On March 15, 2007, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), widely regarded as the premier accrediting body in New England, granted accreditation for ten years to Bridgeport International Academy and then on July 14, 2016 NEASC granted BIA continued accreditation. The nation’s oldest accrediting body, NEASC requires compliance with high standards and currently serves more than 2000 American public and independent schools, colleges, and universities in a six-state region, as well as American and international schools in more than 60 nations worldwide.

“This stamp of approval by the NEASC is a huge boost to our school,” said Nora Spurgin, Principal of BIA. “It recognizes the standard of excellence in education to which we have devoted ourselves since BIA’s inception. With this accreditation, the credibility of our students’ significant achievements is immediately affirmed, and it builds on our previous approvals from the state of Connecticut, which were also extended in March 2007.”

A four-year college preparatory high school, the Academy was founded in 1997, based on small class size, high academic standards, a character education program and international reach. At BIA, students are able to experience the world while still in high school, since the faculty and student body are from nearly every continent of the world as well as various states in America.neasc visit2

In August 2007, BIA moved into new a new classroom facility in Seaside Institute. “It is all coming together for us now,” said Mrs. Spurgin. “But the key was achieving this NEASC standard. It gives students and their parents the confidence that they are getting a very high level of education here at BIA and it solidifies everything we have been working for since the inception of the school.”

NEASC follows a rigorous process which includes an extensive self-study, a financial audit, an on-site visit by a committee of educators, classroom observations, examination of documents, interviews and evaluations based on the application of 82 established standards and many substandards.

In 2016 BIA was granted re-accreditation for ten years by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).