Has anyone heard about Marwin High School?

Answer 1

IMPORTANT: The original first answer, futher down herein, was clearly written by a diploma millist and/or supporters/shills thereof. The "new amended answer," immediately below, is written by a professional educational consultant and anti-degree/diploma-mill and consumer-protection activist. Please believe only the "new amended answer." Yes, it's long, but the reader will emerge from it fully understanding high school accreditation, and how not to get ripped-off by diploma mills like Marwin High School.

NEW AMENDED ANSWER

First a warning to the millists and/or shills who have so irresponsibly written the below original first answer...

I will be immediately notified by email of any changes to this page; and now that it's on my radar, I will not allow any more misleading lies to be told to hapless consumers and diploma seekers by good-for-nothing diploma milists and their shills like you. I will restore this page to its present state as many times as it takes, more or less immediately after you vandalize it, until an admin finally locks it, which I will request immediately after the very first time you change anything, here.

I'm not saying I won't allow additions to the page; this place is all about such additions. I'm not claiming this page for my own. I'm simply saying that I won't allow any more lies. The stakes are too high; people looking for real high school diplomas can be too harmed by such lies. I simply won't per mit them; and I'll ask an admin to lock this page, if that's what it takes to stop them. The admins, here, know me; they know my work, and that I am protecting consumers from your likes.

So, then, please know that, in the end, it will do you no good to change anything here as your kind always tries to do in order to undo and remove such as my provably accurate consumer protection information here which they know so harms them.

TO THE READER: Marwin High School is notaccredited. That, alone, is reason enough to stay away from it because at least in the United States, virtually no employer, no college/university, and certainly not any US federal or state/local government agency will accept an unaccredited high school diploma. Period.

Moreover, most employers, colleges/universities and government will only accept high school diplomas that are "regionally" (and not "nationally") accredited by one of the six big US "regional" accreditors that are approved by the US Department of Education (USDE).

To get some perspective, please know that virtually every local, traditional, community, in-classroom-style public elementary, middle and high school that's operated by city and county school districts all across America are all -- every last one of them -- "regionally" accredited. Every single one.

Most large private K-12 schools, too -- such as Roman Catholic elementary and high schools, just to name one well-known kind -- are usually also "regionally" accredited.

So, too, are all of America's public/state colleges/universities "regionally" accredited; and so are even most of the private colleges/universities in every single US state also "regionally" accredited.

Yes, there is such a thing as USDE-approved "national" accreditation; and "national" accreditation is very, very good in terms of its educational and other standards. Truth is, "national" accreditation standards are easily on par, in most cases, with "regional" accreditation ones. Certainly at the college/university level, it is more acceptable (than at the high school level) to employers and others for a certificate, diploma or degree to be from a school that's either "nationally" or "regionally" accredited by an agency that's USDE-approved, or that's approved by the USDE-sanctioned Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Said another way: At the college/university (also known as "post-secondary") level, USDE- and CHEA-approved "regional" accreditation is unquestionably best; however USDE- and/or CHEA-approved "national" accreditation will usually also be acceptable, too.

However -- and this is important -- at the high school level, only "regional" (and not "national") accrediation, by one of the US's six big USDE-approved "regional" accreditors will do. Period.

That means that even though there are some excellent "nationally" accredited high schools out there, one would be foolish to enroll in any of them.

Even two of the biggest online high schools in the US -- Penn Foster College's high school, and its direct competitor Ashworth College's "James Madison High Schhool" -- both know that only "regional" accreditation will do at the high school level. Both the Penn Foster and Ashworth colleges, themselves, are "nationally" (and not "regionally") accredited. However, when they both decided to start also offering high school diplomas, they knew better than to get their high schools only "nationally" accredited, like their colleges are only "nationally" accredited. Yes, they both got their high schools "nationally" accredited; but they both knew that employers, colleges/universities and government only accept "regionally" accredited high schoold diplomas. So, both colleges made sure that their high schools were not only "nationally" accredited, but also "regionally" accredited. Since their "regional" accrediation trumps "national" accreditation, the consumer/diploma-seeker can just ignore the two colleges' high schools' "national" accreditation. Only their "regional" accreditation matters.

So, then, bottom line: Only ever get a "regionally" accredited high school diploma. It matters not if said diploma is from an online or in-classroom high school. All that matters is that the high school is "regionally" (and not "nationally") accredited.

