Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) is a California, USA-based accrediting agency that provides accreditation to public and private elementary and secondary schools, apart from the colleges and universities. WASC was founded in 1962 after a merger between two accrediting agencies: the Western Association of Schools and Colleges for Secondary Schools and the Western College Association.

Major Areas of Operation

WASC operates in the following countries and territories:

1. California
2. Hawaii
3. The territories of Guam
4. American Samoa
5. Northern Marianas Islands
6. The Marshall Islands
7. Federated States of Micronesia
8. Palau
9. The Pacific Rim
10. 10.Peru
11. The Czech Republic
12. 12.Armenia
13. 13.East Asia

WASC was a single organization with three units, until 2012 when it was separated into three organizations that share the WASC acronym as part of their name: the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), the Accrediting Commission for Schools (ACS WASC), and the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

Purpose and Responsibilities

WASC aims to foster excellence in elementary, secondary, adult, and postsecondary educational institutions and supplementary education programs.

Through a process of continuous evaluation, the commission motivates schools for improvement and recognizes them by granting accreditation after they meet an acceptable level of quality as per the established criteria.

Responsibilities Stated by the Commission:

• Establishing bylaws for the Commission’s governance
• Delineating criteria for accreditation
• Grant accreditation to worthy institutions
• Maintaining financial adequacy and resources
• Maintaining accurate and complete records of accreditation reviews and actions
• Performing functions that are consistent with the bylaws and operational guidelines
• Participating in accreditation visits.