Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, also popularly known as the Middle States Association (MSA), is a Philadepia-based, voluntary, and non-profit organization. It undertakes peer evaluation and awards regional accreditation to public and private schools in the Mid-Atlantic United States and certain foreign institutions of American origin.
The association is a consortium of three separate commissions, operating in elementary, secondary, and higher education:
- Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools (MSCES)
- Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools (MSCSS)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
The MSCES and the MSCSS, jointly known as the MSA-CESS, operate together. However, the MSCHE accredited higher educational institutions and has operated separately from the other two commissions, since 2013. Moreover, the MSCSS accreditation is granted to post-secondary schools that do not confer degrees or offer technical programs. The MSA-CESS as of 2024 accredits over 3000 public and private schools throughout the United States and in 100+ countries around the globe.