learn differently
- When people work together better outcomes are more likely
- The development of international-mindedness and cultural competence are fundamental to being successful in an interconnected world
Our Objectives
The strategic objectives of AISA specify that AISA services, resources and networks will:
- Support professional growth
- Develop and implement strategic thinking and planning
- Increase school effectiveness
To find out more about membership with AISA, or anything else we can help you with, email info@aisa.or.ke
Key Contact
Executive Director: Elizabeth Imende
www.aisa.or.ke
Autonomous Educational Organisation NIS, Centre for Pedagogical Measurements
The Autonomous Educational Organisation known as ‘Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools’ (AEO NIS) stands as a pioneering force within the national education system in Kazakhstan, having achieved substantial success. The AEO NIS includes four centres, functioning across various domains, including educational content, educational evaluation, teacher advancement, and information and educational technology in education.
Established in February 2012, the Centre for Pedagogical Measurements (CPM) offers assistance in education quality assessment.
Mission: to obtain and provide objective and reliable information on the state of education. This data is intended for the various departments and branches of the AEO NIS, enabling them to make informed management decisions aimed at enhancing the quality of educational services.
Strands of work:
- students and teachers’ selection
- criterion-based assessment
- monitoring of students’ achievements
- external summative assessment
- teachers’ certification
CPM is responsible for the development of the guidance and assessment tools for the aforementioned strands as well as for administration and data analysis.
Starting in 2016, CPM has been sharing its knowledge and expertise with public schools throughout Kazakhstan. Namely, a system of criterion-based assessment of students’ academic achievements has been piloted and implemented to secondary schools in Kazakhstan. The final assessment of students has been revised, monitoring system for the evaluation of student academic achievements is being effectively used to support rural schools in Kazakhstan.
CPM is a member of the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA) and the Association for Educational Assessment (AEA-Europe). In 2023, CPM has launched a Special Interest Group on Holistic Assessment on the platform of the Association for Educational Assessment (AEA-Europe).
Accreditation is the next important stage in ensuring the quality of education in Kazakhstan, contributing to its improvement, and strengthening of competitiveness in the global community.
Key Contacts
Director: Leila Tursynova, Centre for Pedagogical Measurements under Autonomous Educational Organisation ‘Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools’
Deputy Chairperson: Aidana Shilibekova, Autonomous Educational Organisation ‘Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools’
Website: www.cpi-nis.kz/en/
Email: info@cpi.nis.edu.kz
British Schools in the Middle East (BSME)
British Schools in the Middle East (BSME) is the largest network of British national schools in the MENA region serving 144 schools and +100 business partners. According to ISC Research, BSME is the fastest growing membership organisation in the world. BSME also runs the largest Student events programme in the region.
BSME's Professional Learning pathways support the career progression of staff in schools, from conferences to online learning. In addition, Principals and Heads of School are supported through a range of networks, dedicated conferences, mentor programmes and accredited inspection training.
To ensure that BSME schools maintain the highest standards in British education, BSME has established links with and lobbies on behalf of BSME schools the Department for Education in the UK, Ofsted and other regulatory authorities. Accreditation routes support the school improvement processes of our schools, delivering world-class provision in leading, teaching and learning.
Safeguarding is a priority for the organisation; as such, BSME regularly contributes to and supports the work of The International Task Force on Child Protection.
Key Contact
Chief Executive Officer: Debra Forsyth
www.bsme.org.uk
Cambridge Assessment International Education
Cambridge Assessment International Education prepares school students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. We are part of the University of Cambridge.
Our international qualifications are recognised by the world’s best universities and employers, giving students a wide range of options in their education and career. As a not-for-profit organisation, we devote our resources to delivering high-quality educational programmes that can unlock learners’ potential.
Our programmes and qualifications set the global standard for international education. They are created by subject experts, rooted in academic rigour and reflect the latest educational research. They provide a strong platform for learners to progress from one stage to the next, and are well supported by teaching and learning resources.
Our mission is to provide educational benefit through provision of international programmes and qualifications for school education and to be the world leader in this field. Together with schools, we develop Cambridge learners who are confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged – equipped for success in the modern world.
Every year, nearly a million Cambridge learners from 10,000 schools in 160 countries prepare for their future with an international education from Cambridge.
Key Contact
Director - International Network: Ben Schmidt
Cambridge, United Kingdom
www.cambridgeinternational.org
College Board
The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity.
Founded in 1900, the College Board was created to expand access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of over 6,000 of the world’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education.
Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success — including the SAT and the Advanced Placement Program. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators and schools.
