Shaping the future of international education

Questions

Contact info@cois.org if you need more information.

How we work with the IB and partner agencies

Helping schools align multiple accreditation cycles

The cyclical nature of school accreditation and curriculum evaluations can be challenging for schools to coordinate when working with multiple organizations. When they are not working in partnership, schools can feel like they are in a never-ending cycle of review, effort, and report, with little time to celebrate their achievements and enjoy the impact on their school community. That’s where our partnerships with the IB and accreditation agencies help schools to manage their evaluation cycles more efficiently and effectively. Here’s how it works.

Global Recognition of CIS International Accreditation

As a leader in the field of school evaluation and accreditation worldwide, we provide a unique international accreditation with a focus on the development of students as global citizens. The quality and rigour of CIS International Accreditation is recognized by ministries, departments of education, and universities around the world as demonstration of a school’s commitment to high quality international education and as a mark of quality assurance. Learn about the recognition of our protocol by country.

Updates and articles:

As we work across the world, we see information being interpreted in different ways. Sometimes this can be useful, and sometimes it lends to misunderstanding. At CIS we are often asked how an international schools accreditation impacts its students’ eligibility for university admissions internationally.

In working with the U.S. Department of Education, we heard they correct misinformation regularly about the recognition of diplomas conferred at international schools. We wanted to work together with U.S. Department of Education and Credential Evaluator organizations to check the facts and interpretations of information between school accreditation and insurance of secondary leaving credentials (high school diploma).
We have curated several resources to support learning in our membership community of schools and universities as well as with parents and students.

High School Diplomas: Student Assessment & School Accreditation
Jane Larsson and Katie Rigg answer frequently asked questions surrounding the role and interaction between the issuance of high school diplomas and school accreditation, specifically CIS International Accreditation. Watch video.

Panel Discussion: U.S. High School Diploma, Student Transcripts and School Accreditation
Bill Bellen, Senior Evaluator at the Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) and Rafael Nevarez, deputy Director of International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Education join Jane Larsson to help school counsellors, university admissions officers, students and their families understand how diplomas conferred at international schools are recognized around the world. Watch video.

CIS Briefing: Recognition of International Accreditation
Members frequently ask us to clarify how CIS International Accreditation is recognised in countries around the world. This briefing note provides a starting point as a useful summary of frequently asked questions to share with your community. Read online | Download.

  • The Netherlands: The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science have designated international or foreign schools that are or will be accredited by CIS as schools where pupils can fulfill their compulsory education in the Netherlands.
     
  • United States of America: The Council of International Schools is an approved accrediting agency for private elementary and secondary schools as identified by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The CIS Protocol is authorized via a Memoranda of Understanding as the basis and framework for dual accreditation internationally by three U.S. regional accreditation agencies: MSA, NEASC and WASC.
     
  • Canada: The Independent Schools Association of British Columbia (ISABC) recognizes the validity of CIS International Accreditation on a 5-year cycle as a mark of quality assurance as they consider schools for membership in the association, fulfilling their requirement for accreditation to ensure the highest educational, leadership and administration standards.
     
  • United Kingdom: The Council of British International Schools (COBIS), the British Schools of the Middle East (BSME) and the Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA) recognize the validity of CIS International Accreditation on a 5-year cycle as a mark of quality assurance as they consider schools for membership in their respective associations.
     
  • Read a white paper from Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) on the changing landscape of accreditation.

Your questions, answered:

We have prepared frequently asked questions for universities and school leaders, parents and students. Read more about the recognition of our protocol and download this resource to share with your colleagues and community.

Who Accredits CIS?

CIS is itself accredited by the International Council Advancing Independent School Accreditation (ICAISA), an over-arching professional association which “accredits the accreditors”. CIS is a member of ICAISA to influence and improve the accreditation of independent schools while submitting to the evaluation and validation of the quality of our own accreditation process. CIS has voluntarily submitted to a rigorous and impartial review of its accreditation protocol and has demonstrated adherence to ICAISA Criteria for Effective Independent School Accreditation Practices.

International Council Advancing Independent School Accreditation (ICAISA)