By Staff Reports
JACKSON – In April 2025, the Catholic Diocese of Jackson’s Office of Catholic Education successfully completed its system reaccreditation with Cognia, a globally recognized mark of educational quality.
First accredited as a system in 2019, the office underwent a comprehensive review that engaged administrators, teachers, students, parents and clergy in evaluating the effectiveness of diocesan educational operations. Through Cognia’s system accreditation, every school – large or small – benefits from consistent standards, aligned goals and the strategic sharing of resources, ensuring excellence across the diocesan network.
Cognia: A Mark of Excellence
Cognia’s accreditation framework draws from more than 130 years of expertise, serving more than 36,000 schools in 90 countries. Through a combination of rigorous standards, research-based tools and personalized professional support, Cognia helps school systems set a high bar for academic achievement and organizational effectiveness.
The result is a visible, global designation that signals to families, educators and the broader community that the system is committed to excellence.
Benefits of Cognia Accreditation
Through system accreditation, the diocese benefits from a single, unified review every six years, replacing multiple individual school visits and saving time, resources and costs.
The process offers:
- A clear, objective view of what is working well and where improvements are needed.
- Transparency in policies and procedures, ensuring fairness and consistency across schools.
- More effective management of human and financial resources to meet the needs of every learner.
- Stronger collaboration and communication among schools, leaders and teachers.
- Professional development rooted in real classroom data.
- Enhanced data analysis to inform decisions and track long-term progress.
Continuous Improvement Journey
Cognia’s accreditation process is built on the belief that improvement is a continuous journey. Evaluators partner closely with schools to conduct a thorough self-assessment grounded in both perception and performance data.
Unlike accrediting bodies that rely on a checklist, Cognia emphasizes meaningful growth and measurable progress. As Cognia affirms: Every institution, regardless of where they are today, can be better tomorrow.
This guiding principle shaped our approach throughout the reaccreditation process, inspiring us to reflect honestly, celebrate strengths and identify new opportunities for excellence.
How Did We Do?
The recent Cognia Accreditation Engagement Review confirms that Catholic schools in the Diocese of Jackson are excelling in many areas while identifying opportunities for continued growth.
The review awarded the diocese an Index of Education Quality (IEQ) score of 389 out of 400 – well above the Cognia network average of 296.
Key strengths noted include:
- A deep commitment to Catholic identity.
- A strong culture of continuous improvement.
- Active stakeholder engagement.
- Collaborative professional development.
- Effective use of data to guide decisions.
Students benefit from safe, inclusive and supportive learning environments enriched by faith, academic rigor and leadership opportunities.
Growth areas identified include: - Expanding professional learning that promotes student voice and ownership of learning.
- Encouraging teachers to engage in action research to strengthen instructional practices.
These recommendations will guide ongoing improvement efforts, ensuring that every child grows academically, socially and spiritually.
Accountability That Inspires Confidence
Choosing Cognia system accreditation is a choice to operate at the highest level of accountability and educational quality. It unites all diocesan schools under one collective vision – fostering a culture where every learner is known, valued and challenged to succeed.
For the families of our diocese, it means confidence that their children are part of a school system that meets rigorous global standards while remaining firmly grounded in the mission of Catholic education.
What are you waiting for? Come join us in spreading the Gospel through academic excellence in our Catholic schools.
(Visit https://jacksondiocese.org/schoolfinder to find one of our Diocesan Catholic Schools today.)