Maybe someday employers, colleges/universities and government will finally realize that "national" accreditation is, in reality, just as good as "regional" accreditation; however, until that day comes, do not fiddle around with "nationally" accredited high school diplomas. Please! Get only a diploma from a "regionally" accredited either online or in-classroom high school.

Marwin "High School" (yes, the quotation marks are intended as derisive commentary, because Marwin's not really even a high school) is not accredited by any agency that's approved by either USDE or CHEA. Marwin is, then, not really accredited, at all.

Despite one of the millist claims(lies) in the below original first answer, Marwin is not even "nationally" accredited. The so-called "accreditor" which Marwin claims is not one of the USDE-approved "national" accreditors. It is, in fact, fake/bogus.

Additionally, Marwin's BBB rating -- even if Marwin were "accredited" by the BBB -- means nothing. Millists use BBB status all the time to try to make themselves look credible. However, the BBB does not do educational accreditation. Even if an educational provider is "BBB accredited," that is not the same thing as actual educational accreditation. However, because the BBB was foolish enough to use that word -- accreditation -- and because millists are so desperate to appear to be accredited to unwary consumers, said millists have glommed-onto BBB "accreditation" (or at least a high BBB rating) as a sign of credibility.

Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, as the ABC television network's "20/20" newsmagazine program reported back in 2010 (and nothing, trust me, has changed since that time), the BBB, itself, is something of a racket which gives those willing to pay it high ratings, and all others low ones. Down in the "sources and related links" area of this page, below, I have placed a link to that 20/20 article for the reader's reference.

So, then, bottom line: Marwin is not, I repeat, accredited, at all. Its alleged "accreditor" (quotation marks, again, as derisive commentary) is International Association for Online Education Accreditation (IAOEA), which is completely fake/bogus, and entirely made-up. Its website is obviously just a website template, utilizing a photo that's from a stock image company; and it contains nowhere near enough information to be taken seriously as a real accreditation website. Additionally, USDE- and/or CHEA-approved institutional accreditation is, by and large, not an international sort of thing. Accreditors based on course delivery modality, or programmatic content exist (but are still rare); but institutional accreditation tends to be a country-by-country sort of thing. So IAOEA's being "international," and trying to accredit the whole of Marwin, as an institution, is a dead giveaway that it's just all bogus.

So, then, Marwin's not accredited. Period. And because it is so important for any high school diploma in the US to be not only accredited, but specifically "regionally" accredited, the fact that Marwin is not accredited, at all, is reason enough to steer clear of it. If that's reason enough for you, then you don't really even need to continue reading, here. However, since an informed consumer is a smart and self-protected one, I most strongly recommend that you finish reading this answer.

Though Marwin's not being accredited, at all, should be reason enough to stay away from it, as it happens, there's yet another excellent reason to avoid Marwin at all costs, and that's because Marwin isn't even a high school. In fact, Marwin is a good-for-nothing diploma mill!

Even if it offered actual classes which those who don't know any better would swear is real high-school-quality coursework (which it doesn't, by the way; but I'm just saying that even if it did), the fact that Marwin claims accreditation by a completely fake/bogus accreditor -- and, even more than that, the fact that it extols the virtues of an entire list of fake/bogus accreditors on its website's "accreditation" (again, quotation marks intended as derisive commentary) page; as well as flat-out lies about what accreditation both is and means on that page -- indicates that Marwin is simply not credible, and that it lacks even the most basic level of integrity which a high school must have in order to be trustworthy.

Also, present on that page, in that list of accreditors, is an example of a classic tactic used by millists when trying to convice hapless site visitors of their credibility and alleged accrediation: The inclusion in lists of bogus things, things that are credible. We see intermingled in that list both bogus accreditors and real ones. This is a well-known "credibility by association" sort of tactic used by millists to confuse site visitors who may be learning about accreditation, and so may know the names of a few real accreditors. Including said names of real and credible accreditors in lists of completely fake/bogus ones gives the latter the appearance of credibility in the minds of those who don't know any better.

We see a similar "credibility by association" tactic often used on fake/bogus accreditor websites wherein the bogus school which contained a link to said bogus accreditor's website is listed among real and credible schools on the bogus accreditor's website's list of schools which it allegedly accredits. Again, the hope is that the site visitor who doesn't know any better will see well-known and credible schools on the same list as the bogus one, and so will assume that the bogus one is as credible as the real and actually credible ones!

