The Middle States Association serves t
housands of diverse schools using an accreditation process that respects the individual nature and character of each school. For nearly a century, MSA has supported Catholic Education in our region. While meeting the Standards for Accreditation is required for all schools, when these schools meet our Standards, they also meet the Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools. Therefore, accreditation enables Catholic schools to achieve academic success while preserving their faith-based mission, values, and tradition.
Time and again, MSA accredited schools impress the educational community with their high levels of achievement. On Friday, September 13, 2019, The Archdiocese of Philadelphia Schools named the 2019 Archdiocesan Schools of Distinction. We are proud of the schools on the list. The Archdiocese, honors schools that are “either exceeding growth expectations or benchmarks in academic achievement via standardized testing.” Each school shows improvement in test scores between 90% and 100% for two consecutive years.
Among the honorees, eight MSA accredited schools demonstrated 100% growth:
- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary School (Chester County)
- Holy Cross Catholic School (Delaware County)
- Holy Innocents School (Philadelphia)
- Mother of Providence Regional Catholic School (Delaware County)
- Saints Colman-John Neumann School (Delaware County)
- Saint George School (Philadelphia)
- Saint Margaret School (Montgomery County)
We are also excited to see our schools in the Archdioceses that exhibited 95% growth:
- Christ the King School (Philadelphia)
- Corpus Christi Catholic School (Montgomery County)
- Holy Family Regional Catholic School (Bucks County)
- Mater Dei Catholic School (Montgomery County)
- Our Lady of Calvary Catholic School (Philadelphia)
- Our Lady of Hope Catholic School (Philadelphia)
- Sacred Heart School (Chester County)
- Saint Anastasia School (Delaware County)
- Saint Anselm School (Philadelphia)
- Saint Jude School (Bucks County)
- Saint Mary Magdalen School (Delaware County)
- Saint Pius X School (Delaware County)
- Saint Teresa of Calcutta School (Montgomery County)
- The schools growing by 90% are impressive:
- Blessed Virgin Mary School (Delaware County)
- Cardinal Foley Regional Catholic School (Delaware County)
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Bucks County)
- Our Lady of Angels Regional Catholic School (Delaware County)
- Pope John Paul II Regional School (Chester County)
- Saints Philip and James School (Chester County)
- Saint Agnes School (Chester County)
- Saint Albert the Great School (Montgomery County)
- Saint Athanasius School (Philadelphia)
- Saint Cecilia School (Philadelphia)
- Saint Genevieve School (Montgomery County)
- Saint Helena School (Montgomery County)
- Saint Isidore School (Philadelphia)
- Saint Matthew School (Philadelphia)
- Saint Philip Neri School (Montgomery County)
- Saint Thomas the Apostle School (Delaware County)
- Saint Monica School (Philadelphia)
Beyond Recognition for Growth, many of our schools were determined as Distinguished in Exceeding Academic Potential.
- Saint Anthony of Padua Regional Catholic School (Philadelphia)
- Saint Genevieve School (Montgomery County)
- Saint Maximillian Kolbe School (Chester County)
- Our Lady of Angels Regional School (Delaware County)
- Visitation BVM School (Montgomery County)
Improving outcomes requires a comprehensive approach for all schools. For our Catholic Schools, we understand student achievement encompasses both academic success and faith-led education. Our schools within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Schools are examples of how well accreditation partners with faith-based education to help students excel.
