Cognia formerly known as AdvancED, is a nonprofit accreditation organization that specializes in evaluating and improving the quality of Pre-K-12 schools and school systems. Their accreditation process involves:

1. Conducting external reviews
2. Evaluating school quality
3. Verifying adherence to high standards
4. Promoting continuous improvement

Cognia accreditation is a prestigious recognition that signifies a school system:

• Meets high-quality standards
• Actively engages in continuous improvement
• Produces quality results

In 2024, the Deer Valley Unified School District (DVUSD) achieved a significant milestone by receiving Cognia's five-year system-wide accreditation. As part of this process:

1. The Cognia External Review Team identified:
   • Powerful practices within DVUSD
   • Areas for improvement (improvement priorities)
2. DVUSD responded by:
   • Addressing the recommendations through targeted action steps
   • Aligning these steps with key strategic objectives from DVUSD's Strategic Plan