HOME   ABOUT US   ACCREDITATION    GUIDELINES     APPLICATION PROCEDURES     SELF-STUDY

STANDARDS & INDICATORS    GOVERNANCE     SCHOOL STRATEGIC PLAN    MEMBER SCHOOLS    NEWS    LINKS

         GUIDELINES  

 Who May Seek Accreditation?

MNSAA accredits elementary and secondary nonpublic schools in the state of Minnesota which have been in existence for a minimum of two years. A nonpublic school is defined as a privately controlled organization wherein a resident of Minnesota may legally fulfill the compulsory instruction law. Furthermore, a nonpublic school is an institution of learning that has one unified mission and philosophy, one local governing authority, one administration, and one consistent curriculum.  A nonpublic school may consist of one or more buildings.

1.   Home schools, charter schools, or any school supported by public funds is not eligible for accreditation from MNSAA.

Though there are both nonprofit and for-profit nonpublic schools in existence, MNSAA only accredits 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.

Click here to download a copy of the MNSAA Candidacy Application forms.

 What is accredited status?

As a public statement, schools are either accredited or not accredited through the Minnesota Nonpublic School Accrediting Association. However, MNSAA has additional status definitions to identify accreditation for internal use.

ACCREDITED - A school, that in the judgment of the Board of Directors, has fully met the requirements of all policies and standards; or when it fails to meet one or more of the policies and standards, the resulting deficiency does not detract substantially from the school’s total educational program.

ACCREDITED Provisional  - A school, that in the judgment of the Board of Directors: (a) has not met one or more of the requirements of all policies and standards, whereby additional accountability is deemed beneficial for both the school and the Association; (b) has been granted an extension in its eligibility status; and/or (c) has been defined as a unique situation. Schools given provisional status will be notified in writing of the conditions, requirements, and timelines to satisfactorily address their accredited status. Accredited-Provisional schools may be required to submit interim progress reports in accordance with the conditions of their status. Throughout the provisional period, progress reports will be presented to the Board. At the end of the provisional period, the Board will make a final decision regarding the future accredited status of the school. During the time the school is on accredited-provisional status, it will be listed as Accredited.

ACCREDITED Probationary - A school, that in the judgment of the Board of Directors: (a) has not met one or more of the requirements of all policies and standards, whereby the resulting deficiency detracts from the school’s total educational program and its ability to provide a quality education to its students; (b) has consistently failed in making progress in removing deficiencies noted the previous year and/or conditions of a provisional status; or (c) has deliberately and unnecessarily violated one or more of the policies and/or standards. Schools given probationary status will be notified in writing of the conditions, requirements, and timelines to satisfactorily address their accredited status. Accredited-Probationary schools will be required to submit interim progress reports in accordance with the conditions of their status. Throughout the probationary period progress reports will be presented to the Board. If deemed necessary, the Executive Director and/or designee(s) shall conduct follow-up a visits). At the end of the probationary period, the Board will make a final decision regarding the accredited status of the school. During the time the school is on accredited-probationary status, it will be listed as Accredited.

NOT ACCREDITED - A school that in the judgment of the Board has: (a) failed to comply with the basic requirements and conditions of member schools; (b) has failed in addressing the conditions of probationary status; (c) has voluntarily requested to withdraw its membership; or (d) discontinues to operate as a school. A non-accredited school must wait a minimum period of one year before reapplying for accreditation.

CANDIDACY - A prospective member is a school that has filed an Application Form and payment of Application Fee. Candidacy status should not be equated with accreditation.

 What are MNSAA membership costs?

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.

 HOW is MNSAA governed?

A Board of Directors, comprised of a cross-section of MNSAA member schools and educational consultants, is elected and appointed to actively work with the Executive Director. Together they set the policies that serve the best interests of our association in support of quality educational practices.