LU Online Academy for grades 3-12 receives full accreditation

The administrative staff of Liberty University Online Academy pose with the recently awarded accreditation certificate. Left to right: Jay Spencer, Kelly Bingham, Ashley Eiban, Harvey Klamm, Eric Rasberry, Heidi Dalton and Maryanne Werner.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) announced in early February that Liberty University Online Academy (LUOA) has been granted full accreditation. The five-year accreditation is a major milestone for Liberty University’s most recent online educational venture for grades 3-12.

Now in its third year of operation, LUOA is quickly receiving recognition as a quality option for parents seeking Christian online homeschooling education for their children. For the 2009-10 school year, 700 students are enrolled in LUOA, residing in 46 states and 11 foreign countries.

Jay Spencer, dean of LUOA, is excited about the recent growth.

“We knew when we launched the Online Academy that our first goal was to achieve accreditation as quickly as possible. To do so within the first two years is testimony to the quality work put in to the foundation of the Academy.”

In a special ceremony on Feb. 21 at the Virginia Annual Winter School Improvement Conference in Williamsburg, LUOA superintendent Harvey Klamm was presented the Academy’s Certificate of Accreditation from SACS.

SACS State Director Hilda Kelly praised Klamm, “for his leadership in working with his staff in meeting the SACS CASI standards and for taking the initiative to be nationally accredited.”

Institutional benefits of accreditation include the external mark of quality by the globally accepted AdvancEd Accreditation Commission, verification of compliance with high educational standards and professional support as the school engages in its continual school improvement process.

Students of LUOA benefit from accreditation because, through the process, their school has committed to raising student performance and will be held accountable for improving student learning on a continual basis. Accreditation also raises the school’s credibility, improving students’ eligibility for college and making it easier for them to transfer credits, secure funding and find employment.

On Feb. 23, LUOA announced that it would be partnering with private schools that wish to use LUOA curriculum. This will allow private schools with limited resources to add curriculum without adding instructors or additional tuition cost.
 

• All Liberty University Online Academy students receive a scholarship to attend Liberty University. Click here for information on how to apply to LUOA.