(Midland, Texas – February 1, 2010) – Dr. Joseph Gallegos, CEO of Orion High School, announced today that Orion High School earned accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), an accreditation division of AdvancED.  This action was taken at the AdvancED Accreditation Commission meeting held last week. 

SACS CASI provides nationally-recognized accreditation, the purpose of which is continuous school improvement focused on increasing student performance.  To earn accreditation, schools must meet SACS CASI’s high standards, be evaluated by a team of professionals from outside the school, and implement a continuous process of school improvement. 

“Accreditation demonstrates to our students, parents, and community that we are focused on raising student achievement, providing a rich, online learning environment, and maintaining quality mentors to further our mission of being the premier high school in the country and abroad,” stated  Gallegos. 

SACS CASI accreditation is recognized across state lines, which not only eases the transfer process as students move from accredited school to accredited school but also assures customers that the school is meeting nationally accepted standards for quality and successful professional practice.

Dr. Mark Elgart, President/CEO of AdvancED, the parent organization of SACS CASI, stated, “SACS CASI Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school on the primary goal of creating lifelong learners.  Orion High School is to be commended for engaging in this process and demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement.”

Orion High School, headquartered in Midland, Texas, serves students (we call them learners) from across the United States.  Orion has graduated over 200 learners in the past two years.  Over 81% of Orion’s graduates go on to two and four-year colleges and universities across the country.  Accreditation furthers Orion’s mission of continuing to produce graduates who will be leaders in innovation.

Parents and interested community members can learn more about accreditation at www.advanc-ed.org.

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The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) is a nongovernmental, voluntary agency that accredits nearly 13,000 public and non-public institutions throughout the world.  SACS CASI serves 11 Southern states – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, as well as the countries of Mexico, Central and South America, islands of the Caribbean, and other geographic areas.  SACS CASI is an accreditation division of AdvancED, parent organization for SACS CASI, the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), and the National Study of School Evaluation (NSSE).  AdvancED is dedicated to advancing excellence in education worldwide.