Of course, the most telling thing, even without verifying Marwin's accreditation and seeing if it's actually worth anything (something I'll explain how to do in a moment), is that all one has to do is take some tests, pay some money, and get one's high school diploma in as few as 12 -- count 'em, TWELVE -- days. Ha!What a joke! No legitimate high school -- and I mean NONE of them, not even unaccredited but nevertheless credible ones -- would ever offer such a ridiculous thing. Testing-out of entire academic credentials is the classic modus operandi of diploma/degree mills. With the sole exception of the sort of thing described on the website "BA in Four Weeks," entire academic credentials simply may not be tested-out of. They just can't. It's a myth.

So, too, is a myth the whole business of "life experience" counting sufficiently toward any legitimate academic credential that it may be entirely earned thereby. Degree mills use that one all the time. They'll tell you that if you send them your resume, plus transcripts from any college courses you've ever taken, they can be combined to earn a degree from your "life experience;" that is, as long as you pay the big dollars. It's "buying" a degree... and a fake one, to boot! The mills count on the fact that many real, legitimate and accredited colleges/universities actually will offer course credit for life/work experience. What those who fall for the millists' sale pitch don't realize is that even at the most liberal/open-minded of the schools which offer course credit for life/work experience, a maximum of only around 30 semester credit hours -- just one of a typical bachelors degree's four years worth of credit -- from life/work experience is allowed. And, worse, the procedure for getting the school to award it is usually so daunting that most students quickly figure out that it would be easier/faster to just take the courses, and be done with it... especially true if one must pay the same amount of money to the school regardless which way the credit is earned.

So-called "life experience" credit at the high schoollevel is simply never awarded by legitimate, accredited high schools... even the online ones. Never! So if you encounter a high school that's offering it, STAY AWAY! Said school is positively fake.

Speaking of my use of the phrase "even online ones," as if there was something sub-standard about "online" (as opposed to "in-classroom") schools...

...it's important for me to make this point: There is no difference between an "online" and an "in-classroom" school, as long as the school is accredited by a USDE- and/or CHEA-approved agency. Simple as that.

Online has gotten a bad reputation in the minds of people who don't know any better because, yes, it's true, all diploma/degree mills are "online." But it's an "all thumbs are fingers, but all fingers are not thumbs" sort of thing. All diploma/degree mills are online, but not all online schools are diploma/degree mills. Heck, even Harvard and Yale now offer entire degrees online. And in 2009, USDE commissioned a study which found that online students tended to be more self-disciplined and harder working; and tended to do generally better, overall, than their in-classroom counterparts.

Online diploma and degree programs are identical to the in-classroom ones; but the trick is to ensure that the school -- regardless whether it's of the online or in-classroom type -- is accredited by a USDE- and/or CHEA-approved agency. Do that, and there's no possibility of being ripped-off by a diploma/degree mill.

Diploma mills love the Internet because it's so much easiser to create an impressive-looking website than it is to create an impressive-looking actual school campus in the real/physical world. Back before the Internet, mills had to advertise in the backs of magazines, on placards up near the ceiling on city buses, and on the backs of matchbook covers. It was sad, too, because some real and truly accredited distance learning (usually correspondence) schools also advertised in those places. So, even back then it was hard for consumers/diploma-seekers to tell what was real and trustworthy, and what was really only a rip-off... like Marwin.

On today's Internet's worldwide web, it's even harder than ever for consumers/diploma-seekers! Millists and their shills, like the ones who posted the original first answer, below, are able to fool people as never before. They know that there's been enough in the news in recent years about the importance of accreditation that they need to claim to be accredited; but they count on the consumer/diploma-seeker's ignorance of how accreditation actually works -- and also the ease with which a fake/bogus accreditor can be made to look credible on the Internet -- to help them still fool people.

That's what they've tried to do, here, below; and also with Marwin's indeed impressive-looking, but nevertheless completely fake/bogus high school website; and also the equally-impressive-looking website of its fake/bogus accreditor. DO NOT BE FOOLED!

