11 things you should know about CIS
CIS stands for Council of International Schools, and is the leading accrediting organisation of international schools globally – 660 schools are either members or accredited + over 470 colleges and universities.
Schools can be regular members or accredited members. Regular membership is based on meeting a minimal criteria but accreditation is much tougher, more rigorous and more meaningful. Many of the world’s leading and established international schools are accredited or applying to be accredited.
Criteria – CIS accredit schools who meet a) a quality standard and b) commit to their long term process of a review and reauthorisation cycle every 5 and 10 years.
Significant Benefits of accreditation are: a long term commitment to quality assurance in all areas of school life, it makes schools sustainable, it attracts new students (albeit parents) and teachers.
The accreditation timeline is usually about eighteen months to two years. ABIS’s accreditation visit is on November 25th – December 1 2016. We are about to start surveying our community and need your feedback!
There are 6 stages to the entire process: 1) A Preliminary Report by the school 2) A Preliminary Visit by CIS 3) An Endicott College survey of the community and a part one report including data on the school and findings from the survey 4) 7 self study groups using evidence to review the school’s 7 areas of operation known as ‘Standards’ 5) a final report based on this review 6) a final authorisation visit by a trained CIS team of experienced educators , which will use evidence to measure the school’s progress towards the ‘Standards’.
There are 7 quality standards that need to be met: (A) Guiding Statements (e.g. mission and vision), (B) Teaching and Learning, (C) Governance/Leadership (e.g. commitment and understanding), D) Faculty and support (e.g. fair staff contracts), (E) Access to Education (e.g. student support), (F) Culture and partnerships (e.g. parent communication and involvement). (G) Operations (e.g. financial good practice and facility quality).
8. There are four main things they are looking for: 1) that the school’s commitment to global citizenship, 2) that the school’s mission and vision guide its practice, 3) that the school is committed to student welfare, 4) that the school is fully committed to the CIS process.
9. The culture of CIS is about collaborative open and honest reflection on what we do well and what we can do better. Our ‘weaknesses’ should help form our strategic plan of improvement.
10. CIS are highly familiar with all of ABIS’s programmes but not connected with the IB (PYP and DP) or Cambridge (IGCSE) organisations.
11. All community members should know about CIS and the accreditation process involved, and demonstrate their commitment to becoming the second fully CIS accredited school in Oman after TAISM in Muscat.
For more info go to: http://www.cois.org/ and see accreditation
Thank you. Please email Leo Thompson on l.thompson@abisoman.com if you have any questions.