Key Contacts
Vice President: Rushi Sheth
Executive Director, Market Management, West, International: Paul Sanders
New York, United States
www.collegeboard.org
Common App
Common App is a not-for-profit member organization committed to the pursuit of access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process. Each year, more than one million students, one-third of whom are first-generation, apply to college through the Common App’s online application. In January 2019, the Common App united with Reach Higher, the college access and success campaign started by former First Lady Michelle Obama during her time at the White House. By joining forces, Common App and Reach Higher accelerated progress toward our joint goal of supporting all students, especially low-income and first-generation students, in achieving their higher education dreams.
Founded in 1975, Common App serves over 1,000 member colleges and universities worldwide. Global use of the Common Application continues to grow, both among international applicants seeking to study in the US and also among international universities--currently nearly 60--wishing to expand their recruitment footprint.
As a Supporting Member of the Council of International Schools, Common App seeks to better understand the needs of international applicants, advisors, and universities so it can continue to serve these important and growing constituent groups. Learn more, visit commonapp.org and follow @CommonApp and #CommonApp on social media.
Key Contact
Scott Anderson
Senior Director, Association Engagement
The Common Application
3003 Washington Blvd, Ste 1000
Arlington, Virginia 22201
Council of British International Schools (COBIS)
The Council of British International Schools (COBIS) is a membership association that represents more than 450 schools and organisations, globally.
High-quality COBIS schools, which educate over 150,000 students and employ more than 30,000 teachers, can be found in 80 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas.
A fundamental aim of COBIS is to support members and represent their interests in Britain and overseas, particularly with Government, education authorities and educational associations. COBIS is committed to advancing the interests of British schools overseas and the commercial organisations that export education resources, products and services. It works closely and in partnership with the Department for International Trade and the Department for Education.
In 2017, COBIS launched the Patron’s Accreditation and Compliance scheme, the primary route to COBIS membership, which is a globally recognised external validation scheme that is tailored to the unique context of each school. COBIS also offers regular CPD opportunities, safeguarding resources and support, and student engagement competitions and events.
Key Contact
CEO: Colin Bell
London, United Kingdom
www.cobis.org.uk
Duolingo English Test
The Duolingo English Test was developed as a modern approach to testing: providing fast, high-quality, secure language assessments to anyone, anywhere, at any time over the Internet. Today, the test is accepted by more than 2,000 institutions and has helped thousands of students worldwide access English testing options. By harnessing technology we are lowering barriers, putting students first, and helping reform the admission landscape.
Key Contact:
Director of Strategic Engagement:
Jen Dewar
jdewar@duolingo.com
Pittsburgh, PA USA
Resources for CIS members:
East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS)
The East Asia Regional Council of Schools is an organization of 188 member schools in East Asia. These schools have a total of more than 115,500 pre-K to 12th grade students. EARCOS also has 164 associate members — textbook and software publishers and distributors, universities, financial planners, architectural firms, insurance companies, youth organizations, etc — and 42 individual members.
Membership in EARCOS is open to elementary and secondary schools in East Asia that offer an educational program using English as the primary language of instruction, and to other organizations, institutions, and individuals interested in the objectives and purposes of the Council.
Mission
EARCOS inspires adult and student learning through its leadership and service and fosters intercultural understanding, global citizenship and exceptional educational practices within our learning community.
Objectives and Purposes
- To promote intercultural understanding and international friendship through the activities of member schools.
- To broaden the dimensions of education of all schools involved in the Council in the interest of a total program of education.
- To advance the professional growth and welfare of individuals belonging to the educational staff of member schools.
- To facilitate communication and cooperative action between and among all associated schools.
- To cooperate with other organizations and individuals pursuing the same objectives as this council.
Key Contact
Executive Director: Dr. Edward Greene
info@earcos.org
www.earcos.org
Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)
For 40 years Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) has been ensuring that foreign-educated people are respected and recognized for their educational achievements. We primarily review academic achievements by individuals from other countries and convert them to the U.S. system for purposes of studying or working in the United States or elsewhere. In addition to preparing evaluation reports, we offer various training programs for strategic enrollment managers, international admissions officers, university recruiters, and other individuals or organizations who are interested in applied comparative education. Our professional evaluation staff have a combined 300 years of experience and are frequent presenters at international education conferences. Our 95% customer service rate ensures that our clients--whether individuals, secondary schools, institutions of higher learning, or licensing boards receive top-notch care with each product we offer.
Mission Statement:
- Our mission is to promote the betterment of individuals' lives and society by ensuring that educational qualifications are fairly and accurately recognized across borders.
