How does the change in accreditation standards from SACS to SACS/CASI affect media centers?
Merger of SACS and CASI The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement merged in 2006 to become the largest accrediting association in the United States, known as SACS CASI. The new SACS CASI accreditation standards are guidelines only now and are thus weaker than what we knew under SACS. Staffing under SACS CASI: In terms of staffing, the new standards do not provide for any support staff to help run a library. Now, a second media specialist or a qualified technology/information specialist can be hired to work in collaboration with the library/media specialist if the enrollment goes over 1,000 in a middle/secondary school. The standard reads as follows: “After employing one librarian/media specialist, the school may employ a qualified technology/information specialist to work in collaboration with the library/media specialist.” Library Collections, Policies, and Services under SACS CASI: The new SAC
