Accreditation
The Minnesota Nonpublic School Accrediting Association (MNSAA) has accredited Good Shepherd Lutheran School in Burnsville for the eligibility period of 2021 to 2028. Accreditation is a voluntary method of quality assurance with a goal to evaluate, validate, and improve each school’s quality.
MNSAA is a federally recognized and state-sanctioned nonprofit association for accrediting nonpublic schools in the State of Minnesota. The Association’s mission is to be a catalyst for enhancing the quality of K-12 nonpublic education in Minnesota through a comprehensive process of accreditation. The agency helps schools provide quality nonpublic education for the children of Minnesota for its member schools. MNSAA is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors that bases its accreditation on a school’s evaluation through a self-study process.
Schools are accredited based on their compliance with a set of rigorous standards which identify essential curriculum, instruction, personnel, governance, facility, and marketing policies and practices that are considered necessary for an effective school. The accreditation process includes the creation of a visionary and focused strategic plan for improvement and an onsite visit by a team of educators from member schools. Accreditation with MNSAA relies heavily on how the individual school defines its mission and the way it seeks to accomplish that mission.
MNSAA is pleased to have Good Shepherd Lutheran School join some of the more than 170 accredited schools that make up the Association. MNSAA salutes Good Shepherd’s commitment to providing outstanding education to the students of this community. MNSAA will continue to provide guidance to Good Shepherd Lutheran School through an annual review of its strategic plan.
What does accreditation mean to Good Shepherd’s school parents? It means:
- parents can rest assured that their students are receiving a quality education
- students are taught by qualified teachers
- the curriculum is rigorous and integrated with best professional practices
- the school complies with the State of Minnesota guidelines for safety and well-being
- oversight is provided by a concerned governing body
- the school goes beyond state requirements and holds itself accountable for meeting nationally recognized standards of excellence
- Good Shepherd Lutheran School is committed to helping all students reach their full potential in a nurturing and safe environment!
Below is a copy of our current Strategic Plan which was created in 2020. This document is normally updated in early June of each year, but feel free to check out the plan’s progress, or suggest your ideas to either our principal or one of the members of our School Board.