Montessori Academy of North Texas recently celebrated earning two types of accreditation, including one supported by Workforce Texoma.

Montessori Academy of North Texas Director Angela Magers announced at the celebration that the school earned accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement. The second comes from the National Association for the Education of Young Children -- the nation's leading organization of early childhood professionals.

"Accreditation demonstrates to our students, parents, and community that we are focused on raising student achievement, providing a safe and enriching learning environment, and maintaining an efficient and effective operation staffed by highly qualified educators," Magers said of the first benchmark.

SACS CASI accreditation is recognized across state lines, which not only eases the transfer process as students move from accredited school to accredited school but also assures parents the school is meeting nationally accepted standards for quality and successful professional practice, Magers said in a press release.

Dr. Mark Elgart, president and CEO of AdvancED, the parent organization of SACS CASI, said, "SACS CASI Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school on the primary goal of creating lifelong learners. The Montessori Academy of North Texas is to be commended for engaging in this process and demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement."

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) is a nongovernmental, voluntary agency that accredits nearly 13,000 public and non-public institutions throughout the world.

Magers said of the second accreditation, "We're proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards. NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible."

Workforce Solutions Texoma supported MANT's efforts to improve the quality of care in its three-county region through its "Quality Counts Education Initiative." Workforce Solutions Texoma provided incentives to those regulated providers to achieve accreditation.