Empowering Educational Excellence
The purpose of the OPSAC Commission is to assist the State Board of Education by assuring the educational quality and compliance with applicable rules of the Board by recognized, accredited private schools in the state.
The OPSAC Commission serves in an advisory capacity to the State Superintendent of Schools. It evaluates the capacity of the Oklahoma non-public school accrediting associations for assessing and making judgments about educational quality. If OPSAC recommends recognition of an association to the Superintendent and if that recommendation is approved, schools accredited by that association will be deemed accredited schools by the State Superintendent of Schools and will be so listed in the Oklahoma School Directory that is published annually by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
Any private school that is accredited by an OPSAC-recognized accrediting association is recognized by the State Department of Education as an accredited school. This acknowledgment of accreditation ensures that students are able to transfer between public and private schools and that the service of state certified teachers in accredited private schools is recognized by the state. The intent is that all privileges extended to state accredited private schools be also extended to private schools accredited by OPSAC-recognized accrediting agencies.
It must be understood that the use of the term, “compliance with applicable rules of the State Board of Education” does not mean that accredited non-public schools are expected to surrender their unique qualities or to perate and teach exactly as do the public schools. However, in order for the State officially to recognize the accrediation of a non-public school, its operations, curriculum, staffing, and instruction must be sufficiently comparable to and compatable with those of the public schools to justify that approval and the accompanying benefits named in the previous paragraph. This is essentially the same requirement that has applied to state accreditation of non-public schools.
Information
The OPSAC Commission assists the Oklahoma State Board of Education by monitoring and approving organizations that accredit nonpublic (private) elementary and secondary schools in Oklahoma.
The relationship of OPSAC with the Oklahoma State Department of Education provides the following activities related to accredited nonpublic schools:
- Transference of student credits earned in accredited nonpublic schools to Oklahoma public schools
- The listing of all accredited nonpublic schools with the Oklahoma State Department of Education
- OPSAC meetings held biannually with an Oklahoma State Department of Education liaison to ensure the ongoing integrity and quality of the process.
The Value of Accreditation
Why OPSAC's Standards Matter
Each approved OPSAC member association must provide standards for its member preschools, elementary and/or secondary schools which address the following areas:
- Philosophy and Objectives
- Organization, Governance, and Finance
- Plant and Facilities
- Program
- Administration and Staffing
Discover OPSAC's Impact
Join us in shaping the future of education by exploring the comprehensive services offered by OPSAC. Whether you’re an institution seeking accreditation or an individual passionate about educational standards, there’s a place for you here. Dive deeper into our mission and see how you can contribute to elevating academic excellence.