What Are Mission Statements For?
Depending on one’s perspective, mission statements are either an organic, necessary, and natural expression of a school’s beliefs or an externally imposed expectation. The Commission on Independent Schools of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), accreditor of some 600 independent schools, requires candidate schools to submit a mission statement that “guides the school and tells us why it exists today. This statement should be clear and concise, unique and meaningful to the school, and should be published widely.” For accreditation, there must be “congruence between the school’s stated mission and core values and its actual program, policies, planning, and decision-making at both the operational and governance levels.” The Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) requires “a clearly articulated statement of educational mission and philosophy that reflects the individual character of the school, based upon sound educational tenets. Such statem