Core Values:
- Operate with kindness, respect, and empathy
- Commitment to ongoing review and improvement in products, services, policies, and processes
- Service to the global community
- Fairness and integrity in everything we do
Purpose:
- Promote the personal fulfillment and contributions to society of people educated in other countries
Key Contacts
For information concerning evaluation reports: Jack Nelson, Director of Market Development jnelson@ece.org
For information concerning training, resources, and partnerships: Marybeth Gruenewald, Director of Global Initiatives marybeth@ece.org
For information concerning applied comparative education research: Margaret Wenger, Senior Director of Evaluation, mwenger@ece.org
Website: www.ece.org
Twitter: @ECEConnection
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ECEreports
ETS TOEFL
Founded as a nonprofit in 1947, ETS’s mission is to help make education accessible for everyone, with assessments built on rigorous research and an uncompromising commitment to quality. Each year, we develop, administer and score more than 50 million tests—in more than 180 countries at more than 9,000 locations.
Students can achieve their dreams of university study, immigration and more with the TOEFL iBT® and TOEFL® Essentials™ tests of English proficiency from ETS. Each test is uniquely designed so they can choose the TOEFL test that best matches their test taking style. Whether it’s the unique academic focus of the TOEFL iBT test, or the friendly, engaging format of the TOEFL Essentials test, both tests have the quality and reliability that institutions trust.
TOEFL website: www.ets.org/toefl
Key Contact
General inquiries from colleges, universities, English language programs and college counselors
E: TOEFLnews@ets.org
T: 1-609-683-2008
Inquiries from students:
E: toefl@ets.org
T: Look up country at www.ets.org/toefl/contact
HALI Access Network
The HALI Access Network is an association of non-profit organizations in Africa that work with high-achieving, low-income (HALI) students to access international higher education opportunities. It strives to level the playing field in international education to increase inclusion, access and scholarship support for remarkable students who only lack finances to make their educational dreams come true. It believes in the power of education to change communities and in the impact our students have on college and university campuses.
Objectives
- Advocate. The network seeks to support all HALI students by advocating for admissions, financial support, scholarships and fairness in the application process.
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Connect. The network brings together professionals from around the world and both sides of the admissions desk to help African HALI students pursue their higher educational goals.
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Support. The network supports its members through mentorship, professional development opportunities, exchange programs, and access to a variety of benefits from network partners.
The full list of non-profit organizations and high schools that are members of the HALI Access Network can be accessed here. The network also welcomes membership applications from higher education institutions that offer significant financial support to high-achieving, low-income students from Africa OR companies or organizations that work in the higher education-access space. View a full list of friends of HALI.
Key contacts
Program Director: Misco Mungai
IC3 Institute
Established in 2018, the non-profit IC3 Institute assists high schools globally by offering guidance, training resources, and no-cost professional development programs to empower teachers and counselors to establish robust career and counseling departments. It operates as a think tank, conducting research and contributing thought leadership on global higher education and career readiness, actively shaping the future of students around the world. Through partnership with the IC3 Movement, the IC3 Institute helps to create awareness and advocate for early access to career counseling through supporting programs and professional development events like the Annual IC3 Conference & Expo and IC3 Regional Forums.
Vision
We believe in a world where every student is equipped with a navigation system to design their educational and professional future.
Mission
To enable access to career and college counseling for high school students around the world, positioning them for future success in postsecondary education and the global workforce.
Programs for school-based members
Empower: One-year flagship program for full-time high school educators
Embark: 30-hour foundation program for school educators
Enrich: Three-day counseling leadership program for school leaders
Read more: https://ic3institute.org/programs/
Resource Library
With content contributions from leading higher education and counseling professionals across the world, the IC3 Institute Resource Library is a one-of-a-kind repository of over 140+ unique academic content resources, focused on development guidance for new school counselors.
Read more: https://resourcelibrary.ic3institute.org/
Partnership opportunities for higher education members
Partner with us to empower educators, counselors, and students for college readiness and career success.
Read more: https://ic3institute.org/about/partnerships/
Key Contacts
Assistant Vice President - Community Development, Partnerships & Communications: Jim McLaughlin
Email: jim.mclaughlin@ic3institute.org
Mobile & WhatsApp: +1.215.847.7938
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/school/ic3-institute-1
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ic3institute
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ic3institute
International Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC)
The International Association for College Admission Counseling (International ACAC) is a global organization of over 3,500 members whose mission is "To facilitate global interaction among counselors and institutions in support of secondary students transitioning to higher education, while promoting professional standards that foster ethical and social responsibility." International ACAC is an affiliate of NACAC, and its headquarters is located in Arlington, VA (US).