Always, always, always look-up any high school -- be it online or in-classroom -- on the website of whichever of the six big US "regional" accreditors covers the state in which said high school is physically located. Yes, it takes a few moments to first figure out which US "regional" accreditor covers the state in which the high school is physically located; and then it takes another few moments to figure out what is said accredtior's website. Once you've done those two things, though, it takes only seconds to interrogate the online database of the accreditor, on its website, to see if the high school in question is really and truly "regionally" accredited.

If the high school in question does not appear in the database of accredited high schools on the website of the "regional" accreditor which covers the state in which the high school is physically located, then said high school is notaccredited, no matter what it claims on its website.

Fortunately for college/university (and other post-secondary) certificate, diploma and degree seekers, it's much easier to look-up schools and make sure they're accredited by a USDE- and/or CHEA-approved agency. Both USDE and CHEA maintain higher education online databases of accredited post-secondary schools; and said databases are really easy for anyone with a web browser and a computer connected to the Internet to quickly access and then use. Once one gets the hang of it, one can look-up any post-secondary school and see if it's accredited by a USDE- and/or CHEA-approved agency in literally just seconds. Seriously: that fast.

Down in the "sources and related links" section of this web page, I have provided links to the USDE and CHEA databases of post-secondary schools that are either "regionally" or "nationally" accredited (those are the only two types). Just so you can see how fast it can be, try going to one or both of them and looking-up any... oh... say... state college/university you can think of off the top of your head. It make take a few moments longer the first time; but just imagine how fast it can be once you get the hang of it!

However, sadly, there's no equivalent USDE online database of high schools (or middle schools, or elementary schools, either) where one may quickly look-up an either online or in-classroom school to see if it's "regionally" (or any other kind of, for that matter) accredited.

CHEA would never maintain such a database simply because it only cares about post-secondary (higher education) schools: that is, colleges, universities, seminaries, and career/trade either post-secondary schools or college/universies. The phrase "higher education" is even in CHEA's name, and is what its acronym's centermost letters stand for: Council for Higher Education Accreditation. So, then, at the elementary, middle and high school levels (also known as the primary and secondary levels), only USDE-approved agencies accredit.

And so, with K-12 (primary/elementary, middle and secondary/high) schools, one must go through the trouble of first figuring out in which state the school in question is physically located. Then one must figure out which US "regional" accreditor covers that state. And then one must figure out what is that "regional" accreditor's website. And then, finally, one must go to said "regional" accredtitor's website and look-up the school and see if it's in there. If it's not, then the school is not "regionally" accredited, no matter what it claims. If it is, then, of course, it is "regionally" accredited, exactly as it claims.

In any case, though, never ever believe what any school claims on its website regarding accreditation...

...at least not until you have independently verified that the school really and truly is accredited by a USDE-approved accreditor if it's a K-12 school, or by a USDE- and/or CHEA-approved accreditor if it's a post-secondary school.

Diploma/degree mills will, as one may see from the Marwin site, and from what's written by its millists/shills in the original first answer, below, LIE about their accreditation; and, worse, they'll do it both shamelessly and, effectively (because, after all, it's really only virtually, online) to your face!

Never, ever believe them! In fact, until you have independently verified that a given school is really and truly accredited (by looking it up in either the USDE and/or CHEA database if it's a post-secondary school, or in the appropriate "regional" accreditor's database if it's a K-12 school), you should never believe anything on the alleged school's website! Degree/diploma mills will lie about pretty much everything on their websites, so by all means always first verfiy that a given school really and truly is accredited by a USDE- and/or CHEA-approved agency before you believe a single thing claimed on said school's website!

To make things easier for those trying to look-up schools at the primary/elementary, middle, and secondary/high school levels (in other words, the K-12 schools), I have provided links to the six big US "regional" accreditor websites, down in the "sources and related links" section, below.

A caveat about that, though...

It has, recently, become slightly more complicated (as if it weren't already complicated enough) to look-up K-12 schools and see if they're "regionally" accredited; and that's because three of the six big US "regional" accreditors have formed a separate organization called "AdvancEd" which is now handling K-12 accreditation for those three "regional" accreditors.

And so, then, one must now go look-up the K-12 schools accredited by at least those three "regional" accreditors in the "AdvancEd" website's database, and not in the actual "regional" accreditors' websites' databases. Oy!

Yet, in a way it's good, because AdvancEd's database ends-up being a single place to look-up at least its three accreditors' K-12 schools, just like the USDE and CHEA databases are one-stop places to look-up post-secondary schools. So AdvancEd, then, is definitely cool; and it's a wonderful first step toward a one-stop place to look-up K-12 schools to see if they're "regionally" accredited.

