The Value of Membership
Membership in FCIS confirms the following:
- Adherence to rigorous standards
- Commitment to the FCIS Code of Ethics
- Legislative voice at the state level to promote freedom from governmental interference
- Smooth transition to higher education for graduating students
- Access to professional development offered by FCIS
- National recognition via the NAIS Commission on Accreditation and ICAISA (International Council Advancing Independent School Accreditation)
MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA
There are two types of membership in the Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS): full membership (for schools in existence for more than three years) and New School Candidacy (for schools in existence for less than three years).
Both membership types require that schools meet the following criteria in order to apply:
- The school must be open and in operation, with students attending classes.
- The school must have at least 25 students.
- The school must be organized as a for-profit or not-for-profit corporation in the State of Florida.
- The school must offer elementary, middle school, and/or secondary programs. FCIS does not accredit post-secondary institutions.
- If the school has programs for 2-, 3-, 4- and/or 5-year-olds, those programs must be part of an overall elementary program that extends through at least 3rd grade. Schools that serve students only in grade 2 and below are not eligible for membership.
- The school must not discriminate in admission or employment on the basis of race, religion, national or ethnic origin and must follow fair employment practices.
- The school must have a written philosophy that guides the school's programs and operations.
- If not-for-profit, the school must have an independent governing Board whose sole function is the governance of the school.
- The school must have a curriculum consistent with its philosophy, as evidenced by a published curriculum guide.
- The school must be financially solvent.
NEW SCHOOL CANDIDACY
New School Candidacy is available only for schools that have been operating for less than two years. If your school has been open for two years or more, please see Full Membership.
New School Candidacy allows new schools to participate in FCIS as they work towards full membership with the association. The benefits of New School Candidacy include:
- The ability to attend the FCIS Convention and other professional development offerings at the membership rate
- Admittance to members-only webinars on standards, legal issues, and more
- Legislative information and advocacy
- Access to critical data via DASL (Data and Analysis for School Leadership)
- Subscriptions to FCIS publications
- Networking opportunities with other independent schools
- Guidance and help with the accreditation process
Instructions to Apply
FCIS Dues Structure
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2025-2026 Membership Dues
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Early Childhood Fee (PK-K): $550
MEMBERSHIP INQUIRY
The first step towards New School Candidacy (NSC) is to fill out an Inquiry Form. A $500.00 Inquiry Fee is required for form submission. If the inquiry is approved, the school will be granted a site visit. If the inquiry is denied, the school's inquiry fee will be refunded, minus FCIS travel expenses incurred during the site visit.
Before filling out the inquiry form, it is critical that the school...
- Review FCIS Membership Criteria to ensure the school meets all criteria before inquiring.
- Review FCIS Standards. All FCIS Standards do not need to be met by NSC Candidates; however, the school must be making progress towards meeting those standards at the time of the NSC Evaluation. Pay particular attention to Standard 2 (Governance), Standard 4 (Finance), and Standard 11 (Personnel).
Site Visit for NSC
FCIS will evaluate your inquiry to determine possible eligibility for NSC. If eligible, you will be contacted to schedule a Site Visit with a representative from FCIS.
A Site Visit occurs when a school wants to apply to FCIS for full membership or New School Candidacy. The purpose of the Site Visit is to confirm the information provided by the school to the FCIS Office and to determine the school’s progress towards meeting FCIS standards.
The Site Visit is conducted by the FCIS Director of Accreditation or another representative of FCIS. The visit usually takes around 3 hours to complete.
Prior to the visit, the school will be sent a Faculty Data Sheet, which must be filled out and submitted before the visit. This sheet summarizes the qualifications of the faculty, which must be assessed as a part of the Site Visit report.
During the Site Visit, the school should be prepared to:
- Give a tour of the school
- Discuss the academic preparation of the faculty
- Share a copy of the school’s curriculum guide
- Describe the governance of the school
- Provide a copy of the school’s latest budget and proof of liability insurance
- Answer questions about operations as they relate to FCIS standards
- Ask any questions about FCIS and the accreditation process
After the visit concludes, the FCIS representative will submit a report for review.
