The National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools (NSBECS) provide Catholic school sponsors and stakeholders with a sound set of criteria which they can confidently use to develop tools and resources for authentic accreditation, self-assessment, reflection, strategic action, and collaboration. Rubrics, worksheets, guidelines, surveys and more have been developed to support implementation of best practice and growth in excellence at the school and diocesan/network levels. School leaders and school review teams can use these online tools to guide their work and easily communicate results and next steps.

In the interest of greater understanding and more productive use, additional resources are provided to further clarify, demonstrate, and explain various aspects of the NSBECS and related tools. 

Practitioners at all levels have developed programs and initiatives to improve Catholic schools using the NSBECS.  These efforts include such things as principal evaluation protocols, school recognition programs, innovative professional development aimed at school turn-around, Catholic principal preparation and coaching, statewide Catholic school accreditation, diocesan-wide strategic planning, and more. 

The current links to field-based NSBECS implementation programs and practices are just the beginning.  They represent the tip of the proverbial iceberg.  Additional links are invited and will be sought out. Further information is forthcoming from NCEA NSBECS Council (NNC) to share your successful implementation program or initiative.

The NSBECS are making a difference in schools, dioceses and higher education. Since 2012, these standards and benchmarks have served as a catalyst for change, when adopted and implemented at both the school and diocesan level. The Catholic School Standards Study (CSS), completed in 2016 documents these findings in an article entitled Making a Difference: The Promise of Catholic School Standards, available in the Journal for Catholic education.