Mammolina Montessori’s NEASC Accreditation Journey
What is NEASC?
Through professional support, accreditation, and a commitment to best practices, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) helps more than 1,500 public, private, and international schools worldwide provide a high-quality education for every student. As an independent, voluntary, non-profit organization, NEASC offers a framework for meaningful, continuous school-wide improvement that respects the unique culture and context of each institution. Founded in 1885, NEASC has a long history of driving educational reform across the six New England states and in over 85 countries. Today, NEASC accreditation is a globally recognized mark of excellence, serving as a testament to a school’s high standards and integrity.
NEASC Accreditation
Drawing on the expertise and insights of educators since 1885, NEASC accreditation is a proven and highly respected approach to school improvement. Rather than a one-time event, it is a continuous, voluntary cycle of comprehensive internal and external evaluations, short- and long-term strategic planning, and regular reporting—all supported by expert collaboration and guidance. The process provides a framework that helps schools reach their own student learning goals while meeting research-based accreditation standards that define high-performing learning communities. It also assesses a school’s commitment to ongoing growth, its capacity for change, and the effectiveness of its own internal systems for self-reflection. Following a five-year journey through the NEASC accreditation cycle for international schools, we are proud to have achieved full accreditation.Mammolina Montessori's NEASC Accreditation Path
Four years ago, we began the NEASC accreditation process by submitting our initial application for candidacy. At that stage, we were required to demonstrate that we met the Foundation Standards; a set of structures, systems, and policies essential for supporting a high-quality learning environment. Once these core standards were verified and approved, we moved into the next stage of the accreditation cycle: the preparatory phase.
The preparatory phase involved submitting a comprehensive report and hosting a preparatory visit, which took place in April 2023. This visit was designed to set the stage for the Internal Reflection phase of the cycle. During the visit, a NEASC team spent several days with our staff, engaging in in-depth discussions, learning activities, and workshops specifically designed to guide the members of our Internal Reflection committee.
Following the preparatory phase, we dedicated about a year to the Internal Reflection stage. As a cornerstone of the accreditation process, this phase requires a significant investment of time and effort. Once this work was complete, we submitted our Internal Reflection report to NEASC in October 2024.
Working on the NEASC internal reflection
The final stage of the cycle was the External Review, during which a NEASC team spent a week with us conducting learning observations and engaging in structured dialogue with our entire school community. This visit took place in December 2024, and we were thrilled to be notified in late January 2025 that we had been officially granted NEASC Accreditation.
Over the next five years, we will focus on providing annual updates and engaging in ongoing reflection and review. This ensures that we remain fully prepared and continuously improving by the time the accreditation cycle begins again in 2029.
NEASC Accreditation Cycle
