The Lincoln County School System recently received special recognition from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools' (SACS) Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (CASI).

The system was designated by CASI as a "2005-2006 Super System for Quality Schools." Super Systems are those where all eligible elementary, middle, and secondary schools are accredited by SACS.

For 2005-2006, there were 549 school districts in the 11-state SACS CASI region that qualified for this recognition. A breakdown of the region by state is as follows: Alabama, 72; Florida, 37; Georgia, 81; Kentucky, 51; Louisiana, 10; Mississippi, 48; North Carolina, 52; South Carolina, 53; Tennessee, 82; Texas, 9; and Virginia, 54.

LCES has been accredited by SACS since 1974; LCMS and LCHS were first accredited by SACS in 1956.

Accreditation is a process of helping institutions improve through a systematic program of evaluation, assuring that an institution not only meets quality standards but also that it demonstrates a continuous commitment to providing quality education programs that are aimed at improving student performance.

A spokesman for SACS congratulated Lincoln County for its "schools' accreditation accomplishments and continued success in improving educational opportunities for the young people the schools serve."

"We are pleased to be recognized as one of the 81 school systems in Georgia designated by SACS as Super Systems for Quality Schools," said Dr. Randall Edmunds, superintendent of Lincoln County Schools. "Our administrators, teachers, support staff, and board of education have worked very hard to meet accreditation standards. They are to be commended."

He went on to note that SACS accreditation offers the following benefits to the community:

A mission and goals focused on improving student performance and each school's capacity to improve teaching and learning.

An improvement plan, developed in collaboration, that includes methods for measuring student progress and involves key stakeholders.

A continuous improvement process that integrates all types of school planning and evaluation requirements.

The assurance of quality through a regular review of the school's programs by a team of outside peer professionals.

Accountability and value for tax dollars spent.

National accreditation and international recognition through the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA).

Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Decatur, Georgia, SACS is one of six regional accrediting bodies in the United States.

Basically, SACS is comprised of three commissions that, as a whole, accredit more than 13,000 institutions in the 11 Southern states from Virginia to Texas as well as AmericanInternational schools in Mexico, Central and South America, islands of the Caribbean, and other areas. These educational institutions include public and private early childhood centers and kindergartens; elementary, middle, and high schools; vocationaltechnical schools; military schools; and colleges and universities.