Carroll County Schools has been named a 2025 System of Distinction by Cognia, a global nonprofit school improvement organization that provides quality assurance for schools, school districts and education service providers.
During the 2024-2025 school year, Cognia conducted about 1,110 global accreditation engagement reviews and from that number recognized just 23 schools and seven systems in the U.S. and five international schools and systems across four other countries.
These 35 worldwide Schools and Systems of Distinction earned the recognition based on the results of Cognia’s rigorous Accreditation Engagement Review process. Carroll County Schools is the only Georgia system recognized.
“Congratulations to the 2025 Schools and Systems of Distinction for demonstrating excellence in education in meeting the Cognia Performance Standards,” Cognia president and CEO Dr. Mark A. Elgart said. “These institutions are living their commitment to improve the educational experience for every one of their students – a commitment that will serve these children for years to come.”
Based on their 2024–2025 Cognia Accreditation Engagement Review results, schools and systems of distinction demonstrated evidence of growth in learning, a healthy culture for learning, engaging and high-quality instructional environments, and effective leadership for learning—all characteristics Cognia expects to see in quality schools.
Carroll County Schools received a six-year renewal of its accreditation by Cognia in March with an Education Quality score of 365, far exceeding the Cognia IEQ Network Average of 296. The Index of Education Quality is central to the evaluation and a measure of overall educational performance and uses a scale of 100 to 400 to gauge how a system is performing overall.
“Cognia’s comprehensive review compared our entire organization to their standards of excellence and yielded extremely high marks,” Superintendent Scott Cowart said. “We knew that much back in March, but what we are learning now is just how well we stacked up with schools and systems all over the world. Of 1,100 reviews last year, we’re in the top 3 percent.”
Candidates for Cognia accreditation and reaccreditation participate in a rigorous evaluation process that includes a period of self-assessment, an evaluation conducted by trained external, third-party evaluators, and an improvement phase focused on the evaluation’s results. The Cognia Performance Standards for K-12 accreditation are based on the latest research and understanding of learning, teaching, and leading. Once accredited, an institution engages in a similar engagement review process at least every six years to maintain Cognia Accreditation.
“Being named a System of Distinction puts an exclamation point on our reaccreditation process and validates the hard work that is happening in classrooms in every school in Carroll County,” Cowart said.
Dr. Jay Wansley, a 40-year veteran of Cognia accreditation, chaired the system’s reaccreditation team in March and said then that as he read the extensive documentation provided by the system, he developed a central theme regarding culture.
“A culture of respect, trust, and collaboration permeates the system. The Executive Summary, Self-Assessment, Accreditation Portfolio, and leader interviews, all components of the Review, demonstrate a relentless pursuit by stakeholders to become recognized as a premier school system,” Wansley said.
“Leaders and stakeholders consistently work together to ensure every student is provided opportunities to succeed, regardless of socio-economic background,” Wansley said.
Throughout its more than 125 years of service, Cognia, formerly AdvancED, has globally recognized schools that meet rigorous standards focused on productive learning environments, equitable resource allocation for the needs of learners, and effective leadership.
“I could not be more proud of the way our team – everyone from teachers and parapros to leaders and support staff and including bus drivers and school nutrition workers – understands that our real purpose is positively changing lives,” Associate Superintendent of School Performance Dr. Jessica Ainsworth said. “The Cognia rating is based on how well we live out the standards that we have set as a district, and they make it clear that we are united around preparing graduates who are ready for enrollment, enlistment or employment while giving every student the individualized experience needed to succeed.”
2025 Schools and Systems of Distinction
A.D. Henderson University School/FAU High School
Florida, USA
Achievement Centers, Inc. (Acacia Academy)
Illinois, USA
Advanced Education for Founding and Managing Educational Facilities
Egypt
Al Andalus Educational Company
Saudi Arabia
Al-Anjal Private School
Saudi Arabia
Applied Technology Schools (ATS)
United Arab Emirates
Berkley Accelerated
Florida, USA
Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School
Florida, USA
Carroll County Schools
Georgia, USA
Catholic Diocese of Jackson
Mississippi, USA
Central High School
Minnesota, USA
Chatham County School System
North Carolina, USA
Chesapeake Math & IT, Public Charter N High School
Maryland, USA
Clackamas High School
Oregon, USA
Clackamas Middle College
Oregon, USA
Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College
Florida, USA
Davidson Academy
Tennessee, USA
DoDEA Europe West District
Belgium
FEG, Inc. dba Fusion Education Group and i-Education Group
Michigan, USA
Fulton Science Academy Private School
Georgia, USA
Green Level High School
North Carolina, USA
Imagine Charter School at Weston
Florida, USA
Johnston Memorial Early Learning Center
North Carolina, USA
Mountain Brook City Board of Education
Alabama, USA
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
North Carolina, USA
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy
New York, USA
Providence Education Group LLC
Florida, USA
Sacred Heart School
Louisiana, USA
Saint Louis University High School
Missouri, USA
Somerset Academy, Inc.
Florida, USA
State College of Florida Collegiate School
Florida, USA
Treasure Village Montessori
Florida, USA
Washington Technology High School
Minnesota, USA
Washtenaw Technical Middle College
Michigan, USA
Wayne RESA
Michigan, USA