Key Contacts
Executive Director: Erin Garcia, egarcia@internationalacac.org
Arlington, Virginia, United States
www.internationalacac.org
International Baccalaureate (IB)
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) is more than its educational programmes and certificates. At our heart we are motivated by a mission to create a better world through education.
We value our hard earned reputation for quality, for high standards and for pedagogical leadership. We achieve our goals by working with partners and by actively involving our stakeholders, particularly teachers.
We promote intercultural understanding and respect, not as an alternative to a sense of cultural and national identity, but as an essential part of life in the 21st century.
All of this is captured in our mission statement:
The International Baccalaureate® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.
These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
Key contact
Head of Global Recognition: Paul Teulon
paul.teulon@ibo.org
www.ibo.org
International School Leaders of Educational Support (ISLES) Collaborative
The ISLES Collaborative is a group of dedicated K-12 school leaders tasked with the strategic development of Student Support Services within international schools. ISLES members promote collaborative professional learning, share best practices based on research and advocate for school-wide support leadership positions. Those currently in K-12 Student Support leadership positions or those who will be starting a new position in school-wide support leadership in the upcoming school year should consider becoming an ISLES member. For more information about ISLES, please visit https://www.islescollaborative.org/home
Key contacts
Stephanie Hepner, ISLES Executive Chair
Cindy Warner-Dobrowski, ISLES Executive Vice-Chair
info@islescollaborative.org
www.islescollaborative.org
International School Counselor Association (ISCA)
ISCA is the premier association formed by international school counselors for counselors. It cultivates a safe, open-minded environment to promote community, connection and professional development. ISCA's collection of offerings build relevant, culturally-competent, comprehensive programs that empower counselors to be better advocates who help students thrive.
Membership
Counselors are connected to hundreds of school counselors internationally to broaden their knowledge, grow professionally and enhance their network. As members, counselors have access to resources, Member Directory, Counseling News and Tips, Monthly Newsletter, Interactive Member-only App, Job Board, and a Professional Development Calendar. Learn more.
Programmes
The ISCA Virtual Collaborative is a dynamic online conference that connects counselors worldwide, providing interactive sessions, knowledge from speakers, and opportunities for learning, collaboration and inspiration, all from the convenience of your own location.
This year's event will take place over 10 days within October 18–24 and November 2–8, 2023.
Through the array of courses offered at the ISCA Academy, school counselors will be able to upskill in areas expressed in the ASCA Professional Standards and Ethical Standards and Practices. Whether you are new to the field or have years of experience, with this continued professional development offered in areas that are essential to the role of school counselor in international schools, not only will the profession be elevated but also professional goals and action plans will be realized.
The courses are based on best practice, are research-based and solutions-focused with ample discussion time to allow participants to share strategies or challenges and address questions or concerns.
Webinars
Ten to twelve times a year, ISCA hosts webinars to keep you informed and engaged on relevant and important topics for school counselors or educators interested in learning more about mental health, wellbeing, and social emotional learning in schools.
School Counseling Department Consultancy
Counseling Consultation Circles
Key Contacts
Cheryl Brown, Executive Director, cbrown@iscainfo.com
Brooke Fezler, Associate Executive Director, bfezler@iscainfo.com
- Website: www.iscainfo.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iscainfo
- Twitter: @ISCACounselors
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-school-counselor-association
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isca_counselor/
International Schools Services (ISS)
With more than 60 years of experience as a leading nonprofit in international education, ISS helps international schools and educators develop students into thoughtful, imaginative global leaders. Whether developing and managing world-class international schools, staffing schools, ordering equipment and supplies, performing accounting functions, or supporting teaching and learning approaches, ISS provides the full range of services necessary for schools to deliver an outstanding global education to their students.
ISS' services, learning opportunities and initiatives:
- ISS Comprehensive services: Explore ISS offers core services: developing and managing international schools, supplying schools, recruiter teachers, recruiting school leaders, streamlining accounting and finance functions, and offering professional development
- ISS Deep Dive Sessions into Virtual Learning: Explore targeted professional development within your content area, perfectly timed during your school break. Dive into hybrid learning, online assessment, building community, grading & reporting, and resources & tools within each 4-hour, content-specific session.
- Online Learning Resources: As many schools adapt to online or blended learning environments, this page offers free webinars and resources around online learning, practical school management transitions, policy, technical operations, teaching and learning and community wellness.
