The Mississippi School of the Arts (MSA) has earned accreditation by Cognia™, a nonprofit organization that provides quality assurance for schools, school districts, and education service providers.

Cognia, formerly AdvancED, nationally recognizes districts that meet rigorous standards focused on productive learning environments, equitable resource allocation that meets the needs of learners, and effective leadership. Earning accreditation from the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission means that the school is accredited, and that MSA is recognized across the nation as a school that meets Cognia Standards of Quality and maintains a commitment to continuous improvement.

“School accreditation as conferred by the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission provides MSA a nationally recognized mark of quality for our school,” shared Executive Director, Dr. Suzanne Hirsch. “It demonstrates to our community our commitment to excellence, our openness to external review and feedback, and our desire to be the best we can be on behalf of the students we serve.”

Dr. Mark A. Elgart, president and CEO of Cognia, stated, “Cognia Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school and its community on the primary goal of preparing lifelong learners in engaging environments where all students can flourish. The Mississippi School of the Arts is to be commended for demonstrating that it has met high standards and is making progress on key indicators that impact student learning.”

MSA previously received accreditation under AdvancED in 2017.