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APPLICATION PROCEDURES  

for Prospective Schools

What are the first steps for initiating the MNSAA accreditation process?

A prospective school seeking accreditation should make the following preliminary considerations before formally applying:

• Determine the desirability of membership through discussion with the entire school community:  principal, faculty, parents, governing authority, etc.

• Review the standards, guidelines and expectations of the Association.  Consider the implications for the school and make note of and plans to address any serious deficiencies the school may have in regards to standards.

• Contact the MNSAA office for help or further information.

Initial Application Requirements

        To make a formal application, the following requirements should be submitted to the MNSAA Office:

1.  Joint Letter of Intent from School Administration and the Governing Authority

 The letter should include the following elements:

• A statement indicating the reasons the school is seeking accreditation.

• A statement indicating that the governing authority is committed to ensure the school meets all requirements for accreditation.

• A statement with documentation indicating that the Application Process, the MNSAA Standards, the School Strategic Plan process, and the general accreditation process have been reviewed with the governing authority (School Board/Education Committee/Pastor).

• A statement with documentation indicating that the Application Process, the MNSAA Standards, the School Strategic Plan process, and the general accreditation process have been reviewed with the faculty/staff.

• A statement with documentation indicating that the parents of the students have been informed about the accreditation process.

• Documentation should be included indicating specifically how and when the accreditation  information has been reviewed with (1) the governing authority, (2) the faculty/staff, and (3) the parents.  (Examples of documentation could include governing authority minutes, corporate resolutions, faculty meeting minutes, faculty newsletters, parent newsletters, etc.) The Joint Letter is due twelve (12) months prior to a proposed onsite visitation date.

         2.  Complete Candidacy Application Form and Send to MNSAA Office

                Click here to obtain Candidacy Application Form

 

        3.  Payment of Application Fee  

Click here to see current Fee Schedule.

       Initial Review

Upon receipt of the Candidacy Application Form and the Joint Letter, the Executive Director will make a preliminary visit or at his/her discretion assign a representative of the Association to do so.

 

The purpose of a visit is to review the required on-site documents and ascertain the readiness of the school to continue the application process. A written report of the findings will be submitted to the MNSAA Board of Directors. The Executive Director shall also communicate the findings to the administrator of the prospective member school.

 

If the findings are that the school has not met the initial application requirements, the report will to outline the necessary actions the school needs to undertake to satisfy the requirements.

If the findings are that the school has met the initial application requirements, the school shall be granted Candidacy Status within the Association.

Upon Candidacy Status, the school shall be granted a period of two years to finish the process which includes the completion of the Self-Study, a School Strategic Plan and the On-Site Accreditation Team Visit. If the MNSAA process is not completed within the two year time frame, the school shall be required to begin the application procedures anew.

MNSAA Board of Directors Accreditation Determination

Following the On-Site Visit, the team will create a report to be distributed to the School and the MNSAA Board of Directors.  This report will include the findings and recommendations from their visit.  At the nearest scheduled meeting, the Board will make a determination as to the Accredited Status of the school.

School Response to Team Report

Following the On-Site Visit and MNSAA Board Determination, schools are responsible for responding to the Team Report. Specifically, schools are required to provide a narrative response to the challenges and recommendations raised by the team and submit a revised School Strategic Plan to the MNSAA office. The revised School Strategic Plan should include significant challenges and recommendations made by the visitation team as deemed appropriate  by the school community.

How much expense can we expect as we go through the process? 

There will be expenses associated with application as well as annual membership. These are dependent upon the size of your school. Generally, you could anticipate paying between $175-350 for the application fee. Member schools of MNSAA pay Annual Dues based on a sliding scale reflective of the number of students. Costs to a typical school range between $165-900. Services such as conferences and seminars are primarily supported by registration fees. There are additional expenses associated with accreditation renewal and onsite visits. The relatively small cost of services and benefits is possible due to the generosity of volunteers from member schools who share their time and talent. Additionally, many schools share our basic overhead costs.

What is the overall timeline for completing the accreditation process?

Upon Candidacy Status, the school shall be granted a period of two years to finish the application process which includes the completion of the Self-Study, Strategic Plan and the On-Site Accreditation Team Visit. If the MNSAA Self-Study Process and On-Site Visit are not completed within the two year time frame, the school shall be required to begin the application procedures anew.  Revised School Strategic Plans are due within six (6) months following the On-Site Accreditation Visit.

Is our preschool eligible for accreditation?

Preschools are not accredited by MNSAA. The State of Minnesota exempts certain preschools from licensure from the Department of Human Services. To obtain this exemption the preschool must enroll only children who are 33 months or older for no more than four hours per day, have no more than 20 children at any one time, and be operated by a nonpublic school which is accredited by a recognized agency such as MNSA.

For more information on application procedures, contact Sarah Mueller at 651/256-7588 or smueller@mnsaa.org.