- School Consultancy Packages: ISS has assembled a collection of timely, low-cost consultancy packages lead by experts in their fields, to help school leaders navigate some of the urgent operational challenges ahead
- ISS-Schrole Advantage International Job Fairs: ISS-Schrole Advantage offered additional iFair® events toward the end of the season to help keep international schools and candidates connected, and will continue to plan flexible, virtual events into the 2020-21 recruiting season. Stay tuned for updates ahead!
- The Diversity Collaborative: The Diversity Collaborative is committed to creating a more diverse, inclusive, equitable and just environment among the leadership of the international school community.
Key Contacts
President: Liz Duffy
www.iss.edu
- School supply tips and trends
- 12 Key Questions to Ask When Starting a School
- Highlight from ISS Admin Search – Leadership Spotlight: Paola Torres de Pereira
- Highlight from ISS Global Recruitment – Teacher Feature: Coral and Ennis Updates from Dubai
- Budget Planning Tips
- ISS BEST: Snapshots of contemporary learning at ISS School
Language Testing International, exclusive licensee of ACTFL
The mission of Language Testing International (LTI) is to help people around the world successfully achieve their communication goals by delivering valid and research-based language assessments and global collaboration courses.
Language Assessments
Language Testing International (LTI) is the exclusive licensee of ACTFL, a leader in proficiency-based language teaching and learning. LTI administers official, certified ACTFL language proficiency assessments in over 120 languages to language learners in grades 3-12, Higher Education, government, and commercial industries.
ACTFL provides “vision leadership, and support for quality teaching and learning of languages” (https://www.actfl.org/about-actfl), and LTI provides language assessments in all skills and communicative modes. LTI delivers reliable and valid assessment in more than 120 languages across over 60 countries. ACTFL takes care to ensure assessments are externally validated and backed by extensive research, effectively measuring learners' language proficiency and communication skills. ACTFL assessments maintain stringent levels of rigor and reliability required to ensure a valid and true measure of one’s ability to speak, read, write, and listen effectively in a language. They are widely used and referenced in academic, government, and commercial contexts worldwide.
Global Collaboration
LTI also delivers virtual global collaboration courses for learners ages 4-18 on our safe and secure platform called Level Up Village (LUV). LUV’s mission is to globalize the classroom by facilitating cultural collaboration between students from around the world. Guided by our carefully curated content, students build communication skills and collaborate with their global peers to explore topics in Arts & Sciences or Languages & Cultures through hands-on projects and video-based discussions. Designed to be inclusive and provide equitable access to global exchanges, this program helps students enhance their understanding of other cultures, strengthen their intercultural communication skills, and gain empathy.
Language Testing International offers monthly webinars, newsletters, and current blog posts to educate and inspire education professionals from administrators to instructors.
- K-12 language education news and updates: sign up for the AAPPL newsletter.
- Higher Ed language news and updates: sign up for higher ed newsletters.
- Blog posts may focus on academic, teacher-focused, or other professional themes. Read some of our recent blogs.
Key Contacts
- Tiziana Aime, CEO
- Gosia Jaros-White, Director of Sales & Marketing
- Jennifer Carson, K-12 Sales Executive and Learning Specialist
- Jennifer Dobberfuhl Quinlan, Learning and Proficiency Specialist
- Mark Dulsky, Director of Operations
Latin American Heads Conference (LAHC)
The mission of the LAHC is to bring together centres of educational excellence reflecting the best of British and international educational practice in order to share expertise for school improvement in a spirit of reciprocal altruism that benefits all parties.
The Annual Conference brings together heads, senior leaders and teachers from across the region to discuss fundamental educational issues and share successful initiatives in member schools in an intimate and friendly atmosphere that allows us to build the very special relationship of trust and confidence that is the key to the rest of LAHC activity.
The LAHC Review is offered on a voluntary basis to schools that are members of LAHC. Its starting point is the school's own assessment of itself and its performance in the areas in which it desires to be submitted to scrutiny. It is a peer review, with teams being made up of teachers and leaders of member schools, trained specifically for the purpose. The flexibility of the Review allows it to be applied in as complete or as partial a manner as is desired, with each application being tailored to the specific needs of the school. The decision is the school’s, and at all times the review team and its leader respond to the needs and requests of the school. This is not an inspection that judges schools against some predetermined criteria but rather a critical friend who gives an outsider's perspective on what the school thinks of itself.