The Site Visit report will be reviewed by FCIS. If it is deemed that the school should enter into the NSC process, the school will be sent an official application. To continue with the process, the school must return the completed application and an application fee. The application fee is $500 or 50% of annual dues, whichever is greater.
Evaluation visit for NSC
A school that has been established for three years or less may apply for New School Candidate status with FCIS. After an initial inquiry and site visit, an application may be extended to the New School Candidate. Within 12 months of the application submission, a small team representing the FCIS Board of Directors will conduct a New School Evaluation visit to ensure compliance with standards and initial preparations for full accreditation. A school may then undergo an Original Accreditation in its fourth year of operation.
A New School Candidate visit will include:
- Tour of the entire campus
- Meetings with the following:
- Head of School
- CFO/Business Manager
- Division Heads
- Faculty representatives
- Parent Organization representatives
- Board of Directors representatives
- Religious representative (if applicable)
The visit will also include a review of the following documentation:
- Curriculum Guide
- Financial Statements (financial review or audit, budget, enrollment projection)
- Faculty Qualification Data
- Admissions Packet (including qualifications for admission)
- Marketing materials
- Student/personnel records
- Crisis plan
- Strategic plan
The New School Candidacy Evaluation report will be reviewed by the FCIS Commission on Accreditation and Board of Directors. If approved, the school receives New School Candidacy status within FCIS upon the payment of annual dues.
New School Candidates may attend FCIS workshops and events at the member rate, are asked to submit an Annual Report and pay annual dues. They are not eligible to vote during business meetings nor participate in the FCIS Master Inservice Program. NSC schools are listed in the directory and on the FCIS web site.
FAQ's
Q: Can we be a member of FCIS without becoming accredited by FCIS?
A: No. Full membership requires accreditation by FCIS. New School Candidates enter without accreditation; however, they must agree to undergo accreditation within their fourth full year of operation. FCIS does not have any other membership statuses.
Q: What are the costs of accreditation?
A: Schools that pass the inquiry process will undergo a Site Visit by a representative of FCIS. The Inquiry fee is $500.00. If, after the Site Visit, an official application is granted, an application fee must be paid. The fee is $500.00 or 50% of annual dues, whichever is greater. Then, the actual accreditation evaluation is scheduled. The school is responsible for the expenses of the visiting team, including food, lodging, and reimbursement for mileage and other travel expenses. Therefore, the cost of the evaluation varies depending on the size of the team. FCIS does not charge additional accreditation fees.
Q: Our students take all of their classes online. Can we be accredited?
A: Your school may be accredited if and only if all of the courses are created by your school and are taught by employees of your school. If the students are taking the majority of their courses from an outside provider (such as FLVS), the school is not eligible for accreditation with FCIS.
Q: How can we learn more about the accreditation process? Is there training?
A: Face-to-face training takes place at the annual FCIS Convention, which takes place each November. Training is also available via webinars. For more information on these events, see the “Professional Development” section of the FCIS website. Once a school is an applying school, its faculty and staff may also participate as evaluation team members for other schools. Consult the “Accreditation” section of the FCIS website for more information about being a team member.
Q: Can we get accredited by more than one accrediting association at a time?
A: Yes. FCIS has cooperative agreements with Cognia, the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), and SAIS (Southern Association of Independent Schools). To add SAIS, ACSI or Cognia, contact the FCIS office.
Q: We are already accredited by one of the associations you mentioned. Can we follow their accreditation process and just add FCIS to it?
A: No. Our cooperative agreements with SAIS, ACSI and Cognia state that FCIS will be the lead agency on all joint evaluations. Therefore, the school must complete the FCIS Self-Study and follow FCIS evaluation protocols.
Q: Once we are an applying school, may we use the FCIS logo on our website or other marketing materials?
A: No. Only New School Candidates and full members may use the FCIS logo.
