Grace Christian Academy is accredited by International Christian Accrediting Association (ICAA) and AdvancEd. GCA holds memberships with the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC), Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), TAPPS and NCAA.
The Association of Christian Schools International was founded in 1978, the outgrowth of a merger of three associations: The National Christian School Education Association (NCSEA), The Ohio Association of Christian Schools (OACS) and the Western Association of Christian Schools (WACS). Today, ACSI’s membership includes more than 5,000 schools from approximately 100 countries with an enrollment of more than one million students. Schools that apply for ACSI accreditation must commit to self-study and analysis; a comparison to established standards; an assessment of the school mission; a commitment to quality education; and a willingness to be accountable. The ACSI accreditation program was one of the first programs to be officially recognized by the National Council for Private School Accreditation (NCPSA). GCA is a member in good standing of ACSI.
The International Christian Accrediting Association first awarded accreditation in 1987. ICAA was developed in a pilot program via the Oral Roberts University Educational Fellowship. As of January 2000, more than 150 elementary/secondary schools were involved at some stage of the ICAA accreditation process. The purpose of ICAA is to assist in continual improvement for Christian schools that exhibit credibility of performance, integrity and quality. ICAA is both evaluative and educative. In the evaluation process, the Association has established standards and criteria by which it reviews its members and determines their advancement to different status levels of accreditation. In the educative process, ICAA provides materials, workshops, seminars and access to Christian professional educators to assist each school develop quality Christian educational programs. GCA earned ICAA accreditation in 2000, and re-accreditation in 2005 and 2010.
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), founded in 1937, is an organization of nearly 16,000 professionals from around the world dedicated to serving students as they make choices about pursuing postsecondary education. NACAC is committed to maintaining high standards that foster ethical and social responsibility among those involved in the transition process, as outlined in the NACAC Statement of Principles of Good Practice (SPGP). GCA is a member of NACAC.
Cognia, formally known as AdvancED, is the unified organization of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). Cognia is dedicated to advancing excellence in education worldwide through accreditation, research, and professional services. Cognia creates the world’s largest education community, representing 27,000 public and private schools and districts across the United States and in 65 countries worldwide, educating 15 million students. NCA CASI and SACS CASI schools share a unified, clear and powerful accreditation process designed to help schools continuously improve. GCA is a member of Cognia.
The TAPPS commits to building leadership, fellowship, fair play and sportsmanship of students enrolled in the organization’s member schools in the areas of academics, athletics and fine arts by providing wholesome competition for young men and women. NCAA’s goal is for the student athlete to have success on the field, in the classroom and in life. GCA is unified with these organizations for the benefit of our students striving for excellence in all facets of student life.