Using the Standards: Introduction

 As noted in the Preamble to the Standards of Accreditation Links to an external site.,

Accreditation is about quality assurance for various publics and ongoing improvement for theological schools, especially regarding student learning and formation. It is a voluntary process through which schools mutually assure one another’s educational quality with an eye toward ongoing improvement, based on standards. Through self-review, a school has regular opportunities to reflect intentionally on its distinctive strengths and its areas of desired growth in light of its unique mission and distinct context and in light of the standards. Self-review then supports the school’s efforts in planning, evaluation, and imagination. Through peer review, an accredited school is endorsed by its peers as one of quality and integrity, which affirms the school’s value to society, as well as its trustworthiness.

The Commission Standards themselves serve as an expression of the shared wisdom of the ATS membership regarding important principles for quality theological education. Schools are asked to evaluate themselves, not only on the basis of their own mission and purpose, but also in relation to these shared standards. Thus, when schools are engaging in the self-study process, they want to do so not in isolation but as part of an ongoing conversation and interaction with a wider lens and broader audience. Concretely, this takes the form of a self-evaluation process that is grounded in the Commission Standards, and where “effectiveness” is determined not only in light of the school’s own goals and outcomes but also the shared wisdom of member schools. The ALO is responsible to know the Standards so that they can guide the school accordingly. 

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