Key Contacts
- Executive Officer: Alan Downie, alandownie@lahc.net
- Administrative Manager: Sita Taylor, sitataylor@lahc.net
- Review Coordinator: Maureen Fleming, maureenfleming@lahc.net
- Treasurer: Donald Jones, donaldjones@lahc.net
Website: www.lahc.net
Twitter: @LAHCschools
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LAHCschools
Linden Global Learning Support Services
Linden Global Learning was established in Berlin in 2014 by three international educators who set out to expand the range of support services that international schools offer their struggling learners and families.
Our global team of multidisciplinary experts help international schools by connecting students and teachers with exactly the educational and mental health support they need, wherever they are in the world. Our specialists include mental health counselors, school psychologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, special needs teachers, and behaviour specialists.
View the dedicated Linden team for CIS.
Our Vision
A world where diverse global learners thrive and reach their full potential
Remote Student Support Services for International Schools:
- Counseling & Mental Health Support for students & staff
- Speech Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Comprehensive psychoeducational assessments including tele-assessments
- Learning & Behaviour Therapy
- Academic Coaching (IB, GCSE)
- Neurodiverse Support
- Professional Development (Mental Health & Inclusion)
Key Contacts
Founders: Dr Christina Limbird & Chineme Ugbor
Phone: +49 (0)30 555 10936
Email: info@linden-education.com
Berlin, Germany
www.linden-education.com
Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC)
Mastery Transcript Consortium® (MTC), an ETS company, is a national and global nonprofit membership organization that helps make mastery learning—or competency-based education—available to all learners. MTC accelerates equitable access to, and widespread implementation of, mastery learning models and offers flexible and scalable learning records that empower students to showcase competencies and share evidence of their learning.
MTC is part of ETS’s Skills for the Future division. Skills for the Future (SFF) is a joint initiative of ETS and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, launched in April 2023, to reshape the educational landscape and ensure that every student is equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in the 21st century.
MTC welcomes innovative schools and learning organizations interested in joining their global network.
If you're a school leader looking to accelerate the implementation of competency-based learning, or you have programs and curricula that do not align with traditional transcripts, MTC can help. MTC’s competency-based learning records equip learners with the skills-based credentials they need to advance along flexible postsecondary pathways.
Many K12 schools with innovative programs—interdisciplinary, project-based, and/or skills-focused—find that higher education institutions do not know how to value or weigh these programs alongside traditional curricula. MTC works directly with higher education institutions to ensure that colleges and universities receiving competency-based learning records understand how to leverage them within holistic admissions processes. To date, nearly 580 colleges and universities have accepted students who applied using either the Mastery Transcript or the MTC Learning Record.
MTC's annual Symposium provides an engaging forum in which to learn more about MTC’s digital tools and exchange lessons of experience with mission-aligned organizations.
Key Contacts:
- MTC Senior Director, Higher Ed Engagement: Eddie Arteaga, arteaga@mastery.org
- MTC CEO: Mike Flanagan, flanagan@mastery.org
- Skills for the Future Managing Director: Laura Slover, lslover@ets.org
Mētō
Founded in 2018, Meto is a tech-based non-profit intent on making access to a quality higher education a reality for students around the world. Currently, the burden is on students to find and apply to good-fit institutions. In some cases, students do not even know about the existence of a particular institution; this is especially pertinent to lower-income students. In other cases, students do not know the academic and financial qualifications that might make them a good fit.
Meto’s solution: Meto reverses the traditional matching process: instead of students bearing the burden of identifying good-fit institutions, we allow students to create profiles, share those profiles with universities, and allow institutions to approach students who appear to be a good fit
How Meto works:
- Universities review student profiles and contact students encouraging them to apply.
- Meto shares their profiles with universities around the world.
- Students spend 10-15 minutes creating a free profile with Meto.
As a Supporting Member of the Council of International Schools, Meto seeks partnerships with high schools and universities around the world. For students and counselors, Meto builds confidence and clarity in the application process. For institutions, Meto can help build recruitment pipelines, conduct targeted outreach, and gain access to a diverse group of high school students.
Key Contacts
- Ryan Benitez, Founder and CEO, benitez@meto-intl.org
- Blake Thomsen, Co-Director of Global Partnerships, bthomsen@meto-intl.org
- Hayat Seid, Co-Director of Global Partnerships, hseid@meto-intl.org
- Julie Moloney, Director of University Initiatives, julie@meto-intl.org
- Abraham Barry, Director of Innovation & Operations, abraham@meto-intl.org
Website: www.meto-intl.org
Resources for CIS Members
National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), founded in 1937, is an organization of more than 27,000 professionals from around the world dedicated to serving students as they make choices about pursuing postsecondary education. Membership speaks to an institution’s stature and reputation and provides numerous benefits. NACAC is committed to maintaining high standards that foster ethical and social responsibility among those involved in the transition process, as outlined in NACAC's Guide to Ethical Practice in College Admission. In recognition of the increasingly global landscape of college admission counseling, NACAC conducts research and develops resources related to international student mobility to support members.