However, it won't be as cool and easy-to-use either USDE or CHEA website databases are for post-secondary school accreditation checking until all six (and not just the current three) of the big US "regional" accreditors have also joined-in on the whole AdvancEd thing. Until they do, one must still first figure out which regional accreditor covers the state in which the school in question is physically located, then find its website, and then... well... you get the picture.

The three (of the total of six) big US "regional" accreditors that have joined together to form AdvancEd (and so, then, have turned-over their K-12 school look-ups to its website's database) are...

The North Central Association (NCA) Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), which covers all K-12 (and post-secondary, too, but we're now just talking about K-12) "regional" accreditation in the following US states: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

The Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC), which covers all K-12 (and post-secondary, too, but we're now just talking about K-12) "regional" accreditation in the following US states: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and the state of Washington.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), which covers all K-12 (and post-secondary, too, but we're now just talking about K-12) "regional" accreditation in the following US states: Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Texas.

...and so, then, K-12 school look-up in those states happens on the AdvancEd website. K-12 school look-up in all other US states, happens directly on the websites of the other three big US "regional" accreditors, to wit:

The Middle States Association (MSA) of Colleges and Schools, which covers both K-12 and post-secondary (but, again, we're, for now, just talking about K-12 look-up of) schools in the following US states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Additionally, MSA covers Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands; as well as schools for American children (usually at US military bases) in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), which covers both K-12 and post-secondary (but, again, we're, for now, just talking about K-12 look-up of)schools in the following US states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont (which are, of course, the "New England" states, hence the accreditor's name).

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), which covers both K-12 and post-secondary (but, again, we're, for now, just talking about K-12 look-up of) schools in the following US states: California and Hawaii; as well as schools in Guam, American Samoa, Micronesia, Palau, and Northern Marianas Islands. WASC also covers schools for American children (usually at US military bases) in Asia.

So, then, depending on in which state the K-12 school in question is physically located, one must figure out whether to look it up:

1. in the AdvancEd website's database of K-12 schools that are "regionally" accredited NCA, NWAC or SACS; or,
2. in the appropriate individual MSA, NEASC or WASC accreditors' websites' databases of their "regionally" accredited K-12 schools.

Ugh! Were that it could be a simple as taking literally only seconds to look-up a post-secondary school in either or both of the USDE and/or CHEA websites' databases! Oh, well... maybe the whole AdvancEd thing will eventually lead to that. In the meantime, I'm sorry to say that looking-up a K-12 school takes a little longer, and requires a bit more work.

But, oh, boy, is it every worth it! Taking the time, and doing the slight bit of extra work to look-up any K-12 school -- be it of the online or in-classroom varieties -- can help a consumer/diploma-seeker to avoid being ripped-off by the likes of the good-for-nothing diploma mill, Marwin High School.

Here, in the end, are the five easy steps to always protecting yourself:

First, decide/commit-to that enrolling in only a "regionally" (and not a "nationally") accredited high school -- be it of the online or in-classroom type -- is worth your time, energy and money. You might as well, because most employers, colleges/universities, and government will only accept "regionally" (and not "nationally") accredited high school diplomas. Period.

Second, do not believe the school's claims, on its website, regarding accreditation. Rather, always, always, always take the time to look-up the school in its "regional" accreditor's website's database and verify that said school is, in fact, "regionally" accredited. To do that, figure out in which US state the school is physically located.

Third, figure which of the six big US "regional" accreditors covers said US state.

Fourth, if the "regional" accreditor which covers the state in which the school is physically located is NCA, NWAC or SACS, then look-up the school on the AdvancEd website...

...or, if the "regional" accreditor which covers the state in which the school is physcially located is MSA, NEASC or WASC, then look-up the school on the individual "regional" accreditor's website.

Fifith, if the school in question is in none of those databases of "regionally" accredited high schools, then do not enroll in it.

In the "sources and related links" part of this web page, below, I have put the links to the AdvancEd website for NCA, NWAC and SACS look-ups; and to the three separate MSA, NEASC and WASC websites for look-ups in those places.

I have also included links, there, to information about both accreditation, and diploma/degree mills, just in case you're interested in learning more about them.

