Good Shepherd Catholic School is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools. As an “accredited” institution, GSC adheres to applicable MSA policies and meets the requirements of the self-study protocol used. ​

Obtaining this accreditation means Good Shepherd demonstrated a commitment to quality education as a means to adhere to the Middle States Mission Statement that touches on an aspiration “to improve the quality of education in the United States and around the world by assisting schools to achieve excellence through the process of accreditation, by affirming to the public a member school’s trustworthiness and commitment to continuous improvement, by providing the network and resources for the promotion of proven practices.”

All Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia enjoy Middle States Accreditation. While the process is not simple, obtaining the accreditation ensures each school in the archdiocese offers a rigorous curriculum that offers each student the best educational option. 

In order to obtain accreditation, each of the schools must conduct a self-study. The first step of the self-study takes a peer review approach with faculty, parents and students evaluation of the school's mission and how well the school meets the 12 MSA Standards.  

Next, faculty review three aspects of the curriculum: religion, writing and science. From here, the school must create a plan for the future (continuing to meet the MSA standards, providing a rigorous curriculum, marketing tactics to boost enrollment, etc.). 

Catholic education provides a faith-centered and rigorous academic experience for students.  Catholic schools are committed to providing the highest quality education possible. It’s widely known that students who attend a Catholic school will generally do better than public or charter school students on standardized tests, and attend better colleges and universities. A Middle States accreditation provides quality assurance for Good Shepherd’s academic standing.

Our schools are rooted in the Catholic faith. As such, we provide a loving, child-centered environment for our students. We build a community of faith. The quality of our academic program is equally important, which is why we invest time and money in the Middle States program. To learn more about the accreditation process, visit the Middle States website by clicking here.

Learn more about Good Shepherd’s curriculum before you apply!