Light of Christ Catholic Schools has earned system accreditation by Cognia™, a nonprofit organization that provides quality assurance for schools, school districts, and education service providers.
 
Cognia, formerly AdvancED, nationally recognizes districts that meet rigorous standards that focus on productive learning environments, equitable resource allocation that meet the needs of learners, and effective leadership. Earning accreditation from the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission means that the system and all of its schools are accredited, and that Light of Christ Catholic Schools is recognized across the nation as a school system that meets Cognia Standards of Quality, and maintains a commitment to continuous improvement.
 
Dr. Mark A. Elgart, president and CEO of Cognia, stated, “Cognia System Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school system and its community on the primary goal of preparing lifelong learners in engaging environments where all students can flourish. Light of Christ Catholic Schools is to be commended for demonstrating that it has met high standards and is making progress on key indicators that impact student learning.”
 
In addition to the district-level accreditation, each school within Light of Christ Catholic Schools has also previously achieved the accreditation honor. St. Mary’s Central High School has been accredited since 1957. St. Mary’s Academy, Cathedral of the Holy Spirit Elementary, Saint Anne School and St. Mary’s Grade School were awarded accreditation in 2020.
 
“Systems accreditation as conferred by the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission provides Light of Christ Catholic Schools a nationally recognized mark of quality for our school system and each school within our system,” shared Gerald Vetter, President of Light of Christ Catholic Schools. “It demonstrates to our community our commitment to excellence, our openness to external review and feedback, and our desire to be the best we can be on behalf of the students we serve.”
 
To earn accreditation from Cognia, a school district also must implement a continuous process of improvement, and submit to internal and external review. School systems in good standing can maintain their accreditation for a five-year term.

Cognia is the parent organization of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). Parents and interested community members can learn more about the Cognia Accreditation at cognia.org.