WASC Words
Spring 2025 Newsletter
Department of Education 'Dear Colleague' Letter
Odie J. Douglas, WASC Commission Chairperson and Barry R. Groves, WASC President
On February 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education issued a letter clarifying how the 2023 Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action impacts institutions receiving federal funding. This letter, titled "Dear Colleague Letter: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act in Light of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard," outlines the Department's interpretation of Title VI and the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause.
The guidance mandates compliance within 14 days to avoid losing federal funds and applies to all institutional functions, including admissions, financial aid, hiring, training, and programs offered directly or through contracts. The Department also indicated further legal guidance will follow.
WASC emphasizes that it will not impose requirements that jeopardize school funding. However, WASC is committed to ensuring equitable educational outcomes for all students and supports member schools in their efforts to achieve this.
Chairperson's Update
Odie J. Douglas, WASC Commission Chairperson
Celebrating Our Collective Commitment to Academic Excellence for ALL Students
Greetings Friends and Colleagues!
As we embrace the latter part of the 2024-25 school year, we want to acknowledge and celebrate the dedicated, hard work of our worldwide WASC accredited schools to maintain high academic standards for ALL students. We also express sincere gratitude and appreciation to our awesome WASC visiting committee members and chairs, as well as the outstanding WASC staff members and leadership, for their continuous support and outreach to our members.
The commitment to academic excellence goes beyond curriculum and instruction, it is a reflection of a shared belief that each and every student has the right to learn, achieve, and thrive. Across our schools, this profound belief comes to life through intentional actions that ensure high-quality learning experiences for all students — especially those who have been historically underserved.
What a School Focused on Learning Looks and Feels Like
Disaggregated Student Achievement Data Results: Schools systematically gather and analyze formative and summative student achievement data results on a regular basis to identify strengths, gaps, and areas of growth — creating targeted plans to meet the needs of all students, knowing them individually by name and need.
Equitable Access to Rigorous Curriculum: All students, regardless of background, have access to challenging, standards-aligned coursework, innovative programs, and high-quality instruction that prepares them to be college, career, and future ready.
Purposeful Professional Learning: Educators continuously engage in professional learning focused on culturally responsive teaching, differentiated instruction, and effective data analysis.
Student Voice/Agency and Advocacy: Schools foster safe, supportive environments where students actively contribute to conversations about their learning experiences and advocate for their own success.
Collaborative Partnerships: Schools cultivate strong connections and engagement with families, community members, and educational partners to support and promote students’ academic and personal growth.
Belonging and Respect: Students feel seen, safe, valued, and understood as unique individuals. Their cultures, identities, and experiences are recognized, celebrated, and integrated meaningfully into the overall teaching and learning process.
Hope and Possibility: Students feel inspired to dream boldly, set ambitious goals, and believe that their future is filled with immense opportunity and purpose.
As we celebrate the encouraging progress made, we must recommit ourselves to the continuous journey of ensuring academic excellence for all students. Our WASC accredited schools stand as bright beacons of relentless possibility — showing what is attainable when educational equity, excellence, and an unwavering belief in student potential become the core foundation of the service we provide to our scholars and their families.
Together, let us keep raising the bar and breaking down barriers so every student — no matter their background, story, or starting point — can and will achieve success and thrive in school and beyond.
President's Update
Barry R. Groves, President
The landscape of education is currently navigating a period of significant complexity and adversity, presenting schools and educational institutions with a multitude of unprecedented challenges. During such demanding times, it becomes paramount that we cultivate and maintain a sense of unwavering hope. I personally hold a deep-seated optimism that our various organizations, those dedicated to the advancement of learning, will demonstrate remarkable resilience and fortitude as they confront these obstacles.
As has been articulated in articles within this WASC newsletter, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering an equitable and inclusive educational environment for every student, regardless of their background or circumstances. We believe that access to a high-quality education is a fundamental right, and we are dedicated to dismantling barriers that impede its realization. Furthermore, we are deeply invested in the process of school accreditation, viewing it as a critical mechanism for providing our member schools with the support and guidance necessary to embark on and sustain their continuous improvement journeys. Accreditation, in our view, is not merely a bureaucratic process, but rather a collaborative partnership that empowers schools to refine their practices, enhance their programs, and ultimately, better serve their students.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we place immense value in the unwavering dedication and profound passion that educators bring to their craft. We recognize that teachers, administrators, and support staff are the heart and soul of our educational system, and their tireless efforts are essential to the success of our students. We acknowledge the sacrifices they make, the extra hours they dedicate, and the unwavering commitment they demonstrate in nurturing the intellectual and personal growth of each individual they serve. It is this dedication, this unwavering belief in the transformative power of education, that fuels our own hope for the future, and reinforces our belief that, together, we can overcome any challenge that lies ahead.
WASC Reimagining Update: Moving Forward Together
We are excited to share significant progress in WASC's initiative to reimagine the accreditation process, making it more meaningful and efficient. After carefully reviewing and synthesizing feedback from our educational community, we have launched a pilot program with a set of comprehensive high schools from diverse geographic regions across California scheduled for the 2025-2026 year. With the pilot school templates and protocols now finalized, we have established a strong foundation for our new approach that includes a streamlined 12-month self-study process, auto-populated public school data, and greater opportunities for student voice and community engagement.
As we move forward with this initiative, our team is developing training modules to support both our schools and WASC members in implementing these changes. The reimagined process upholds our commitment to educational excellence while introducing key improvements including streamlined reporting, embedded reflection rubrics, and more efficient three-day site visits. These changes will foster meaningful reflection, strengthen continuous improvement efforts, and enhance student support service — all while preserving the high standards that define WASC accreditation.
Click here for a list of schools participating in the pilot. For questions about the reimagining process, please contact: reimaginingwasc@acswasc.org.
AAIE Awards: Dr. Marilyn George, Hall of Fame and Dr. Gregory Hedger, Outstanding Service
Congratulations to Dr. Marilyn George, WASC Executive Vice President and Dr. Gregory Hedger, WASC EARCOS Commissioner. Both Dr. George and Dr. Hedger received awards at the Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE) 59th Global Leadership Conference held recently in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Marilyn George, was inducted into the AAIE Hall of Fame. This prestigious honor recognizes her decades of dedicated service to international schools and her profound impact on accreditation and school improvement. Dr. George's leadership and contributions have been truly transformative, shaping the future of education on a global scale.
Thanks to our Visiting Committee Chairs and Members
We would like to thank all those who serve on our accreditation visits. WASC would not be able to offer its accreditation services without the support of our visiting committee members and chairs. We are truly grateful for their dedication, expertise, and commitment to upholding the highest standards in accreditation.