- NACAC Professional Certificate: International University Advocate
- Guide to International University Admission
NACAC’s Annual Conference is the preeminent annual gathering of over 6,500 counseling and admission professionals.
Key Contact
Director, Membership Experience & Global Engagement: Murphy Miller
Arlington, Virginia, United States
www.nacacnet.org
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) is a nonprofit membership association that provides services to more than 1,800 schools and associations of schools in the United States and abroad, including more than 1,500 independent private K-12 schools in the U.S.
Independent schools are non-profit private schools that are independent in philosophy: each is driven by a unique mission. They are also independent in the way they are managed and financed: each is governed by an independent board of trustees and each is primarily supported through tuition payments and charitable contributions. They are accountable to their communities and are accredited by state-approved accrediting bodies.
NAIS empowers independent schools and the students they serve. The association offers research and trend analysis, leadership and governance guidance, and professional development opportunities for school and board leaders.
Read more about NAIS membership.
Key Contacts
President: Debra Wilson
Washington, DC
www.nais.org
Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools (NESA)
The Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools is a non-profit association of more than 100 private, independent American/international schools serving students and their families in North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. For 50 years, NESA has focused on promoting exemplary professional learning opportunities for educators working in our schools -- in service of improved student learning.
Contacts
Executive Director: Madeleine Hewitt
Athens, Greece
nesa@nesacenter.org
www.nesacenter.org
RISE
RISE is a program that finds brilliant people who need opportunity and supports them for a life as they work to serve others. An initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust, Rise is the anchor program of a $1 billion commitment from Eric and Wendy Schmidt to find and support global talent.
100 Teens get lifetime support to foster global service work
Key contacts
Executive Director, Rise: Mark German
www.risefortheworld.org
www.instagram.com/risefortheworld/
twitter.com/risefortheworld
Safe Passage Across Networks (SPAN)
SPAN mission
Safe Passage Across Networks (SPAN) offers a home to anyone committed to healthy transitions and attachment security. We connect, equip and refresh transitions-care providers.
Membership
Safe Passage Across Networks is a non-profit organization. The aim of our membership program is to build a network of people on the frontline of transitions-care in schools, small businesses and organizations. SPAN Membership offers various benefits to any individual, small business, school or organization who believes in the value of positive transitions-care, the empowerment of training across school networks and who desires to belong to the SPAN family.
Learning opportunities
“The Nest” is an award-winning, monthly (free) online gathering of transitions-care providers worldwide. We join together for a chance to equip ourselves with information on timely transitions-care themes, connect with other participants virtually in break-out rooms and leave feeling refreshed.
Laws of Transitions Certificate Course
The SPAN Laws of Transitions Certificate Course is an intensive, 8-week online learning experience that will provide participants with a strong understanding of why transitions-care is important at any school. It will offer you practical strategies to develop or enhance the transitions-care program at your school with your colleagues.
The goal of the virtual SPAN Symposium is to gather together like-minded practitioners to strengthen the network of transitions-care across international schools. Much like our Laws of Transitions Certificate Course, this event is grounded in recent research and the sharing of best practices.
Sponsorship
Any school or organization can also become a SPAN Sponsor for SPAN events, activities and services. By being featured during our monthly online gathering ‘The Nest’ or annual ‘SPAN Symposium’, your school or organization will benefit from conference recognition and increased visibility to a global audience.
Key contacts
SPAN Governing Board and Management Team
To find out more about SPAN and our services, or anything else we can assist you with, please email: admin@spanschools.org
Website: www.spanschools.org
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/safe-passage-across-networks-span
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SPANschools
Twitter: twitter.com/SPAN_schools
Instagram: www.instagram.com/spanschools
Second Chance at Higher Ed
Every year, Second Chance identifies exceptional, low-income international students who are still seeking higher education opportunities late in the admission cycle, and finds excellent academic homes for them to pursue their higher education with full scholarships, through a unique process that includes a cohort model, application support, counseling guidance, and mentorship.
Second Chance’s vision is that outstanding student leaders and change makers, wherever they are in the world and whatever their means, deserve access to tertiary education, economic opportunity, and social and global mobility, in order to live lives of impact and service. Great minds should be at great schools.
