Legacy Earns Reaccreditation

Peer-Review Team Lauds Entire Community

On May 17, 2021, the Council on Educational Standards and Accountability (CESA) approved the recommendation of the peer-review team to recertify LCA as a Member of Council (MoC) school. Among the thousands of Christian schools in the United States and around the world, Legacy is one of only 44 to have earned the privilege of that designation.

During March, a five-year renewal review of LCA was conducted by a peer-review team comprising Julie Ambler, Head of School at The Woodlands Christian Academy (Texas), Rod Fletcher, Head of School at The Brook Hill School (Texas), and Jim Marsh, CESA Director of Institutional Reviews. The two-and-half-day visit included a detailed inspection of school documents, an extensive tour of the facilities, and dozens of interviews with board members, administrators, and a crosssection of teachers, parents, and students.

The review team certified that LCA was in full compliance with the 17 Primary Standards set by five categories: 1. Mission Clarity 2. Effective Governance 3. Institutional Viability 4. Academic and Programmatic Distinction 5. Sense of Coherent Christian Community

Furthermore, the review team found that LCA met at least 80 percent of the Secondary Standards required for certification.

The peer-review team highly commended LCA in the following areas:

• Effective, collaborative strategic planning and execution. All areas of the school have seen significant changes and improvements. The Head of School, Board of Trustees, and executive leadership team are actively engaged in the strategic-planning process and implementation, and are held accountable for completion of the planning goals and strategies.

• The LCA academic program has been significantly expanded and improved. During the past five years, the school has launched the

Professional Schools Program, the Spanish Immersion Program, and the Legacy Learning Center. Senior academic deans were added in the

Upper School and Pre-K–8 divisions, there are more course offerings in the Upper School, and new fine arts programs have been facilitated by the recently constructed Fine Arts Center. • A very healthy school culture is clearly evident throughout the LCA community. Board members, faculty and staff, students, and parents are quick to express appreciation for the sense of community and meaningful relationships that permeate the LCA experience. In addition, the understanding of and commitment to the LCA mission and heritage provide a strong foundation for decision-making and change.

Teachers feel called to their service at LCA and parents value the strong relationships with their children and faculty and staff: A common refrain is “My children are known here.”

• The LCA board is supportive, generous, and effective in supporting the

Head of School and the LCA community. The revision of the LCA Bylaws and Board Policy Manual has better aligned the board with governance best practices and had a positive impact on the working relationship of the board and the Head of School.

• The addition of an annual-giving program has been exceptionally successful. This program is important in undergirding the annual financial stability of the school and providing valuable facility and program improvements.

The review team also made five recommendations to help the school improve in areas crucial for institutional health and sustainability:

• Establish a well-planned, well-conceived transition plan to ensure and sustain future leadership quality and institutional vitality.

• Continue the school’s Kingdom Unity plan to become a more diverse community by adding more culturally diverse faculty/staff, students, and board members to better reflect the entirety of God’s Kingdom.

• As the school develops a new strategic plan, complete a comprehensive analysis of the long-range vision that recognizes the changing demographics that might impact LCA’s future health and sustainability.

• To serve the broader Frisco community, leverage the school’s strong reputation and excellent facilities by partnering with, for example, local churches, organizations, and athletics and fine arts programs. These partnerships could result in important alternative income streams and encourage potential families to enroll their children at LCA.

• Complete the comprehensive vertical alignment project, currently in progress, for the Pre-K–12 curriculum.