Burroughs High School is continuing its Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accreditation process, a comprehensive self-study that looks at how the school is doing and what changes should be made in the coming years.
WASC accreditation takes place over a six-year cycle, checking that schools provide a quality education. The process helps ensure that Burroughs meets educational standards and that student diplomas remain recognized by colleges. This year, the school is in the midst of its self-study writing process, which involves examining data such as graduation rates, test scores, and school climate; gathering feedback from the school community; and synthesizing it all into a report.
Principal Carrie Cope explained that the process is meant to guide improvement rather than point out mistakes.
“WASC is an important process to make sure we have a plan for improvement and a path moving forward. It’s basically a report card for the school,” said Cope. “We write the report with input from parents, staff, and students, and the WASC visiting team evaluates our findings, approves of the action plan, and gives suggestions.”
Parent meetings were scheduled for the past two weeks, and students have also been included in meetings held on campus.
This month, selected groups of juniors were asked to share their thoughts on academics, campus culture, and school initiatives. Their responses and those from other students in upcoming meetings will help shape the final self-study report that will be reviewed by WASC evaluators.
“Student feedback helps reveal parts of the school and of our education that may have gone over our heads or are overlooked when our counselors and teachers talk to us,” said junior Quan Laskey. “Through student feedback sessions, we are able to ask important questions and provide feedback that ensures the next generation of students will be well-informed and supported.”
The next step in the process will be a visit from the WASC committee, scheduled for February 2027. During the visit, educators will observe classes, review student work, and speak with members of the Burroughs community to validate information in the self-study report.
