Blueprint Education Re-Accredited By CITA And Accepted By Montana

Blueprint Education, a nonprofit educational organization, has announced that its accreditation by the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA) has been re-approved for an additional five years. In a separate move, Blueprint Education officials announced that the organization has been approved to offer high school courses in Montana for state-approved credit.

The two stamps of approval continue to bolster Blueprint Education's image as a quality provider of innovative education options.

"When students and parents research educational choices, they find many options out there lacking standards and the appropriate accreditations," said Dr. Beth Collins, Executive Director. "Blueprint Education's accreditation, and the rigors of the process to maintain it, is an assurance that choosing nontraditional avenues of education does not equal taking a shortcut."

Blueprint Education was visited by a CITA observation team in January during which the organization's financial records were audited, its daily practices were monitored and its curriculum standards were verified against accepted standards. The team ultimately ranked Blueprint Education's practices within seven CITA categories, all of which the organization passed "with flying colors," according to Jennifer Blackstone, Curriculum Director.

"It was very exciting to chair the CITA site visitation at Blueprint Education," said Nancy Alexander, AdvancED field consultant for the CITA accreditation review. "The schools' staff were extremely thorough in their preparations for the review. They have an outstanding process in place that promotes a 'continuous improvement model.'"

Accreditation through CITA assures that educational facilities, from elementary schools through the collegiate level, all meet similar educational standards, thereby allowing credits to transfer between accredited schools even if they are in separate states or countries.

Similarly, because the state of Montana has verified Blueprint Education's rigorous standards, when a student there enrolls in a Blueprint course, the credit will transfer back to their home school district.

Blueprint Education offers online, as well as print-based, classes for students who need to earn credit because of missed or failed classes; a desire to graduate early; or for students who are competitive athletes and musicians whose training schedules keep them from a regular academic schedule.

Blueprint Education originated in 1926 as a correspondence school. In 1969, it was incorporated by the state of Arizona as a private non-profit organization and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Today, Blueprint Education serves thousands of school-aged youth and adults throughout the world.

For questions about enrolling students in Blueprint Education programs, call Kodras directly at 602-674-5555 ext 4840, or email her at marmyk@blueprinteducation.org. More information about Blueprint Education is available at www.blueprinteducation.org.