Ensuring Quality and Trust in Schools and Academic Programs
DCCAP is a structured certification framework developed with the Ministry of Education in Jordan to evaluate and support American programs and private schools through clear standards, rubrics, and evidence-based reviews.
Designed and operated by Skylark for Educational Services, DCCAP aligns local priorities with international benchmarks so schools can demonstrate to parents, students, universities, and regulators that learning and leadership meet world-class expectations.
One digital window into your school quality
Connects leadership, teachers, students, and parents in a single, organized view of performance across all DCCAP standards and wellbeing domains.
A Ministry-Endorsed Model for Quality Assurance and Certification
The Distinguished Compliance & Certification for Academic and American Programs (DCCAP) provides a clear, transparent structure for schools to evaluate their performance and receive recognized certification based on verified evidence — not just documents.
Official Alignment
Developed with the Ministry of Education in Jordan so American programs and private schools can meet national expectations and licensing requirements while keeping their own identity.
International Perspective
Connects local priorities with international practices, giving families and universities confidence that school performance is measured against globally recognized expectations.
Learner-Focused
Emphasizes student engagement, wellbeing, and measurable learning outcomes rather than only compliance paperwork or one-time visits.
Continuous Improvement
Each DCCAP cycle produces a practical roadmap that feeds directly into school improvement plans, staff development, and strategic decisions.
Who is DCCAP for?
- American international schools and programs.
- Local private schools seeking recognized certification.
- School leaders, coordinators, and governing boards.
- Teachers who want a clear picture of quality standards.
- Parents and students who value transparent, trusted quality.
Two Integrated Wellbeing Domains
DCCAP is built around two integrated domains that work together to reflect real school quality: the wellbeing of the institution and the wellbeing of the learner.
1. School Wellbeing
This domain focuses on the health and effectiveness of the school as an organization. It examines leadership practices, governance, professional culture, policies, safeguarding systems, communication, and the learning environment to ensure the school operates in a stable, ethical, and sustainable manner.
2. Learner Wellbeing
This domain centers on the academic, social, emotional, and ethical development of learners. It evaluates learning experiences, student support systems, safeguarding practices, learner voice, and outcomes to ensure students feel safe, supported, engaged, and prepared for future success.
Five Dimensions of School Quality
The five DCCAP quality dimensions are organized across the two wellbeing domains so schools can see how organizational health and learner outcomes reinforce each other.
School Wellbeing Dimensions
Organizational healthPhilosophy & Direction
Clarity and coherence of mission, vision, and values, and how they guide decisions, communication, and the learning culture across the organization.
Strategic Leadership & Planning
Governance, leadership structures, data use, and long-term planning to ensure sustainability, responsible resource management, and continuous improvement.
Professional Staff
Recruitment, qualifications, professional learning, appraisal systems, and how staff collaborate to improve teaching quality and student support services.
Learner Wellbeing Dimensions
Learner experience & outcomesTeaching & Learning
Curriculum design, classroom practice, assessment strategies, and how well instruction supports different learners and prepares them for higher education and life.
Stakeholder Engagement
Partnerships with parents, students, and the wider community, including communication, feedback, learner voice, and involvement in school decisions and planning.
Evidence & Rubrics
All dimensions are judged through rubrics, observations, interviews, surveys, and document reviews, resulting in a balanced, evidence-based certification decision that reflects both domains.
Aligned with ISO 21001:2025 and Audited by an Authorized Certification Body (CB)
DCCAP is aligned with ISO 21001:2025, the international standard for Educational Organizations Management Systems (EOMS). This alignment strengthens learner-focused decisions, inclusion, transparency, and sustainable performance.
- ISO-aligned structure for policies, procedures, risk controls, and improvement cycles.
- Strong focus on learners and other beneficiaries, not only internal processes.
- Emphasis on accessibility, safeguarding, inclusion, and stakeholder communication.
Certification is issued through an Authorized Certification Body (CB) — an independent, third-party organization authorized to audit and certify that organizations and services conform to defined requirements and standards — providing neutral validation and recognizable assurance of performance.
Why this matters to your school
How the DCCAP Evaluation Works
The DCCAP process brings together rubrics, evidence, and stakeholder voices to provide a complete and fair picture of each school or program — across both wellbeing domains.
Rubric-Based Review
Clear performance levels (2–4) describe what practice looks like, allowing schools and evaluators to focus on verified evidence instead of guesswork or opinion.
On-Site Observations
Classroom visits and school walk-throughs show how policies and plans translate into daily teaching, learning support, safeguarding, and student wellbeing.
Document & Policy Review
Strategic plans, curricula, assessment data, safeguarding procedures, and improvement plans are reviewed for alignment, coherence, and measurable impact.
Stakeholder Surveys
Surveys for students, staff, and parents provide structured community voice and evidence that strengthens findings from visits, interviews, and document review.
Interviews & Panels
Leadership and staff discussions help evaluators understand context, priorities, decision-making pathways, and how wellbeing and learning outcomes are managed.
Final Report & Roadmap
Each school receives a clear report highlighting strengths, growth priorities, and a practical roadmap that supports the next cycle of improvement and certification readiness.