Q: Can applying schools participate in FCIS’s Master-Inservice Program (MIP)?
A: Only full members may use the MIP. New School Candidates and applying schools are not eligible.
INQUIRY FORM
BEFORE YOU BEGIN THE INQUIRY FORM, you will need:
- School information (enrollment numbers for the last two years, school address, etc.)
- Most recent financial audit (not an Audit of Agreed Upon Procedures)
- Current Strategic Plan
- Annual budget
- Proof of liability insurance
- Curriculum guide
- Crisis plan
- A $500.00 inquiry fee
For schools open for two years or less, it is understood that some of these items may be in progress.
Full Membership
Full membership is available to schools that have been in operation for more than two years. If your school has been in operation for less than two years, please see New School Candidacy.
Full membership in FCIS is granted to schools who successfully complete FCIS evaluation and accreditation. Through the evaluation and accreditation process, the Florida Council of Independent Schools strives to assure that each member school maintains high standards and independence. The self-evaluation and accreditation process that each school undergoes is conducted to ensure that each school adheres to the high FCIS standards and fulfills its mission as stated.
Instructions to Apply
- MEMBERSHIP INQUIRY
- Site Visit for Full Membership
- Evaluation visit for Full Membership
- FCIS Dues Structure
- FAQ's
MEMBERSHIP INQUIRY
The first step towards Full Membership is to fill out an Inquiry Form. A $500.00 Inquiry Fee is required for form submission. If the inquiry is approved, the school will be granted a site visit. If the inquiry is denied, the school's inquiry fee will be refunded, minus FCIS travel expenses incurred during the site visit.
Before filling out the inquiry form, it is critical that the school...
- Review FCIS Membership Criteria to ensure the school meets all criteria before inquiring.
- Review FCIS Standards. All FCIS Standards do not need to be met at the time of the Site Visit; however, the school must be making progress towards meeting those standards at the time of the Site Visit. Pay particular attention to Standard 2 (Governance), Standard 4 (Finance), and Standard 11 (Personnel).
Site Visit for Full Membership
FCIS will evaluate your inquiry to determine possible eligibility for FCIS Membership and Accreditation. If eligible, you will be contacted to schedule a Site Visit with a representative from FCIS.
A Site Visit occurs when a school wants to apply to FCIS for full membership. The purpose of the Site Visit is to confirm the information provided by the school to the FCIS Office and to determine the school’s progress towards meeting FCIS standards.
The Site Visit is conducted by the FCIS Director of Accreditation or another representative of FCIS. The visit usually takes around 3 hours to complete.
Prior to the visit, the school will be sent a Faculty Data Sheet, which must be filled out and submitted before the visit. This sheet summarizes the qualifications of the faculty, which must be assessed as a part of the Site Visit report.
During the Site Visit, the school should be prepared to:
- Give a tour of the school
- Discuss the academic preparation of the faculty
- Share a copy of the school’s curriculum guide
- Describe the governance of the school
- Provide a copy of the school’s latest budget and proof of liability insurance
- Answer questions about operations as they relate to FCIS standards
- Ask any questions about FCIS and the accreditation process
After the visit concludes, the FCIS representative will submit a report for review.
The Site Visit report will be reviewed by FCIS. If it is deemed that the school should enter into the accreditation process, the school will be sent an official application. To continue with the process, the school must return the completed application and an application fee. The application fee is $500 or 50% of annual dues, whichever is greater.
Evaluation visit for Full Membership
A school that has been established for three years or more may apply for full membership and accreditation with FCIS. After an initial inquiry and site visit, an application may be extended to the school. A school may then undergo an Original Accreditation in its fourth year of operation or later.
For more information on the accreditation process, please review the FCIS Accreditation Manual.
Schools with a positive outcome will be granted full accreditation and membership upon payment of Membership Dues.
FCIS Dues Structure
|
2025-2026 Membership Dues
|
Early Childhood Fee (PK-K): $550
FAQ's
Q: Can we be a member of FCIS without becoming accredited by FCIS?
