Education is a government-mandated requirement in most countries for children up to a certain age. Parents usually have the option of sending their children to private schools rather than government-sponsored public schools. Private schools, in most cases, must be accredited in order to be considered a legitimate alternative to public schools. The most important is government-recognized accreditation, but other regional or organization-based accreditations are frequently available. The type of private school accreditation a school receives is determined in part its location and the accreditation bodies available, but also the school’s nature and the overall quality of education it provides.
The main goal of private school accreditation is to demonstrate that the education provided behind closed doors meets or exceeds national standards through objective means. When parents pay to send their child to a private school, they want some assurance that the education their child will receive is on par with or better than what they would receive at a public school. The government is also interested in ensuring that private education is of high quality. Before allowing a child to opt out of public education, governments usually require proof that a private option is at least equivalent to a state option.
Independent accreditation bodies or private school accreditation agencies provide the majority of private school accreditation. These organizations are usually made up of consortia of private schools in similar locations. In many ways, the schools police each other, holding one another accountable for maintaining high standards. Accreditation usually necessitates membership in these accreditation groups as well as a long-term commitment to the accreditation standards.
Independent accreditation organizations frequently seek government approval for their efforts. National governments rarely accredit private schools themselves, but they will frequently recognize independent accreditation bodies that meet certain criteria. Curriculum, quality of faculty, hours of class time, and average standardized test scores are just a few of the requirements for becoming an accredited private school.
In order to market itself as a viable alternative to public school, a private elementary or secondary school must usually be accredited a government-recognized accreditation body. There are, however, other types of accreditation. A church or diocese, for example, may accredit a private school if it is religiously affiliated. Accreditation bodies exist in some states and cities that will accredit specific schools. The accreditation requirements for these so-called “specialty” groups vary, and whether the school is recognized the state as providing an acceptable education has little bearing on whether it is granted or denied accreditation.
At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, private colleges and universities can receive accreditation from private schools. Governments are typically not as involved in higher education accreditation as they are in elementary and secondary school accreditation because university-level education is not a national requirement of any country. Nonetheless, most governments are concerned with ensuring that private colleges and universities operating within their borders meet certain educational standards. As a result, governments frequently collaborate with private school accreditation bodies that regulate private colleges and universities in order to help them set standards and enforce minimum requirements.