Another actually kinda' confusing thing worth understanding, so that you won't be fooled by yet another tactic that K-12 accreditors not approved by USDE and/or CHEA often try to employ in order to fool people...

We've already covered, here, that CHEA cares, not, about K-12 education and/or accreditation. Er... well... wait a minute: CHEA's educational professionals, of course, care, very much, about K-12 education and accreditation; but CHEA, as an organization, does not, and that's because it's mandate and charter is, exclusively, post-secondary/higher-education.

Fine. So that leaves USDE. Sadly, though -- and this is the potentially confusing part -- USDE, too, technically has no mandate to oversee K-12 accreditation. Yes, you read that right: believe it or not, USDE is only charged with ensuring that post-secondary accreditation is all on the up-and-up, and that it's i's are dotted and its t's are crossed. Yes, I know the reader's brow is now furrowed in confusion by what I just wrote... but bear with me, here...

That neither USDE or CHEA are, technically, charged with overseeing K-12 educational accredition is, in largest measure, why there is a quick both USDE and CHEA database look-up out there for post-secondary schools, but not also for K-12 schools. The US's K-12 schools are, as far as USDE and CHEA are concerned, pretty much the purvue of the states... that is, each US state's department of education, or whatever a given state calls its equivalent agency or department.

Don't misunderstand, though: USDE cares, indeed, about K-12 educational quality; and it offers all manner of guidelines, and materials, and seminars, and training, and teacher licensure standards and advice, and general educational standards, and yadda, yadda, yadda. USDE, trust me, really cares about K-12 schools. It's simply that, technically, USDE is not charged with the responsibility of overseeing K-12 schools' accreditation. Just their accreditation.

Fortunately, many years ago, all six of the US's big "regional" accreditors said to themselves that not accrediting the US's K-12 schools was just folly; and so all six of them have, for many years, accredited K-12 schools, even though the USDE never ordered them to so do. Moreover, all 50 US states agreed that that was a really good thing; and so they've all required, of all their local city/county school districts, that their K-12 schools be "regionally" accredited, even though USDE doesn't require it. To be clear, USDE recommends it, but doesn't have the power, as a matter of law, to actually require it.

And CHEA, again, by its charter and mission statement, can't require it. In fact, for this particular article, we need to stop even mentioning CHEA because CHEA is all about post-secondary education only. So let's just stop writing about it, here; and concentrate only on USDE and its K-12 involvement.

K-12 accreditation is, then, ultimately up to the states. Fortunately, all 50 US states agree that their public schools, bygod, all need to be "regionally" accredited. Whew! That's a relief!

NOTE: To further confuse things, there are a tiny handful of US states which have created their own form of K-12 accreditation; and so will allow K-12 schools which are state-accredited to operate within their borders, even if said schools are not also "regionally" accredited. Some of thosestates have even become USDE-approved accreditors, themselves! Yikes! It's all too complicated, you're probably thinking to yourself.

Fortunately, it really is just a tiny handful of states; and most public K-12 schools in even those states are, as it turns out, "regionally" accredited. In fact, a few states which have their own accreditation make becoming "regionally" accredited a requirement of becoming state accredited. So, then... go figure. [sigh]

Yes, it can be confusing, but, again, just bear with me and keep reading to understand why I'm bringing-up all this to make a point about a tactic that some K-12 accreditors not approved by USDE sometimes maddeningly employ in order to confuse consumers. Back, now, to our story...

And so, then, the fact that all of the US's public K-12 schools are "regionally" accredited has nothing, really, to do with USDE; and that, again, is because USDE has no power, under the law, to require it. In fact, USDE can't legally even overseeit. Most Americans are stunned when they learn this...

...but then they're relieved by the fact that the six big US "regional" accreditors decided to accredit K-12 schools, anyway; and that all 50 US states' departments of education agree that that was a good idea, and so pretty much all of them required "regional" accreditation of all their public schools. The net result, then, is, effectively, nevertheless the same as if USDE were in charge of it all... which is what most Americans think is the case, anyway!

But some K-12 accreditors that are not USDE-approved (as are the six big "regional" accreditors all USDE-approved) sometimes use the fact that USDE has no legal power to govern K-12 accreditation to mislead people into believing that credible, though not USDE-approved accreditors are nevertheless just as good; and that their accredited schools are just as okay to attent.

