NLSA accredits 127 Lutheran schools

Teacher Nancy Spitzack talks with student Josiah Knox at Lutheran Special School & Education Services, located at Milwaukee Lutheran High School. (LCMS/Erik M. Lunsford)

At its annual meeting July 26 in St. Louis, the National Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA) commission accredited 127 Lutheran schools.

Most of the accreditations were renewals for schools that previously earned the distinction.

NLSA accreditation is granted for five-year cycles.

Terry Schmidt, director of School Ministry for the Synod and director of NLSA, indicated that throughout the past year, each of those newly accredited schools was involved in a “rigorous process of evaluation and self-study,” with its work “evaluated by a visiting team of professional educators who validated its strengths and action plan.

“This accomplishment is a high honor,” Schmidt said of NLSA accreditation.

He explained that for the accreditation-granting process by the commission, each of the 35 LCMS districts is entitled to one vote — from its NLSA commissioner or its education executive. He said that for several districts, the commissioner is the education executive. This year, 38 attended the commission meeting.

Currently, there are 692 NLSA-accredited schools that have successfully completed the self-study and evaluation process.

“Schools involved with the NLSA process are committed to continuous ongoing improvement through the development of a school action plan that reflects the work conducted during the self-study process,” Schmidt explained. “Additionally, schools are held accountable for continuing improvement and progress by their district accreditation commission throughout the five-year accreditation cycle.”

The Synod supports the work of 2,068 Lutheran schools — 1,173 early-childhood centers, 804 elementary schools and 91 high schools.

For more information about NLSA and its accreditation process, send an email to Schmidt at terry.schmidt@lcms.org.

Posted August 30, 2016