ISACS is pleased to offer a wide range of services and resources to our members.
A Highly Respected Accreditation Program
In a typical semester ISACS organizes approximately 135 visiting team members for 20 school visits.
A full-scale accreditation program for each member school every seven years, conducted by a team of highly respected teachers and administrators
Detailed reports on school visits to guide program development and strategic planning for schools
Over 500 schools accredited since services began in 1961
Joint accreditation by North Central Association (schools do not pay additional dues to NCA)
A Strong Collegial Community
ISACS members have immediate access to a strong network of colleagues committed to supporting one another in advancing all aspects of the independent school experience.
A democratic governance structure with teachers and administrative representation on the ISACS Board of Trustees
Liaison with and access to national, regional and state associations such as the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), The Council for American Private Education (CAPE), the College Board, and a variety of other independent school organizations.
Assistance with marketing through strong advocacy for independent education
An annual conference specifically for school heads on current independent school trends
Consulting Services
ISACS provides direct and immediate support for members who are confronting difficult issues as well as in-depth and sustained support in developing programs of excellence. ISACS offers consultations on the following topics.
Governance issues, conflict management, and strategic planning by the President (travel expenses only).
Mentoring programs for teachers, facilitating teacher services committees and supporting teacher representatives by the Director of Professional Development (travel expenses only).
Visiting team leader trainings, accreditation "kick-off" workshops by the Director of Accreditation Services and Coordinator of Accreditation Services (travel expenses only).
Implementation and analysis of the Independent School Survey by the President of the Kensington Group, Inc. (see fee structure here.)
Resources and Information
Clear, accurate, informative data is essential for planning, implementation and evaluation of programs. ISACS communicates with members regularly through several venues.
A library of resources on www.isacs.org, including monographs on topics germane to independent school leadership, governance, and operations.
Research-based collection of regional statistics on enrollment tuition, salaries, budgets, annual giving, enrollment, attrition, etc.
A periodic communications to heads of schools containing professional and legal information, as well as news from member schools.
"Hotline" assistance at info@isacs.org for schools, administrators, faculty members, the media, prospective students and parents, etc.
Professional Development
With a tradition of excellence in the area of professional development, ISACS continually strives to offer innovative learning events on a full range of topics using a variety of formats.
Workshops and seminars, some in cooperation with national, state, or local educational associations.
An annual conference in the fall, with a major emphasis on leadership for teachers, trustees, and administrators.
An annual heads of schools conference in the winter focusing on leadership and management issues.
An annual institute in the winter targeted for veterans of the teaching profession.
An institute specifically for division heads.
An annual New Teacher Institute in the summer, to provide support for teachers during their critical early years in the profession.
An institute to support teachers and administrators in understanding how to effectively mentor both new and experienced teachers.
One-hour Learning Bridge Audio Seminars, which schools can access from the comfort of their school. Gather a group from your school, listen in and view speaker support materials and post questions on-line. (Internet access is highly recommended but not necessary). Learning Bridges are easy to use and economical.