They are not... at least not if you agree that only "regional" accreditation at the K-12 level is truly valuable in life, as I do; and as most in legitimate academia do, too.

We see this little trick mostly with religious K-12 accreditors; specifically, those approved by a religious organization which calls itself the "National Council for Private School Accreditation" (NCPSA), which describes itself as "a consortium of accrediting associations for the recognition of early childhood, elementary, and secondary private schools." And NCPSA's most-often-touted accreditor -- the one of which it's most proud -- is the "The Association of Christian Schools International" (ACSI).

Neither NCPSA or ACSI are USDE-approved; and so, as far as I'm concerned, they're not really accreditors. Of course NCPSA doesn't claim to be one; but its ACSI certainly does. ACSI describes itself, on its website, as follows:

The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) is the largest Protestant educational organization in the world. Since 1978, ACSI has advanced excellence in Christian schools by enhancing the professional and personal development of Christian educators and providing support functions for Christian schools.

Through a host of services, including teacher and administrator certification, school accreditation, legal/legislative help, and curriculum publishing, the association touches the lives of more than 5.5 million students worldwide. Along with a headquarters facility, ACSI has 28 offices in North America and around the globe. Nearly 24,000 schools from over 100 countries are members.

Forget, for a moment, about the religious angle: as an agency which does what it claims to do, there is no question that ACSI is both credible and legitimate, even though it's not a USDE-approved accrreditor. All USDE-approved accreditors must start out unapproved, and must operate that way for at least a littlewhile, until they sufficiently establish themselves that they may finally apply for status as a USDE-approved accreditor.

ACSI, though, has been in business since 1978, and so one would think that it should have applied for USDE approval a long time ago. At the post-secondary level, most academicians are very suspicious of accreditors which don't apply for USDE and/or CHEA approval as soon as they're able; and they feel similarly about new schools which start out necessarily unaccredited, but which don't apply for accreditation by a USDE- or CHEA-approved agency as soon as they're able.

The fact that USDE has no power to approve K-12 accreditors (and CHEA, remember, has no interest in K-12 accreditation) is why ACSI isn't USDE approved. However, ACSI doesn't explain it that way; and that's because, I suspect, that there are many conservative Christians who believe that education should not be controlled by government, either directly, or by means of a government approved accreditor. They mistakenly believe that the First Amendment's separation of church and state would cause there to be too much secular (non-religious) course content, and pressure on the school to limit non-secular (religious) course content. This, of course, is ridiculous. There are several entirely religious CHEA-approved higher-education accreditors; and none of them try to limit, in any way, how their accredited schools convey their religious tenets.

ACSI wants to cater, in part, to that crowd, and so it cites that USDE has no power to approve K-12 accreditors, but doesn't add that if it could become USDE accredited, it would. We see this little sleight-of-hand played-out in its Wikipedia article, where the why's of it all are even further convoluted; and the Wikipedia NCPSA hits equally hard on the angle of USDE not being able to approve K-12 accreditors, thereby forcing NCPSA to fill the gap. It's nonsense. The nation's six big "regional" accreditors have filled whatever "gap" there is quite nicely, thankyouverymuch. And they accredit all kinds of religions K-12 schools, not a single one of which feels that its abilities to teach religious subjects is in any manner impeded.

Disturbing about NCPSA's and ACSI's approach is how similar it is to that of truly bogus accreditors and even schools... all of which spend a lot of time downplaying the need or importance of USDE's presence in education. Compounding the problem is the fact that many religious schools are diploma/degree mills, in part because some states have laws which specifically exempt religious schools from state regulation; and so religious schools have, in some states, become a haven for millists. A further complication is that because NCPSA and ACSI have no USDE imprimatur behind them, diplomas from their accredited relgious high schools are often viewed by employers, colleges/universities and government as little different diploma mill diplomas... even if the ACSI-accredited high school is objectively good!

The lesson to be learned is, in part, that stepping outside USDE-approved accreditation paradigm at the K-12 level, and the USDE- and CHEA-approved accreditation paradigm at the post-secondary level, is just not worth it. It's not even worth it for religious schools to do it. There are all kinds of religious schools that are accredited by USDE- and/or CHEA-approved agencies, and not a single one of them complains that they can't teach religion their way. The only burden imposed on them is that they must teach it with quantifiable academic rigor; that their pedagogy must be academically sound. That's all. Being required to do that could not possibly impede the conveyance of their religious tenets; and such requirements will only serve to improve the quality of the education they provide.

