Many of Hawaii’s charter schools are accredited schools or are seeking accreditation. 

What does being accredited mean?  According to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Schools  (WASC), accreditation means the following:

• Certification to the public that the school is a trustworthy institution of learning
• Validates the integrity of a school’s program and student transcripts
• Fosters improvement of the school’s programs and operations to support student learning
• Assures a school community that the school’s purposes are appropriate and being accomplished through a viable educational program
• A way to manage change through regular assessment, planning, implementing, monitoring and reassessment
• Assists a school/district in establishing its priority areas for improvement as a result of the perpetual accreditation cycle that includes
  • School self-assessment of the current educational program for students
  • Insight and perspective from the visiting committee
  • Regular school staff assessment of progress through the intervening years between full self-studies.

Charter schools are encouraged to become accredited.  However, a charter school can offer a viable, even excellent, educational program without being accredited.  A common misconception is that students that graduate from non-accredited public schools do not have valid diplomas.  This is false, as all diplomas offered by state public schools, including charter schools, are valid.

To search for Hawaii charter schools that are accredited by WASC, enter the search criteria (name of school, category, county/region) at http://www.acswasc.org/directory_search.cfm.

WASC also publishes an annual Directory of Schools (click here for the latest issue http://www.acswasc.org/pdf_general/WASC_Directory_latest.pdf)  The directory provides information about the schools currently accredited by WASC and those schools that have been granted the status of candidacy for a period of three years.