Christian Schools of Florida
Accreditation Standards
Strand 3: Leading: Governance and Leadership
The school provides godly governance and leadership that promote student performance and school effectiveness within its mission and vision perspectives. The school has a clearly defined governance structure that adheres to recognized best governance practices allowing the leaders to advocate for and guard the school’s mission and vision, for the school head and professional staff to operate with sufficient freedom towards those ends, and for the school’s continued efforts towards effectiveness and improvement. Leaders provide clear direction and allocate sufficient human, material, and financial resources necessary to carry out high quality instruction and support programs. Leaders encourage among stakeholders/ministry partners collaboration and provide avenues to support the program with financial gifts and prayer. The school’s policies, procedures, practices, and organizational structure ensure equity of learning opportunities for all students admitted into the school and support for ongoing innovation and improvement.
3.A GOVERNANCE
In addressing the following Standards for this Strand, the school:
3.1
is incorporated as an independent Christian school or a ministry of a Bible-based
church guided by Reformed/transformational beliefs, with a written constitution and
bylaws containing adoption/incorporation dates.
church guided by Reformed/transformational beliefs, with a written constitution and
bylaws containing adoption/incorporation dates.
3.2
is an independent early childhood or day school, offering a quality academic program
in Christian education with written curriculum guides for all age/grade levels, and is
not an independent day care center, home school association, or boarding school.
in Christian education with written curriculum guides for all age/grade levels, and is
not an independent day care center, home school association, or boarding school.
In order to fulfill this standard, the school operates under a governing board that:
3.3
establishes written policies and procedures within a constitution, bylaws, and Board
manual that provide for the effective operation of the school.
manual that provide for the effective operation of the school.
3.4
recognizes and preserves by policy and practice the executive, administrative, and
leadership prerogatives of the administrative head of the school.
leadership prerogatives of the administrative head of the school.
3.5
ensures compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws, standards, and
regulations.
regulations.
3.6
maintains a high-level governance process that includes the following:
A.
Maintains an up-to-date policy manual and a separate record of all Board minutes.
B.
Adheres to the policies and processes contained in the policy manual for recruiting,
nominating, electing, selecting officers, and estimating the spiritual condition of all
candidates, nominees, and current Board members.
nominating, electing, selecting officers, and estimating the spiritual condition of all
candidates, nominees, and current Board members.
C.
Delegates executive and administrative functions to the chief administrative officer
who is recognized as the head of the school.
who is recognized as the head of the school.
D.
Has a written organizational plan of leadership that articulates the responsibilities,
accountabilities, and reporting systems from one level of leadership to the other.
accountabilities, and reporting systems from one level of leadership to the other.
E.
Maintains a strong, open relationship with the school head and annually conducts a
formal, written evaluation of her/his performance.
formal, written evaluation of her/his performance.
F.
Maintains, if a church-owned school, a strong, open relationship with the governing
body of the local church, and works to maintain a similar relationship between the
senior minister and the school head.
body of the local church, and works to maintain a similar relationship between the
senior minister and the school head.
G.
Maintains good communication and mutual respect between the board, the
administration, the faculty and staff, the parents, the students, and all other
ministry partners/stakeholders.
administration, the faculty and staff, the parents, the students, and all other
ministry partners/stakeholders.
H.
Involves all ministry partners/stakeholders in the process of maintaining and
evaluating continuous school improvement.
evaluating continuous school improvement.
I.
Employs a process to reflect on its performance collectively and individually in light
of the school’s mission and commitment to school improvement and student
performance.
of the school’s mission and commitment to school improvement and student
performance.
J.
Provides protection for Board members through Directors and Operators insurance,
and school personnel through adequate liability insurance (See ES 3.12[15][2][C])
and school personnel through adequate liability insurance (See ES 3.12[15][2][C])
3.7
If a proprietary school, the ownership of the school complies with A-I above, with the
following modifications:
following modifications:
A.
While not required to maintain a School Board for purposes of governing the school,
its written policies contain processes that ensure a healthy, professional
environment for faculty, support staff, and students, and processes that ensure
school and parent relationships that are expected for all other member schools.
its written policies contain processes that ensure a healthy, professional
environment for faculty, support staff, and students, and processes that ensure
school and parent relationships that are expected for all other member schools.
B.
The Articles of Incorporation shall be considered the equivalency to by-laws
required of non-profit schools for purposes of determining suitability for associate
membership and/or accredited membership in CSF.
required of non-profit schools for purposes of determining suitability for associate
membership and/or accredited membership in CSF.
3.B LEADERSHIP
In addressing the following Standards for this Strand, the school:
3.8
Employs a system that provides for analysis and review of student performance and
school effectiveness.
school effectiveness.
3.9
Fosters a learning community.
3.10
Exemplifies a servant spirit exercised through high quality spiritual, professional
leadership.
leadership.
3.11
Provides teachers and students opportunities to lead and to innovate.
3.12
Provides stakeholders/ministry partners meaningful roles in the decision-making
process that promote a culture of participation, responsibility, and ownership
process that promote a culture of participation, responsibility, and ownership
3.13
Controls all business, financial, curricular, extracurricular and support activities that
are sponsored by the school.
are sponsored by the school.
3.14
Employs a process for ongoing feedback from the leadership, instructional staff and
support staff in order to ascertain the degree of satisfaction and motivation
experienced in the school towards school improvement and student performance.
support staff in order to ascertain the degree of satisfaction and motivation
experienced in the school towards school improvement and student performance.