Second Chance periodically offers information sessions and professional development regarding financial aid and scholarships, access to higher education, how to launch and implement full scholarship programs, and how to use them strategically to diversify campuses and support HALI students once they arrive on campus. To receive updates on upcoming sessions, please sign up here.
Second Chance has been in operation for over five years, and has a long track record of success in placing high achieving international students at institutions around the world.
- In 2018, Second Chance galvanized a movement to find academic homes for 60 Nepali students whose scholarships had been revoked by UT Tyler. This phenomenal success story was documented in the Chronicle of Higher Education.
- Second Chance launched a movement to support Nhial Deng, a refugee from Kakuma Refugee Camp, to attend a university in Canada with a full scholarship: watch video. Nhial subsequently was the winner of the Queen’s Jubilee Award and the Chegg Global Student Award (out of over 4000 international entries).
- Second Chance students are often “first”. Second Chance sent two HK universities their first Tanzanian students; and sent another university its first Cameroonian civil engineering student. Students launched the first African Student Union at a HK university, and yet another student became the first Nepali student body president at a university in Qatar. Second Chance sent a US liberal arts college its very first international students from Zimbabwe, Turkey, and Nepal, and sent a Canadian university its first refugee student from South Sudan.
- Second Chance students have done exceptionally well in their studies, and have made enormous contributions to their communities and campuses. Cohorts are graduating with outstanding academic success, and their prominence and close collaboration with their institutions’ international offices have helped their institutions develop the students’ home countries as new recruitment markets.
Key Contacts
Founder and Executive Director: Joan Liu
joan@secondchance.global
www.secondchance.global
The Association for International Credential Evaluation Professionals (TAICEP)
TAICEP is the only professional association established to meet the unique goals of International Credential Evaluation Professionals. Our members are individuals, academic institutions, independent agencies, government bodies, and organizations who share a common interest in international credential evaluation, directly or indirectly.
TAICEP’s primary goals are to 1) serve international credential evaluation professionals around the world by providing research, training, resources, and routes to professionalization; 2) identify and develop theories, methodologies, and best practices used in international credential evaluation; and 3) advocate for the profession by raising public awareness of the field and by showcasing international credential evaluation’s crucial role in areas such as education, licensure, and employment.
Annual conference
At each TAICEP annual conference, credential evaluators from around the world, both those new to the field as well as those with years of experience, come together to learn, to share knowledge, to network, and to promote the interests of our unique industry.
Best Practices: Electronic Transcripts And Verification Portals
The Best Practices: Electronic Transcript and Verification Portals guideline has been prepared by the TAICEP Digital Student Data (DSD) Task Force. It was created to examine DSD practices from the credential evaluator perspective, provide usage guidelines for the credential evaluation community, and advance professional standards. In this Guideline the Task Force has developed brief descriptions of and general best practices for three current models to access or verify documents. Task Force members will continue to review and revise this Guideline as methods for issuing, verifying, and retrieving educational documents electronically and digitally evolve. Ultimately, this document is intended to be used in conjunction with a mapping tool, currently in development, to assist evaluators with identification of key information and trusted verification sources at the country level.
Certificate Programs
TAICEP’s Foundation Certificate in International Credential Evaluation attests that the holder has a foundational knowledge of credential evaluation and assessment. It is based on the core competencies of evaluation, research, communication, and professional responsibility.
There are many benefits to being or hiring a TAICEP certificated evaluator, including to the professional evaluator him or herself, to the evaluator’s employer and place of employment, and to the consumer or recipient of the evaluation report, which is thorough, detailed, impartial, well-researched, and clear to the reader of the report.
TAICEP also currently offers two other certificates: the Secondary School Certificate and the Bologna Process Certificate.
Key Contacts
President: Jeannine Bell
Executive Director: Robert Prather
Articles highlighting TAICEP’s work
- Certificate Program
- 4th Annual Conference (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 2018)
- UNESCO Convention on Global Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications
Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)
UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, is an independent charity and the UK's shared admissions service for higher education.
UCAS supports 1.5 million students every year to explore entering UK higher education, employment and apprenticeships, and manage almost three million applications from around 700,000 UK and international students for full-time undergraduate courses at over 380 universities and colleges across the UK. Over 140,000 international applicants use UCAS each year to discover and apply to their university or college of choice.
UCAS also provides a wide range of research, consultancy, and advisory services to schools, colleges, careers services, professional bodies, and employers. It works with a global network of over 8,000 registered centres to provide support and tools, including an Adviser Portal, cycle toolkits, and dedicated webinars for those who in turn support students and their parents.
Key Contacts:
International Development Lead: Des Cutchey
www.ucas.com