Our Members
Membership and Affiliation
FULL MEMBERSHIP indicates that a school/institute has matured to stand in the world as an example of Waldorf education. The requirements, as outlined in the Association's Membership Guide, include a 7-10 year cycle of self-study/peer review or accreditation. Both are rigorous processes whereby a school/institute engages in a self-study, articulating how it meets agreed upon principles of Waldorf education, and peer review, openly engaging in qualitative assessment by a group of peers.
After becoming Full Members, schools and institutes engage in collaborative efforts regionally and across North America. The intention is to support the associate member schools/ institutes in advancing their membership, which demonstrates a strengthening of the school/institute. In addition, the continental Delegates work with a consensus model in establishing the levels of membership, the criteria for each level, and determining which schools/institutes have met the criteria.
Accredited Schools: Nearly all Full Member schools participate in the AWSNA accreditation process and are recognized as AWSNA Accredited schools. AWSNA has dual accreditation agreements with fourteen regional and national school accrediting agencies, and is itself accredited as an accrediting agency by The National Council for Private School Accreditation. If you have a concern that an accredited school is not meeting the accreditation criteria, please follow the Complaint Policy.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP is the membership category for schools/institutes more internally focused. These schools/institutes engage in an Associate member self-study and receive annual support visits from peers working in full member schools/institutes. These schools/institutes gain strength through association with other Association members in their region guided by the Associate member self-study. An Associate member preparing for accreditation is a candidate for accreditation.
REGISTERED INITIATIVE is a non-member affiliate category for schools/institutes in the early phases of establishment as an initiative. They are guided by effective practices, the Membership Guide (available to affiliated schools/institutes) and by a mentoring team assigned from their regional Delegates.
Resources for Initiatives
AWSNA members and affiliates are expected to be in compliance with all applicable federal, state/provincial and local laws and regulation. It is the member/affiliate’s responsibility to be aware of all applicable laws and regulations and to take steps to be and remain in compliance. It is not the responsibility of AWSNA to independently verify compliance. Membership/affiliation in AWSNA is not certification of a school’s compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
For members of AWSNA, both schools and institutes, our membership process serves as a pathway to more deeply engage with the AWSNA Principles for Waldorf Schools and AWSNA Principles for Waldorf Institutes through responsible innovation. AWSNA members initially receive annual support visits and then eventually engage in a cyclical self-study/peer review process to strengthen how their organization lives these principles. Schools and institutes who engage with this responsible innovation pathway are representing Waldorf education in North America.
“Waldorf”, “Steiner” and “Rudolf Steiner” are internationally registered service marks in the field of Education. In the United States, the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) holds the rights to these service marks through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In Canada, AWSNA is the owner of the WALDORF and RUDOLF STEINER registered marks.
AWSNA Accreditation
AWSNA is a recognized accrediting agency of The International Council Advancing Independent School Accreditation (ICAISA) and the National Council for Private School Accreditation (NCPSA), authorized to accredit Waldorf schools. We are also an affiliated partner with Cognia Accreditation. AWSNA works with fourteen other leading regional accrediting agencies to offer joint accreditation for our member schools. Approximately 75% of accredited Waldorf schools pursue a dual- or triple-accreditation.
Waldorf Education Trademarks
The Association of Waldorf Schools of North America is the steward of the following trademarks, also referred to as service marks: WALDORF, RUDOLF STEINER, and STEINER, registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office.
For information about these terms, click here for the Guidelines and Position Statement. If you have questions, please contact Melanie Reiser, Executive Director, Membership at (720) 204-5505 x105, or email: mreiser@awsna.org.
Thank you for supporting the continued clarity and correct use of these terms.
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP
As an Individual Member of AWSNA, you are part of a movement to improve and transform education for children throughout North America. By becoming an individual member of AWSNA, you will be engaging in our community and partnering with us in spreading the message of Waldorf Education. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, alum, retired teacher, or currently practicing teacher, we welcome you to join us.
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