Mid-Atlantic colleges and universities, as well as virtually all elementary, middle, and high schools in the region, must answer to the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools when seeking accreditation. The organization. All is one of several regional accreditation bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and all accrediting bodies have unique differences. As part of this recognition, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is responsible for ensuring that all primary and secondary schools are aligning their curriculum with state and federal standards. At the collegiate level, it oversees the academic rigor and equity of degree programs at public and private institutions. Though not the largest such regional body in terms of square miles covered, the organization is one of the most academically influential.
Small Area, Big Importance: A Look at the Association’s Geographic Reach
The largest regional accreditation body in the United States might be the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, but the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is easily one of the most populous. The association covers the following major Mid-Atlantic States:
– Delaware
– District of Columbia
– Maryland
– New Jersey
– New York
– Pennsylvania
– Puerto Rico
– United States Virgin Islands
In addition to covering the nation’s capital, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools oversees several Ivy League degree programs, as well as some of the most prestigious and influential private schools in the country outside of that system. It also oversees major state universities with big influence nationwide, including the Pennsylvania State University, the University of Maryland, and the sweeping State University of New York system. It further governs all of the primary and secondary schools in this region, many of which are among the best in the country.
Colleges and Universities: Mid-Atlantic Region Commission on Higher Education
The Mid-Atlantic Region Commission on Higher Education is recognized by the Department of Education as one of the major regional bodies that can accredit degree-granting institutions. Since the federal government requires a regional accreditation in order for colleges and universities to offer Title IV financial aid programs to students, this is accreditation is central to the existence and very survival of higher learning institutions.
The commission’s work is essentially a seal of approval, which communicates to students that the programs are rigorous, in line with federal standards, and not out to exploit them. In a world where “diploma mills” have become much more common, this is a key way for colleges and universities to assert trustworthiness.
Primary and Secondary: Middle States Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools
Public and private elementary, middle, and high schools are accredited throughout the association’s geographic region by this sub-commission. The job of this commission is to verify that schools are enforcing academic honest policies, promoting rigorous studies at each grade level, and working to align schools with federal laws and directives. The commission also verifies the legitimacy of private institutions that exist outside of public funding and other, more centralized methods of accountability.
In addition to these institutions, the Middle States Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools accredits supplemental, vocational, and non-degree programs offered either during high school or “in between” high school and university programs. All told, that makes the Middle States Commission Association of Colleges and Schools one of the most influential educational bodies anywhere in the country, despite its relatively small footprint in terms of states covered.
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