Middle States Accreditation

St. Leo’s is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.  The accreditation was awarded in November 2008 after the school completed the self-study portion of the review by the Commission on Elementary Schools (MSCES) and hosted the onsite visit by the MSCES team the following fall.

The MSCES is a professional association whose purposes are to encourage, advance, assist and sustain educational quality as well as the integrity of education at all levels, from elementary through university. This non-government volunteer institution establishes criteria to measure (directly and indirectly) educational excellence and effectiveness through accreditation. Accreditation is their means of self-regulation and peer review, geared toward strengthening the quality and integrity of education, making it worthy of public confidence and minimizing external government control. These standards are qualitative statements that reflect research-based best practices in schools, and are primarily measured through self-study.

There are six standards used by Middle States to assess the strength of a program’s educational programming. The standards serve as a qualitative guide of what should be in place in an accredited school and point toward areas of potential self-improvement. They do not measure curriculum or student learning. The Self-Study Report by St. Leo addresses the school’s strengths and weaknesses and outlines its mission, goals and objectives.

Accreditation by MSCES is recognized around the world as an indication of trustworthiness, educational quality and a commitment to ongoing school improvement.

The binder containing the Middle States report is available for school families to review upon request.