New England Association of Schools and Colleges
Encyclopedia
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC) is the U.S. regional accreditation
association providing educational accreditation
for all levels of education, from pre-kindergarten
to the doctoral level, in the six-state New England
region. It also provides accreditation for some international school
s, particularly at the elementary and secondary levels. Founded in 1885, it is the oldest of the regional accreditors in the United States
.
NEASC serves more than 2000 public and independent school
s, colleges and universities in the six New England states of Connecticut
, Maine
, Massachusetts
, New Hampshire
, Rhode Island
and Vermont
. As of 2011, the NEASC counted 253 degree-granting colleges, universities, and other post-secondary institutions, and 86 vocational-technical school
s in its membership. The association's Commission on Public Secondary Schools had 650 member schools in the six-state New England region, including 641 accredited schools and nine candidates for accreditation. The Commission on Independent Schools had 615 members in New England and Canada
, including 577 accredited schools and 38 candidate schools. Membership also included about 106 accredited public elementary
and middle school
s in New England and 175 accredited American/International schools in 68 nations around the world.
The NEASC is headquartered in Bedford
, Massachusetts
.
Regional accreditation
Regional accreditation is a term used in the United States to refer to educational accreditation conducted by any of several accreditation bodies established to serve six defined geographic areas of the country for accreditation of schools, colleges, and universities...
association providing educational accreditation
Educational accreditation
Educational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
for all levels of education, from pre-kindergarten
Pre-Kindergarten
Pre-kindergarten refers to the first formal academic classroom-based learning environment that a child customarily attends in the United States. It begins between the ages of 3-5 depending on the length of the program...
to the doctoral level, in the six-state New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
region. It also provides accreditation for some international school
International school
An International school is loosely defined as a school that promotes international education, in an international environment, either by adopting an international curriculum such as that of the International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Examinations, or by following a national...
s, particularly at the elementary and secondary levels. Founded in 1885, it is the oldest of the regional accreditors in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
NEASC serves more than 2000 public and independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
s, colleges and universities in the six New England states of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
and Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. As of 2011, the NEASC counted 253 degree-granting colleges, universities, and other post-secondary institutions, and 86 vocational-technical school
Vocational-technical school
A vocational-technical school, often called a vo-tech school, is a high school in the United States and Canada designed to bring vocational and technical training to its students. Such skills become highly valuable to students entering into a vocational or technical field without first obtaining...
s in its membership. The association's Commission on Public Secondary Schools had 650 member schools in the six-state New England region, including 641 accredited schools and nine candidates for accreditation. The Commission on Independent Schools had 615 members in New England and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, including 577 accredited schools and 38 candidate schools. Membership also included about 106 accredited public elementary
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
and middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
s in New England and 175 accredited American/International schools in 68 nations around the world.
The NEASC is headquartered in Bedford
Bedford, Massachusetts
Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is within the Greater Boston area, north-west of the city of Boston. The population of Bedford was 13,320 at the 2010 census.- History :...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
See also
- Council for Higher Education AccreditationCouncil for Higher Education AccreditationThe Council for Higher Education Accreditation is a United States organization of degree-granting colleges and universities. It identifies its purpose as providing national advocacy for self-regulation of academic quality through accreditation in order to certify the quality of higher education...
- List of recognized accreditation associations of higher learning
- Educational accreditationEducational accreditationEducational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
- United States Department of EducationUnited States Department of EducationThe United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...