Accreditation Levels for K-12 Public and Private Schools

The GAC has four levels of classification for Georgia schools seeking accreditation status. Educational Agencies with Special Purposes and Non-Traditional Educational Centers are classified differently. The accreditation status of each school must be approved by the GAC Board of Directors.

Preparation Status.

Preparation status is a classification for a school that has involved its faculty and staff in applying the GAC standards and procedures and is moving toward Accredited status. Preparation status does not convey benefits of accreditation such as transfer of credit to other GAC accredited schools or public schools in Georgia, eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship, or University System colleges’ and universities’ acceptance of transcripts, or Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (SB10) funding. A school may be in the Preparation status a maximum of two years. Although GAC certificates will not be issued to schools in Preparation status, the schools in Preparation status will be listed in the official GAC Bulletin.

Provisional Status.

Provisional status is a classification for a school that has involved its faculty and staff in applying the GAC standards and procedures and is moving toward Accredited status. The school has also met (1) all standards in the section of finances, and (2) all the standards pertaining to the qualifications of the headmaster, principal, and/or superintendent. A school may be in the Provisional status a maximum of two years. Provisional or higher accreditation status provides for transfer of credit to other GAC accredited schools or public schools in Georgia, eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship, University System colleges’ and universities’ acceptance of transcripts and acceptance of transcripts by the Technical College System of Georgia.

Accredited Status. 

Accredited status is a classification for a school that has involved its faculty and staff in applying the GAC standards and procedures.  The school has also met (1) all the standards in the section on finances, (2) all the standards pertaining to the qualifications of the headmaster, principal, and/or the superintendent, and (3) has met the number of standards listed at the beginning of each major section of the standards. An on‑site visit and a written recommendation by an approved GAC consultant are required every five years for a school to remain at this level of accreditation.

Accredited With Quality.

Accredited With Quality is a classification for a school that has involved its faculty and staff in applying the GAC standards and procedures. The school has also met all standards in all the sections listed in the GAC Bulletin. An on‑site visit and a written recommendation by an approved GAC consultant are required every five years for a school to remain at this level of accreditation.