INTERVIEW: AdvancED CEO Mark Elgart

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2014/03/ElgartWBHM4.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:370;s:4:"file";s:23:"2014/03/ElgartWBHM4.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:6:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"ElgartWBHM4-336x207.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:207;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"ElgartWBHM4-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"ElgartWBHM4-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"ElgartWBHM4-504x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:504;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"ElgartWBHM4-430x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:430;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"ElgartWBHM4-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:214077;s:14:"optimized_size";i:158699;s:7:"percent";d:25.870000000000001;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:51:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/03/ElgartWBHM4.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:86150;s:14:"optimized_size";i:65290;s:7:"percent";d:24.210000000000001;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:59:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/03/ElgartWBHM4-140x140.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:7038;s:14:"optimized_size";i:5124;s:7:"percent";d:27.199999999999999;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:59:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/03/ElgartWBHM4-336x207.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:19446;s:14:"optimized_size";i:14082;s:7:"percent";d:27.579999999999998;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:59:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/03/ElgartWBHM4-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:24793;s:14:"optimized_size";i:18273;s:7:"percent";d:26.300000000000001;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:59:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/03/ElgartWBHM4-504x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:40160;s:14:"optimized_size";i:29420;s:7:"percent";d:26.739999999999998;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:59:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/03/ElgartWBHM4-430x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:30683;s:14:"optimized_size";i:22258;s:7:"percent";d:27.460000000000001;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:59:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/03/ElgartWBHM4-125x125.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:5807;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4252;s:7:"percent";d:26.780000000000001;}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1637719710 
1393891200

90.3 WBHM Birmingham– AdvancED is a private accrediting firm working with more than thirty thousand schools worldwide. A team from its Southern Association of Colleges and Schools division arrives in Birmingham today. They’re checking whether Birmingham City Schools are fixing problems that led the agency to put the system on accreditation probation last summer. It got WBHM’s education reporter Dan Carsen thinking about what these firms actually do, and whether they have as much power as it seems. He caught up with AdvancED president Mark Elgart and asked him how his agencies decide which districts get accredited … and which don’t:

Click here to listen to the five-minute on-air interview.

Click here to listen to the extended 32-minute interview.

Subject and time pegs for the extended interview are below:

0:00 — An overview of how accreditation works at different levels, in different regions, and in different types of schools.

3:44 — I ask Elgart about state education agencies handling accreditation themselves. He says 20 states still do, but it’s a different type of process…

5:00 — AdvancED used to have 13 standards for evaluating schools or systems; now they use five.

5:15 — I ask how AdvancED finds experts qualified to so something so important.

6:30 — Elgart says its a comprehensive, variegated process that lasts 18 months.

6:55 — I ask about the frequency of pulling a school or system’s accreditation.

7:55 — Elgart says the most common reason for pulling accreditation is substandard teaching and learning.

8:12 — I ask how those determinations are made.

9:52 — I ask for some examples of pulled accreditation.

11:45 — What are the ramifications of losing accreditation?

14:10Real estate agents know all about it.

16:30 — I ask whether high-stakes testing has taken some responsibility away from accrediting agencies.

17:50 — Elgart talks state takeovers, principal removal.

19:38 — Elgart says testing has increased AdvancED’s responsibilities and accountability.

20:00 — I ask how AdvancED is typically first contacted.

23:20 — I ask about “volunteers.”

22:45 — Elgart says he’ll soon be leading the biggest U.S. accreditation visit AdvancED has ever done.

23:33 — I ask where AdvancED’s budget comes from.

24:16 — I ask how much money Elgart makes.

25:10 — Has Alabama’s year-old Educational Accountability and Intervention Act, (sometimes called the School Intervention Act), which spells out the reasons and lowers the bar for state takeovers, taken some responsibility from AdvancED’s shoulders?

27:12 — Questions about the SACS team coming to Birmingham City Schools today and tomorrow.

29:25 — I ask whether Birmingham City Schools hiring consultants to deal with the accreditation team is helpful.

30:25 — Could the recent snow-shortened, one-day review of Hoover City Schools be adequate?

31:25 — I ask about getting those accreditation reports.

32:15 — I ask Elgart if I’ve left anything out…

 

Alcohol poisoning deaths in Laos renew concerns about methanol. Here’s what to know

The U.S., Australia and U.K. have issued warnings for travelers in Vang Vieng after several tourists died in a suspected methanol poisoning outbreak.

Trump taps Brooke Rollins of America First Policy Institute for agriculture secretary

President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Brooke Rollins, head of the America First Policy Institute, to oversee the Department of Agriculture. She has a long history in conservative politics.

Winter storms sweep across the U.S. while a new system is expected for Thanksgiving

A major storm dropped more snow and record rain in California, while on the opposite side of the country blizzard or winter storm warnings were in effect Saturday.

Infant dies and 10 others sick in latest listeria outbreak tied to ready-to-eat meat

The cases appeared in California, Illinois, New Jersey and New York between July 31 and Oct. 24, the CDC said. Nine out of the 11 infected individuals were hospitalized.

NATO head and Trump meet in Florida for talks on global security

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and the head of NATO, Mark Rutte, met on Friday in Palm Beach for talks on global security, the military alliance said Saturday.

Climate change plays a role in global rise of dengue fever

Over 12 million cases of dengue fever were reported in 2024, the most ever. A study suggests climate change has likely played a significant role in the disease's expansion.

More Education Coverage