The Keystone School is accredited by:

1. Cognia (www.cognia.org)
2. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools (www.msa-cess.org)

Cognia accreditation includes all programs at The Keystone School. Accreditation by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA-CESS) includes Keystone’s elementary, middle school, high school, credit recovery, and Adult HS Diploma programs.

Keystone’s courses and diploma are widely accepted by schools, colleges, and employers across the country.

About Cognia

Cognia is the largest community of education professionals in the world. They are a non-profit, non-partisan organization that conducts rigorous, on-site reviews of a variety of educational institutions and systems to ensure that all learners realize their full potential. With expertise grounded in more than a hundred years of work in school accreditation, Cognia is far from a typical accrediting agency. Their goal isn’t to certify that educational institutions are good enough. Rather, their commitment is to help these institutions continuously improve. (www.cognia.org)

About MSA-CESS

The Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools accredit early-childhood through post-secondary, non-degree granting public, private, faith-based educational institutions including special purpose schools, supplementary education centers, learning services providers, and distance education institutions. The Commissions also award accreditation to member institutions in more than 85 countries around the world. (www.msa-cess.org).

About Accreditation

What is accreditation?

Accreditation is the academic world’s way of ensuring quality educational programs. It is awarded to academic institutions meeting specific criteria for high-quality academic programs, teacher support, and student services.

How do schools become accredited?

The accreditation process is detailed and rigorous. It is conducted by a team of teachers and administrators from other institutions, who review and assess school programs and services, from the academics to the faculty. Before the accrediting organization’s on-site visit, the school must undertake an extensive self-assessment that probes every aspect of the school’s life.

How is accreditation maintained?

Accredited schools are re-examined on a regular basis to ensure that they are not only preserving the high quality that earned them accreditation in the first place, but are making every effort to continuously improve the quality of their educational programs and services.

Additional Approvals and Licenses

In addition, The Keystone School carries a rating of A- from The Better Business Bureau, and has received Homeschool.com´s Seal of Approval and is among their list of Top Choice Homeschooling Curriculum providers.

About NCAA

Keystone coursework currently cannot be used for NCAA athletic eligibility. We recommend that prospective student athletes who are looking to participate in intercollegiate athletics in the future consider enrolling in the K12 Private Academy.

About QLU Virtual Academy

All students registered at QLU School were admitted to The Keystone School and have all rights and responsibilities. The academic credits and High School Diploma earned by students registered at QLU School will come from The Keystone School and are valid academic documents in the USA and widely accepted in college and universities in the USA and around the world.

QLU School is not a school authorized by the Ministry of Education of Panama, however students admitted and enrolled in the The Keystone School are regular students with the same rights and responsibilities of students enrolled in a private school from the United States of America and their academic transcripts and High School Diploma are accepted in the USA and around the world. The Keystone School is accredited by Cognia (www.cognia.org) and Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools´ Commissions on Elementary and Secondary School (www.msa-cess.org).

SAMPLE OF THE KEYSTONE SCHOOL DIPLOMA

CERTIFICATE FROM THE VIRGINIA COUNCIL FOR PRIVATE EDUCATION WHICH AUTHORIZES THE KEYSTONE SCHOOL TO OPERATE AS A RECOGNIZED AND ACCREDITED PRIVATE SCHOOL IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

Recognition Of Studies

Each country has different regulations about the recognition of studies from other countries. Between the USA and many Latin American countries there are reciprocity agreements by which a student who for example, finished 5th grade in a Latin American Country, if he transferred to the USA and speaks English, is admitted into the 6th grade at an American Public or Private School. Each school may also have its own regulations. For students who study in other countries, such as the USA and wants to transfer to the Panamanian School System, they need to take their academic transcripts already legalized and translated to the Regional Directorate of Education of the Ministry of Education (Dirección Regional) for the studies to be evaluated and recognized, the process in Panama is called in Spanish “Convalidación de Estudios” which translates to “Recognition of Studies”. Below, you will find a letter from the Ministry of Education providing that instruction. MEDUCA has informed that they charge a fee $5.00 and it may take 2 or 3 weeks to be completed.

Download the PDF document by clicking here

Questions?

If you have additional questions about our accreditations or our accredited programs, please call us or email us for more information.