PNAIS Affiliation Levels

Accredited Members are schools that have met the PNAIS Major Standards as determined by the PNAIS Accreditation Committee and the PNAIS Board of Governors. Accreditation is maintained through the submission of a response report to the accreditation visiting team report, the yearly submission of the PNAIS Annual Report, and the successful completion of another self-study and accreditation visit eight years from the previous visit.

Candidate Members are schools the PNAIS Board of Governors have approved as being able to meet the PNAIS Major Standards within a five-year period. Candidate Member must submit the PNAIS Annual Report and plan to host an accreditation visiting team within five years of joining the Association.

Subscriber School is a non-member category designed for schools in the earliest stages of development in relationship to the PNAIS major standards and good practices and for whom the ultimate goal is to gain Accredited Member status. Before gaining accreditation, Subscriber Schools must become Candidate Members within a five-year period by meeting the appropriate expectations for Candidate Members as outlined in the PNAIS Major Standards chart.

Founder School is a non-member category designed for individuals who are in the planning stages of starting a school or for a school that is in the first year of existence. The school must be committed to applying as a Subscriber School no later than its second year of educating students and have the ultimate goal of gaining Accredited Member status.

Affiliate School is a non-member category for schools that will not pursue accreditation but are interested in raising the visibility of their institution and benefiting from all that PNAIS has to offer its schools. These schools or organizations are either located outside the eight states served by PNAIS accreditation or are institutions of learning not meeting all the criteria for accreditation.