Accreditation and State Standards

Accreditation & State Standards

Venture Academy will pursue school accreditation by initially applying for candidate status once the school opens. Accreditation is a voluntary process of rigorous school improvement, exhaustively reviewed and validated by external agencies (accrediting organizations). For Venture, these external accreditation agencies, one secular and one Christian, evaluate the school against high and demanding education standards. Additionally, accreditation assesses the quality of Venture Academy’s Christian culture, placing the school on an annual continuous improvement trajectory. Accreditation establishes a school’s credibility and provides a reliable witness to the quality of education and the fulfillment of Venture Academy’s mission before parents, students, and the community at large. Wisconsin does not require K-12 school accreditation for private or public schools. 

Venture will seek accreditation by both The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and Cognia (formally AdvanEd). ACSI is comprised of nearly 24,000 member Christian schools in more than 100 nations. It’s recognized as a leader in strengthening Christian schools through professional development, consulting, and accreditation services. Cognia is a secular education organization that conducts rigorous, on-site evaluations of schools and school systems. It has expertise grounded in more than a hundred years of school accreditation work. Currently, 33,000 schools and school systems in the US and 70 nations are accredited by Cognia. 

Venture Academy considered current research and the Word of God when designing the lower school programming and curriculum profile. Venture is a private Christian school, so we are not required to meet Wisconsin state standards or do state-required testing. Since academic excellence is paramount to Venture, we have reviewed Wisconsin state standards and designed an academic program that exceeds standards that align with God’s Word. Students will also complete MAP Growth standardized testing in the fall and spring of each school year, which will guide instruction, student support, and strategic decisions.