WASC Accreditation

WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) is an academic body responsible for the accreditation of schools.
Pacifica High School has achieved full WASC accreditation since its establishment in 2001.

During the 2017-2018 school year, Pacifica High School worked with all stakeholders to assess its programs and impacts on student learning with respect to the ACS WASC criteria/indicators and produced a complete self-study report. In March of 2018, a WASC committee visited PHS, gathered evidence and feedback, and provided Pacifica with a report.

All reports and can be found below:

• Focus on Learning Self-Study, published in Winter of 2017
• Visiting Committee Report, published in March of 2018
• Mid-Cycle Report, published in November of 2020

 

What does WASC accreditation mean for a school?

• WASC accreditation means a school is focused on setting a mission and goals for its learners.
• The school is student-oriented and examines student performance continuously, accepting objective evaluation from a team of outside peer professionals trained by ACS WASC.
• The school also maintains a qualified faculty within an effectively organized school, and it collaboratively assesses the quality of its educational programs on a regular basis, making plans for the future.

 

Why is WASC accreditation important?

• Assures a school community that the school’s purposes are appropriate and being accomplished through a viable educational program and that it is a trustworthy institution for student learning.
• Validates the integrity of the school’s program and transcripts.
• Facilitates the transfer of credits to other schools, which is critical for college/university acceptance worldwide.
• Fosters the ongoing improvement of the school’s programs and operations to support student learning.
• Provides valuable insight from fellow educators visiting the school.
• Benefits schools that choose joint accreditation or other collaborative processes, such as ACS WASC/CDE.