If you’ve ever looked at hybrid schools near you, accreditation is important. But why?

Accreditation is kind of like having a set of family boundaries that all family members agree to — things that are foundational to how the family operates. You may have an unwritten form of accreditation for your family. It could include speaking with kindness, being patient, and assuming the best about each other.

The accreditation process for a school is similar in that a school must meet, or exceed, specific characteristics in order to receive state accreditation.

At Learnwell, our local accreditation institution is the Georgia Accrediting Commission. One aspect of the GAC’s mission is “to establish standards promoting instruction of high quality for children in Georgia.”

In order for a school to obtain accreditation, there are several requirements.

Accreditation Requirements

The first accreditation requirement is to be a school that’s been in existence for at least one year. When Learnwell opened its North Georgia campus, the school needed to start pursuing accreditation after being open for its first year.

Another accreditation requirement is to employ highly-qualified teachers. Learnwell’s team of teachers is excellent; they are trained to offer a quality education for all grade levels.

Those teachers work hard to deliver another requirement for accreditation: excellent educational practices.

Finally, a large part of accreditation is ensuring the safety of the student body at any accredited educational institution. Learnwell has met all of the necessary safety protocols for the state of Georgia. This includes safety plans and having up-to-date safety equipment such as fire extinguishers.

Why Accreditation Is Important for Families

There are several reasons to look for a school that’s accredited when you are doing school research. Just as with a family who makes promises to one another about being responsible, kind, and assuming the best about one another, a school that’s accredited is making a promise to families.

That promise is for parents. Because Learnwell is accredited, we promise that:

Your child will receive a high-quality education.
Your family will be able to participate in Georgia student scholarship tax programs such as the Georgia GOAL.
As your child enters high school with Learnwell, the school takes on the responsibility of maintaining your child’s transcript as well as qualifying records for scholarships such as Zell Miller and the HOPE Scholarship.

How Hybrid Schools Near You Benefit from Accreditation

You might be wondering what benefit accreditation gives to Learnwell North Georgia and other hybrid schools near you. One of the main reasons hybrid schools near you, such as Learnwell, pursue accreditation is to help the families of those they serve.

The heart behind Learnwell’s existence has always been — first and foremost — to serve students and their families well so that students and families can thrive. Most schools who pursue accreditation want the absolute best for their students, which includes a high-quality education.

At Learnwell, we believe a high-quality education doesn’t have to come at the cost of mental health and family margin. In fact, a high standard of education is actually absorbed more by students whose time is not maxed out by simply filling seat time at school. It’s why, even in high school, our students attend classes just two days a week, with an optional third day as they dive deeper into electives that interest them.

While accreditation doesn’t take away from a hybrid model’s creative format, it does give the school opportunities to seek special funding such as grants, and it provides continual opportunities to evaluate, improve, and offer the very best to its students. Any school that wants to grow and continue to develop its educational standards, safety protocols, and attract highly-trained teachers is a school that benefits from accreditation.

Do you have additional questions about why accreditation is important at Learnwell? We’d love to hear from you. Just email us at [email protected]. You can also attend a Discover Learnwell information night to tour our facilities, find out more about what we offer, and ask questions in person.