Christian Schools Awarded ACSI Exemplary Accreditation Status

By: David Harding

Three Christian schools, Oaks Christian School (OCS) in Westlake Village, CA, Calvary Christian High School (CCHS) in Clearwater, FL, and Scottsdale Christian Academy (SCA) in Phoenix, recently earned ACSI’s Exemplary Accreditation status. They will be acknowledged on stage at FSi Dallas in February 2026.

ACSI Exemplary Accreditation is designed for high-performing schools that seek accountability to higher standards across all programs and operations. Schools must not only meet Inspire standards and indicators at effective or highly effective levels but also demonstrate sustained excellence through the additional criteria in the Exemplary Addendum.

Exemplary schools show a proven history of excellence in governance, leadership, school viability, academics, student learning, spiritual formation, and school culture. They are defined by a vibrant, Christ-centered ethos and a clear commitment to continuous improvement, using stakeholder feedback, multiple data sources, and past accreditation findings to guide ongoing school growth.

Oaks Christian School’s journey to ACSI Exemplary Accreditation was a carefully planned, multi-phase process that built on its existing WASC and SAIS accreditations. After the school board approved the initiative in fall 2024, the school completed the Crosswalk application, received standard ACSI accreditation in March 2025, and then launched the Exemplary Addendum process in June. A steering committee and domain subcommittees led the work, submitting the addendum in August, hosting a three-day visit in late September, and receiving approval in December.

Reflecting on the process, Rachel Morales, Academic Dean, Grades 4-8 and Director of Academic Data & Accreditation, noted that the school was well prepared due to prior accreditation cycles and experienced leadership teams: “Team members from our previous self-study were largely part of our steering committee and domain subcommittees, which made the process go smoothly.” She also highlighted the support from ACSI, sharing that “Jamie Canterbury provided outstanding support and guidance,” helping ensure clarity, training, and continuity throughout.

Morales emphasized that ACSI accreditation brought a distinct depth of reflection by centering every aspect of the school on biblical worldview integration. “The difference in going through the accreditation process with ACSI is the intentionality of thinking through every part of our school program through a biblical worldview,” she said. The process affirmed existing strengths, clarified areas for growth, and reinforced the school’s mission-driven identity. “It was a constant reminder of how our mission drives everything we do at OCS,” she explained, noting that the Exemplary Addendum also deepened program evaluation, purpose, and future goal setting.

As a school, OCS stands out as a top-tier, Christ-centered, college-preparatory institution known for its “triple threat” of academic excellence, artistic expression, and athletic distinction. Its distinctives include specialized Signature Institutes, elite facilities, nationally recognized athletics, exceptional college outcomes, a global boarding program, multiple accreditations, and a holistic formation model that integrates faith, character, leadership, and service, making OCS both academically elite and deeply mission driven.

Calvary Christian High School approached ACSI accreditation as a long-term process of continuous improvement. Preparation began immediately after the school’s 2020 renewal, with an intentional evaluation of systems, curriculum, and biblical worldview integration in anticipation of the 2026 visit. Reflecting on this approach, Head of School David Kilgore explained that the process was “a rigorous, multi-year journey of continuous school improvement,” one that engaged the entire community as the school pursued exemplary accreditation. He emphasized the value of external insight, noting that the visiting team’s “observation and evaluation was so valuable to ensure we are fulfilling our mission with excellence.”

Kilgore described the experience as deeply positive and unifying for the school. Rather than viewing accreditation as a burden, the staff embraced it as a shared mission. “Rather than seeing it as a hurdle, we viewed it as a ‘spiritual and academic health check’ that brought our team closer and sharpened our collective vision for CCHS,” he said.

Through the process, the school strengthened its commitment to data-informed growth and stakeholder engagement. Kilgore noted that examining standardized test results led to stronger curriculum alignment and improved assessment practices, while listening to the “rhythms” of the school community revealed the need for clearer, shared language around biblical worldview integration. This resulted in targeted teacher training and more cohesive instruction. As he summarized, “ACSI’s framework ensures that our improvement isn’t just academic; it’s thoroughly biblical, impacting every area of school life.”

As a ministry of Calvary Church, CCHS is distinctively shaped by the Great Commission. Kilgore explained that while the school pursues excellence in academics, athletics, and the arts, “excellence is empty without intentional evangelism and discipleship.” The school’s defining strength is its deep commitment to biblical worldview immersion. “We don’t just teach the Bible as a subject,” said Kilgore, “we strive to weave its redemptive truth into every lesson, extracurricular activity, and interaction, which prepares students not only for college, but for a lifetime of faith grounded in Jesus Christ.”

Scottsdale Christian Academy’s accreditation journey was a deeply collaborative, school-wide process that engaged faculty, staff, and leadership throughout the 2024–25 school year. Dr. Brent Hodges, Superintendent, described the self-study as something that “from the very beginning … was a collaborative effort that engaged our entire faculty and staff,” intentionally structured through domain teams, evidence gathering, and shared reflection. “The process fostered meaningful collaboration across faculty, staff, and administration, uniting us around a shared purpose as we considered both strengths and areas for growth.”

Central to the work was a culture of reflection and accountability. Hodges emphasized that one of the greatest values of the process was “the opportunity for genuine self-assessment,” particularly in strengthening the school’s use of data to inform instruction and build trust within the community. The self-study also highlighted strong governance, with Hodges pointing to the Board of Directors’ commitment to policy governance as a defining strength that provides the school with “a strong sense of direction—our ‘True North.’”

Rather than viewing accreditation as a single milestone, SCA sees it as a continuous journey. As Hodges explained, “SCA is committed to viewing accreditation as an ongoing journey rather than a single event,” with active documentation, annual evidence updates, and continuous reflection woven into the life of the school.

The process was both affirming and growth oriented. Hodges shared that it gave faculty and staff “a fuller picture of the many intentional efforts and programs happening across campus,” while also helping the school identify areas for continued improvement. The visiting teams affirmed SCA’s mission alignment, Christ-centered culture, and excellence in governance and leadership.

Accreditation also strengthened SCA’s instructional and spiritual focus. Hodges explained that the school intentionally moved “beyond collecting data to using it purposefully and consistently,” adopting tools like NWEA MAP Growth to improve instructional planning and student-centered decision making. At the same time, the process deepened biblical worldview integration through professional development that grounds learning in the biblical story of “creation, fall, redemption, and restoration,” helping students see their education as part of God’s larger mission.

What ultimately distinguishes SCA, according to Hodges, is its unwavering Christ-centered identity. “What sets us apart is our clear and consistent commitment to placing Christ at the center of all we do,” he said. While the school offers distinctive programs in STEM, athletics, and leadership development, Hodges emphasized that its greatest distinction is its mission-driven foundation: “We believe the most important distinction is our grounding in our mission and our focus on Christ, and we refuse to let that get watered down.”