Arts Schools Network is a community of schools and institutions dedicated to education
in and through the arts. Its mission is to provide the leadership necessary to inspire
and maintain excellence in arts education by supporting and serving leaders of
specialized arts schools across the country. A large proportion of its membership
consists of arts magnet and arts-focused high schools. Arts Schools Network is the only
non-profit professional organization in the United States and Canada that encourages
and facilitates communication about leadership excellence in specialized arts schools.
Its expertise comes from its membership and partner organizations across the nation. 
 
The Accrediting Commission for Community and Precollegiate Arts Schools (ACCPAS)
was established in 2001 by the Council of Arts Accrediting Associations to assess and
accredit schools such as those that belong to the Arts Schools Network.
 
ACCPAS and the Arts Schools Network are pleased to make available A Guide to
Assessing Your Arts School, developed collaboratively by our two organizations to assist
arts schools in assessing their mission, operations, and programs. Should your school
be interested in accreditation, we believe the Guide may provide a useful introduction to
the accreditation process. We hope, too, that you’ll find working through the Guide with
your staff, faculty, and trustees to be an inspirational experience that will lead to a
healthy future for your school. 
 
The Arts Schools Network and ACCPAS are proud of our long association and mutual
commitment to advance the field of focused P–12 arts education. We look forward to
continuing our partnership in service to the field.

 
Kristy Callaway 
Executive Director
Arts Schools Network 

Samuel Hope
Executive Director
Council of Arts Accrediting Associations 

Download PDF of The Guide