Tifton, Georgia - Tift County Schools is proud to announce that it has earned re-accreditation from Cognia for an additional six years. Cognia is a global nonprofit organization representing schools and school systems across the United States and in more than 90 countries. For over 130 years, through its legacy agencies—NCA CASI, NWAC, and SACS CASI—Cognia has served as a trusted partner to educational institutions, providing rigorous, research-based standards and evidence-driven evaluation processes that support continuous improvement and educational excellence.
Accreditation by Cognia is not a one-time inspection; rather, it serves as a launchpad for ongoing school and system improvement. The process thoroughly examines all aspects of an educational organization—from policies and learning conditions to the overall cultural context—to ensure that all parts are working together to meet the needs of every learner. It also reflects a commitment to high standards, continuous growth, and better outcomes for all students.
Superintendent Natalie Gore highlighted the value of the accreditation process, stating, "The accreditation process is in itself a reflection and learning process as the district leadership team engages in an examination of existing system practices compared to national standards regarding best practices in school system operations." She added that the review affirmed the district's alignment with system best practices while also helping "identify next steps needed to continue to grow and improve our organization."
The renewal of accreditation for Tift County Schools validates the district's dedication to delivering an excellent educational experience, cultivating an environment of continuous improvement, and pursuing distinction in instruction and operations while providing a great value for the investment local taxpayers make.
The accreditation review team commended Tift County’s Leadership for demonstrating outstanding work and preparation for the review. Reviewers highlighted that, in every phase of the engagement, the district’s unified approach was unmistakable. They noted that the high level of collaboration demonstrated by staff across all departments reflected a true team effort, with stakeholders working collectively to complete each component of the accreditation process with precision and professionalism.
As part of the accreditation process, Tift County Schools completed three required analyses—Stakeholder Feedback, Student Performance, and Learning Environment—along with detailed narratives aligned to 32 performance standards organized within four key characteristics: Culture of Learning, Leadership for Learning, Engagement of Learning, and Growth in Learning. In each of the three analyses, the district scored above the Cognia network average, including earning the highest possible rating (4.0) on the Stakeholder Feedback Analysis.
The district also exceeded the network average across all four key characteristics in the narrative assessments. Notably, Tift County Schools received a 4.0—the highest rating—in the area of Leadership for Learning. Within this domain, the review team awarded a 4.0 on Standard 7, which evaluates how effectively leaders guide professional staff through a continuous improvement process centered on students’ experiences and needs. The district had originally rated itself a 3.0 on this standard; however, based on the strength of Tift County’s documented processes and practices, evaluators raised the score to a 4.0 and specifically noted that these systems should serve as a model for other districts.
As part of Cognia’s commitment to continuous improvement, the review team also identified four areas of focus to help Tift County Schools further strengthen its practices in the years ahead. These recommendations include providing and evaluating professional learning centered on the use of data to support differentiated instruction; expanding professional learning for instructional staff to better meet the diverse needs of all learners; developing, implementing, and monitoring an ongoing process to gather and act upon teacher feedback; and identifying, implementing, and monitoring a comprehensive plan to support the rollout of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) at Tift County High School. Collectively, these focus areas will guide the district’s strategic improvement efforts and reinforce its commitment to high-quality teaching and learning for every student.
Tift County School’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan is inclusive of these recommended areas of focus.
