Statement of Accreditation by Archdiocesan Schools

The Archdiocese of Denver does not seek accreditation from a national accrediting
organization for our Catholic schools. The following reasons for this decision, while not
exhaustive, are:
A) Accreditation is not required by the state of Colorado for non-public schools.
B) Many current national accrediting bodies require the inclusion of certain educational
frameworks that are in conflict with a Catholic understanding of the human person.
C) Colleges do not require accreditation for admission, recognizing the unique
strengths and values our high schools offer.
Instead, the Archdiocese has created a robust evaluation process which includes conducting
its own visitation of each school every five years. The Catholic Mission Fidelity Assessment1
process is one of the means by which the local Bishop carries out his ecclesiastical authority
to discern the Catholic identity of a school, which is his right and duty as the father and
pastor of the particular Church in its entirety. The assessment will allow the Archbishop of
Denver and his team to understand how schools live out their Catholic mission and to be
able to identify areas for improvement. A set of Mission Standards has been established to
measure and assess the fidelity of a school to the Church’s charter for education and
formation of the human person.
The archdiocese’s focus remains on cultivating a nurturing environment that fosters spiritual
growth, academic excellence, and character development in line with Catholic teachings.
Furthermore, by maintaining autonomy over the evaluation processes, the archdiocese
upholds the integrity of its educational philosophy while continuing to prioritize the holistic
development of students.

Dr. Kemmery Hill
Superintendent of Catholic Schools