• Certification to the public that the school is a trustworthy institution of learning
• Validates the integrity of a school’s program and student transcripts
• Fosters improvement of the school’s programs and operations to support student learning
• Assures a school community that the school’s purposes are appropriate and being accomplished through a viable educational program

In December 2002, faculty of the University of California approved a policy that required all California public and private high schools to be WASC accredited (or a candidate for accreditation) in order to establish and/or maintain an “a-g” list.

• Accreditation is required with respect to the Cal Grants.
• Colleges and universities examine transcripts to determine if the students have attended accredited institutions.
• Military recruiters expect applicants to be from accredited schools.
• Many districts have policies to accept credits only from WASC-accredited schools or schools accredited by other regions with whom WASC has reciprocal agreements.