Ann-Hua Chinese School Receives WASC Accreditation

Ann-Hua Association/Ann-Hua Chinese School is pleased to announce that Ann-Hua Chinese School has been granted accreditation status by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The announcement was made after the school completed a detailed school report and hosted an initial visit by fellow educators to examine the school program in relation to student learning and well-being based on the WASC criteria. The resulting initial visiting report that was reviewed by the WASC Commission summarized schoolwide strengths and growth areas for continuous improvement. This is a critical first step in the school’s continuous improvement journey that involves all stakeholders in a deeper analysis of its program based on the WASC criteria through the self-study/visit process.

“We are overjoyed and very proud. This is one of the few major milestones for the school.  We started almost 30 years ago from 15 students to now with over 400 students annually. Ann-Hua Chinese School has come a long way and we are motivated to do better moving forward, “says Dr. Lingzhi Chen, Principal (Academics) of Ann-Hua Chinese School.   

“The visiting committee was particularly impressed with their initial visit report that was thorough and supported by appropriate evidence”, says Mr. Brian Jensen, the WASC visiting committee chair. “The SEP (Ann-Hua Chinese School) has developed a strong mission and purpose that guides their decision making. There is strong evidence of a collective commitment to the mission, purpose, and support for each student in the program. The Governing Board and administration team maintain a cooperative working relationship, which promotes the responsibility, accountability, and collaboration. They have strong relationships with parents and students who volunteer at the school, including serving on the Board, administration, and leadership. This is central to their “community-based” organizational philosophy. There is demonstration of student learning growth because of the program. “

The letter from WASC’s review committee also mentions some key areas of growth that Ann-Hua Chinese School is planning to work on. In terms of growth, Ann-Hua has developed and maintains an ongoing multi-year strategic plan that serves as their action plan. According to the plan, Ann-Hua will continue to focus on the further refinement of their assessment collection and analysis to integrate more formally internal and external data. Using their assessment data analysis protocols, continue to review and refine curricular offerings in a systematic way to ensure they include additional resources and academic supports to support identified student specific needs and strengthen supports to help students. Finally, Ann-Hua will continue to build on the work they have done in formalizing their documentation of policies and practices to further operationalize and institutionalize their guiding practices.

WASC accreditation validates the integrity of a school’s program and transcripts and assures a community that the school’s goals are appropriate and being accomplished through a viable education program. Furthermore, WASC accreditation is a certification to the public that the school is a trustworthy institution of learning and well-being that is committed to continuous improvement and high-quality learning and well-being for all students.

Through the WASC ongoing accreditation cycle, the school conducts an in-depth self-study, normally every five or six years, hosts a visit by fellow educators and engages all stakeholders in a follow-up process of implementing, monitoring, and refining the resulting schoolwide action plan.

About WASC: The Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), a world-renowned accrediting association and one of the six regional accrediting agencies in the United States, works closely with the Office of Overseas Schools under the U.S. Department of State. WASC aids schools worldwide, especially in California, Hawaii, Guam, Asia, the Pacific Region, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.  To learn more, please visit the WASC website at www.acswasc.org or contact the WASC office directly.