The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC (/wɒsk/ WOSK)) provided accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schoolsinCalifornia and Hawaii, the territories of Guam, American Samoa and Northern Marianas Islands, in addition to the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, the Pacific Rim, Peru, Czech Republic, Armenia, and East Asia.
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WASC operational area
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| Abbreviation | WASC |
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| Legal status | Association |
| Purpose | Educational accreditation |
| Headquarters | Burlingame, California Alameda, California Novato, California |
Region served | California, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Northern Marianas Islands, Palau, Tokyo, Prague, Yerevan, Seoul, Lima, Jeju Island |
| Affiliations | CHEA, US Department of Education |
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Until 2012, WASC was a single organization with three units. In 2012, it separated into three organizations that share the WASC acronym as part of their name: the Accrediting Commission for Schools (ACS WASC), the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), and the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).
The Accrediting Commission for Schools (ACS WASC) [1] accredits schools below the college level. Included are elementary, junior high, middle, high and adult schools, whether public, private, or church-related. ACS WASC also accredits not-for-profit, non-degree granting postsecondary institutions.[citation needed]
The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)[2] evaluates and accredits public and private postsecondary institutions that offer two-year education programs and award the associate degree.
The ACCJC's mission is to help member institutions "to advance educational quality and student learning and achievement. This collaboration fosters institutional excellence and continuous improvement through innovation, self-analysis, peer review, and application of standards."[3]
The WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) is an institutional accrediting agency for colleges and universities that award bachelor's degrees or more advanced degrees. It originally and still primarily accredits institutions in California, Hawaii, and the Pacific, as well as a limited number of institutions outside the U.S. WSCUC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as certifying institutional eligibility for federal funding in a number of programs, including student access to federal financial aid.[4]