NAPCIS, The Cardinal Newman Society Announce New Partnership for School Accreditation
After 30 years of accrediting parent-led schools faithful to the Catholic Church, the National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools (NAPCIS) begins an exciting new phase as a subsidiary of The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS), integrating with Newman Guide recognition to accredit both independent and parochial schools providing faithful Catholic formation.
This new partnership represents a significant opportunity for Catholic K-12 education. By coordinating CNS and NAPCIS resources and expertise, existing and new NAPCIS schools will benefit from a streamlined accreditation process, enhanced support for maintaining and protecting Catholic identity, and expanded opportunities for networking and professional development.
The Cardinal Newman Society has promoted and defended faithful Catholic education since 1993. The Newman Guide is the hallmark of faithful Catholic education and helps families find faithful schools, home and school curricula, colleges, and graduate programs.
NAPCIS has supported private independent Catholic schools through start-up assistance and accreditation since 1995. The 87 NAPCIS member schools, serving 12,800 students, will achieve Newman Guide Recommended status while maintaining NAPCIS accreditation. All other Newman Guide Recommended schools will then have the option of NAPCIS accreditation.
NAPCIS accreditation assures the general public, and Catholic families in particular, of the faithful Catholic formation, academic quality, and operational health of Newman Guide Recommended schools. While Newman Guide standards emphasize what is most important about Catholic education, accreditation also considers the practical aspects of a school’s operation and academic quality.
In many states, accreditation may also be necessary to ensure that families choosing faithful Newman Guide education have access to school choice funds.
The new chair of NAPCIS is Denise Donohue, Ed.D., a long-time NAPCIS board member, founder of multiple Catholic schools, and college professor in the field of education. The board also includes accomplished attorney Quentin Fairchild and Michael Van Hecke, M.Ed., president and founder of the Catholic Textbook Project, founder and former president of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education, and former headmaster of St. Augustine Academy in Ventura, Calif.
The executive director of NAPCIS is Daniel Guernsey, Ed.D., a senior fellow at The Cardinal Newman Society, director of Ave Maria University’s Master’s in Catholic Educational Leadership program, and former headmaster of the Donahue Academy in Ave Maria, Fla.
“The goal is to make faithful accreditation easier, more affordable, and more impactful—freeing time and resources to allow schools to live out their Catholic mission with confidence and joy,” says Dr. Guernsey.
Patrick Reilly, president of The Cardinal Newman Society, adds, “It’s a great moment for Catholic families! Two leading organizations in the renewal of Catholic education are partnering to expand opportunities for both NAPCIS and Newman Guide Recommended schools, which represent the best of Catholic formation. We have long admired NAPCIS under the decades-long leadership of Eileen Cubanski, and this new venture will continue her commitment to independent parent-led education as well as the renewed strength of Catholic parochial schools.”
For additional information, please contact Dr. Daniel Guernsey at director@napcis.org.