A: No. Full membership requires accreditation by FCIS. New School Candidates enter without accreditation; however, they must agree to undergo accreditation within their fourth full year of operation. FCIS does not have any other membership statuses.
Q: What are the costs of accreditation?
A: Schools that pass the inquiry process will undergo a Site Visit by a representative of FCIS. The Inquiry fee is $500.00. If, after the Site Visit, an official application is granted, an application fee of $500.00 must be paid. Then, the actual accreditation evaluation is scheduled. The school is responsible for the expenses of the visiting team, including food, lodging, and reimbursement for mileage and other travel expenses. Therefore, the cost of the evaluation varies depending on the size of the team. FCIS does not charge additional accreditation fees.
Q: Our students take all of their classes online. Can we be accredited?
A: Your school may be accredited if and only if all of the courses are created by your school and are taught by employees of your school. If the students are taking the majority of their courses from an outside provider (such as FLVS), the school is not eligible for accreditation with FCIS.
Q: How can we learn more about the accreditation process? Is there training?
A: Face-to-face training takes place at the annual FCIS Convention, which takes place each November. Training is also available via webinars. For more information on these events, see the “Professional Development” section of the FCIS website. Once a school is an applying school, its faculty and staff may also participate as evaluation team members for other schools. Consult the “Accreditation” section of the FCIS website for more information about being a team member.
Q: Can we get accredited by more than one accrediting association at a time?
A: Yes. FCIS has cooperative agreements with Cognia, the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), and SAIS (Southern Association of Independent Schools). To add SAIS, ACSI or Cognia, contact the FCIS office.
Q: We are already accredited by one of the associations you mentioned. Can we follow their accreditation process and just add FCIS to it?
A: No. Our cooperative agreements with SAIS, ACSI and Cognia state that FCIS will be the lead agency on all joint evaluations. Therefore, the school must complete the FCIS Self-Study and follow FCIS evaluation protocols.
Q: Once we are an applying school, may we use the FCIS logo on our website or other marketing materials?
A: No. Only New School Candidates and full members may use the FCIS logo.
Q: Can applying schools participate in FCIS’s Professional Learning Catalog (formerly Master-Inservice Program)?
A: Only full members may use the MIP New School Candidates and applying schools are not eligible.
Q. Does FCIS have a policy for applying schools attending FCIS virtual events?
A: Yes, FCIS is pleased to extend access to virtual professional development opportunities for schools in the process of applying for membership. The following policy outlines how applying schools may participate in FCIS virtual events.
Schools in the Evaluation Year
Schools who will go through their accreditation evaluation in the current school calendar year (25-26) may attend FCIS webinars at no additional cost. These schools will be assessed prorated membership dues once accredited, and webinar participation is considered a benefit of their pending membership status.
Schools in the Application Process (Evaluation Outside the Current Calendar Year):
Schools that are actively applying for FCIS membership but will not undergo their evaluation visit in the current school calendar year may purchase an Applying School Webinar Pass for $500. This pass grants access for all members of the school community, including administrators, teachers, trustees, and heads of school, to attend FCIS webinars during the application year. Webinars are typically a members-only benefit, and this pass provides extended access during the application process. Please email Keara Danger if you are interested in purchasing this pass (kdanger@fcis.org).
Exclusions and Additional Events: Roundtables are reserved exclusively for member schools and are not included in the webinar pass. Virtual Workshops incur an additional registration fee for both member and non-member schools, including applying schools. Applying schools should register as non-members until accreditation is complete.
INQUIRY FORM
BEFORE YOU BEGIN THE INQUIRY FORM, you will need:
- School information (enrollment numbers for the last five years, school address, etc.)
- Most recent financial audit (not an Audit of Agreed Upon Procedures)
- Current Strategic Plan
- Annual budget
- Proof of liability insurance
- Curriculum guide
- Crisis plan
- A $500.00 inquiry fee