When a school is accredited, families gain confidence that teaching quality, student safety, governance, and support systems are continuously evaluated and improved.
All our work aligns with the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020), emphasizing student-centered learning, competency-based education, data-driven decision-making, and transparency ensuring global relevance with national compliance.
Accreditation is an official quality check for a school. It means an independent organization reviews the school's teaching, curriculum, safety, staff qualifications, and overall standards, and then certifies that the school provides reliable, high-quality education. It shows parents and authorities that the school is trustworthy and meets recognized educational standards.
Accreditation plays a vital role in strengthening the overall quality and credibility of schools. It provides a robust quality assurance framework that aligns teaching and operational practices with the vision of NEP 2020. It supports improved academic outcomes, encourages holistic growth of students, and ensures schools follow globally benchmarked standards—building trust among parents and all stakeholders.
The National Education Policy (NEP 2020) emphasizes accreditation as a vital mechanism to ensure quality, transparency, and accountability in education. It promotes outcome-based standards where every institution is periodically accredited to drive continuous improvement and public trust in the education system.
For over 130 years, Cognia has been delivering what NEP 2020 envisions for Indian schools. Its performance standards align with NEP 2020, driving continuous improvement through data-driven evaluation, transparency, and accountability. Cognia focuses on holistic learner development—academic, emotional, and social—while fostering inclusion, diversity, and equity in every classroom. It also empowers teachers through mentoring and collaboration, and strengthens school leadership that champions learner success and institutional growth.
Quality Assurance
Independent review of teaching, curriculum, and school operations.
Global Recognition
Accreditation signals that your school meets global benchmarks.
Step-by-step support for schools committed to achieving international quality standards, credible academic pathways, and measurable improvement—aligned with NEP 2020 and global best practices.
Accreditation validates that a school meets rigorous international standards in teaching, leadership, and student outcomes. It strengthens credibility, drives continuous improvement, and builds trust with parents, universities, and global partners.
Read MoreThe Green School Certification helps schools adopt eco-friendly practices, integrate sustainability into learning, and demonstrate leadership in building a sustainable future.
Read MoreAffiliation enables schools to deliver a validated U.S. curriculum and credit system, offering internationally recognized American qualifications within their local environment. It enhances academic reputation, expands global pathways for students, and positions schools as forward-thinking institutions.
Read MoreThe American High School Program delivers a globally recognized, U.S. credit-based K-12 curriculum that builds critical thinking, creativity, and college readiness. Students earn an accredited American High School Diploma accepted by 500+ universities worldwide.
Read MoreOur American High School and Dual Diploma pathways open access to 500+ universities worldwide, providing globally recognized credentials and strong academic readiness. Schools empower students with flexible pathways, future-focused skills, and a competitive edge in global higher education.
Read MoreThe U.S. Dual Diploma Program allows students to earn their national high school certificate alongside an accredited American High School Diploma. This flexible pathway builds global readiness and strengthens opportunities for international university admissions.
Read MoreOur global network of educators guides you to diagnose challenges and implement change.
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We serve education providers of all types, including public, private, early learning, digital, and charter schools as well as State Education Agencies (SEAs). The impact of our accreditation, assessment, and improvement services reaches around the globe.
We are here to help
Accreditation is a structured quality-assurance process where a school evaluates itself and is also reviewed by an external, independent body to confirm it meets defined standards.
Cognia is a global non-profit school improvement and accreditation organization that works with thousands of schools and systems worldwide.
Cognia's Performance Standards describe what high-quality schools should demonstrate across leadership, learning and resource use. Schools use these as a roadmap for improvement and accreditation readiness.
For full details, schools are expected to refer to the official Cognia Performance Standards documentation.
For K-12 and higher education, the U.S. historically divided accreditation into six geographic regions, each served by a regional accrediting agency.
NWAC (Northwest Accreditation Commission) is one of the historic U.S. regional accrediting agencies whose legacy is now part of Cognia.
