The AdvancED school review agency has recommended the Cherokee County School District for continued accreditation as a Quality School System.

An external review team from the nonprofit education organization announced its recommendation Wednesday at a called School Board meeting.

The action followed a comprehensive evaluation followed by a three-day site visit this week to interview more than 500 stakeholder and observe teaching and learning in 90 classrooms in nine schools. The district was rated 37 points above the AdvancED network average, with an overall Index of Education Quality score of 315.85 out of 400.

The accreditation, to be voted on by the AdvancED Commission at its June meeting, is good for five years and covers the school district as a whole and all of its schools and centers. Cherokee had become one of the first systems in the U.S. to be awarded district accreditation in 2006-07, a designation renewed in 2011-12.

“Accreditation is a rigorous process that not only confirms our blue-ribbon reputation, but also provides our leadership with valuable insights and suggestions from fellow educational leaders who participate in the external review,” said Cherokee Schools Superintendent Brian V. Hightower.