That the likes of ACSI and NCPSA don't see it that way speaks volumes, in my opinion, about them; as does them both leveraging the whole business of USDE not being allowed to approve K-12 accreditors, and what that means. Such behavior on the part of NCPSA and ACSI is facially disingenuous; and both schools and students have a right to expect more from their both accreditors, and the larger organizations which allegedly oversee them.

The accreditors of most K-12 schools are the six big "regional" ones; and the larger organization which oversees them is the US Department of Education, headed-up by the Secretary of Education, a US Cabinet position, appointed by the President. Beat that, NCPSA and ACSI!

Stay, in any case, away from the good-for-nothing diploma mill, Marwin High School. Believe not a word -- not a single one -- of the original first answer, below, which was clearly written by millists running Marwin, and/or its shills.

If you're looking for a real online high school, there's a fellow out there named TOM NIXON who has written the two most authoritative books available regarding online high schools; and he has a companion website where he lists all the online high schools he has vetted; and he lists them for free. So you can see the results of his labors even without purchasing his books (though for all the help he provides, you probably should buy one if you can; you'll learn a lot). I've provided a link to his website down in the "sources and related links" section of this web page, below.

A caveat, though: Tom, unlike me, is willing to recommend unaccredited high schools which are nevertheless legitimate and credible. He doesn't really do it because he wants people to actually attend them as much as he does it just because they're so good at what they do. Not everything that's unaccredited is bad; and, in fact, some of the most innovative things being developed for education are happening at unaccredited institutions. I love the unaccredited schools that Tom recommends for their sheer quality; but I know that their diplomas, in the end, will have no real practical value to most employers, most colleges/universites, and most government agencies. Therefore, be sure to verify that any school you find on Tom's site really and truly is accredited by a USDE-approved agency. This article has taught you how to do that.

In any case, regarding Marwin: Run! Run far! Run fast! And don't look back.

See the "sources and related links" section, below.

ORIGINAL FIRST ANSWER

Here is this question's original first (and subsequently added-to) answer, obviously written by a person or persons who either operate diploma mills, or who are shilling for them. The completely incorrect and misleading answer has been preserved, rather than removed, so that readers, here, may see how those who either operate or shill for diploma mills go into websites like this one and flat-out lie so that unwary diploma seekers will be misled:

Marwin high school diploma program is for students who had dropped out of a high school for any reason and were not able to complete their regular high school program. Now instead of getting a GED you can earn a Regular online High School Diploma with our fast online equivalency test in just 12 days. People who don't have their High School Diploma or GED can not apply for Better Jobs or even apply for colleges for education. It's nearly impossible for such individuals to move on with their lives and look for a better career. Now such individuals can change their lives and be confident when applying for any job or any college of their choice. Sandford High School provides students a free online Testing opportunity to earn their regular High School Diploma. The Online Test is completely free of cost and is designed in such a way that the students can learn from the test. Students can give the test as many times as they feel like, completely free.

You are allowed pay your fee only if you have passed the test and are eligible to get a High School Diploma from Sandford High School. This is not an online GED.

Website: www.marwinhighschool.com

Contact Information:

Toll Free Number: (866) 559-5119

Local Number: (847) 550-3776

Local Fax: (866) 559-5123

Email: info@marwinhighschool.com

Good Rating on BBB: (one of the best ratings I have ever seen for an online school). http://www.bbb.org/chicago/business-reviews/schools-online-or-distance-learning/marwin-high-school-in-skokie-il-88373250

Accreditation: (Nationally Accredited - Confirmed)

Who.is Website Background Check Information on the Website

(Follow the link below - Its a United States registered ownership)

http://www.who.is/whois/marwinhighschool.com

Summary:

Overall I am sure this is a perfect online high school diploma program for students who are looking for an accredited online high school diploma.. I have provided all the details above if you still want more info, let me know...

Again, the immediately above original first answer is untrue and misleading. It was placed here by persons who either operate or shill for the Marwin High School diploma mill. Please see (and only believe) the "NEW AMENDED ANSWER" at the top of this page which was written by a professional educational consultant who is also an anti-degree/diploma-mill and consumer protection activist.

See, also, the "sources and related links" section of this page, below, where the aforementioned consultant has placed links to more helpful information.