By James Palmieri

Last month, I had the privilege of attending the ICAISA Fall Meeting in Mississauga, Ontario, representing NBOA as an associate member. The theme, Navigating Rough Seas, reflected the complexity of the moment for many independent schools—rising costs, shifting demographics, and an increasingly dynamic operating environment.

As expectations rise for independent school governance, finance, and operations, accreditation continues to evolve as both a compliance measure and a strategic opportunity. For school leaders, and particularly business officers, it’s a moment to demonstrate how core operations support the school’s mission and long-term sustainability.

At NBOA, we’ve long supported schools with tools, data, and training designed to align financial and operational practices with accreditation standards. Increasingly, however, schools are also looking for partnership—trusted support to assess, improve, and communicate their readiness with clarity and confidence.

The Business Office as a Strategic Partner

Accreditation readiness requires more than having documents in place. It’s about articulating the strategic decisions behind your practices: how your budgeting process reflects your priorities, how your compensation framework supports faculty excellence, and how your planning mechanisms promote sustainability.

These are complex conversations—and best approached not in the final months before a visit, but as part of a school’s ongoing commitment to operational excellence.

From our experience working with business offices across the country, several practices consistently emerge as foundational to a strong accreditation showing:

1. Conduct a Holistic Review of Business Office Operations

Before you can tell your story, you need to understand it fully. A structured review of your business office operations—financial controls, workflows, reporting structures, policies—can illuminate both strengths and blind spots. Schools that approach this process thoughtfully are better positioned to demonstrate alignment with best practices and accreditation standards. Get started using NBOA’s Practical Guidance Self-Assessment.

For schools seeking an outside perspective, our Business Office Operations Assessment provides a framework for reflection and improvement.
Learn more →

2. Model for the Future, Not Just the Present

Long-range financial planning is increasingly expected by accrediting teams—and for good reason. Multi-year modeling not only supports sustainability, but also demonstrates that the school is planning responsibly amid uncertainty. Whether you're forecasting enrollment shifts, capital needs, or program expansions, a flexible and transparent model helps ensure your leadership and board are aligned. NBOA’s Long-Range Financial Model is available to member schools for self-adoption.

NBOA Advisory Services’  Long-Range Financial Modeling engagements help schools bring expertise, speed  and adaptability to this process.
Learn more →

3. Ensure Your Compensation Strategy is Aligned and Equitable

With personnel costs comprising the majority of most independent school budgets, accreditation teams are asking more focused questions about compensation philosophy, salary benchmarking, and role clarity. Schools that can demonstrate an intentional and equitable approach to compensation are better positioned to show alignment with both mission and budget. Explore current trends in NBOA’s Mission-Anchored Compensation Strategies research.

Further, our Compensation Consulting engagements are designed to help schools surface these insights and develop responsible, mission-aligned strategies.
Learn more →

4. Use Data to Strengthen Your Narrative

Accreditation visits often rely on interviews, observations, and written reports—but visuals can play an equally powerful role. Dashboards that present key trends—such as enrollment, net tuition revenue, or expense ratios—help contextualize a school’s story and demonstrate a commitment to transparency and improvement. NBOA’s Business Intelligence for Independent Schools (BIIS) platform provides powerful benchmarking and reporting capabilities that can support accreditation readiness.

Lacking time and missing data? NBOA Advisory Services can help you get the most out of the reporting tools available to you in BIIS, such as setting targets in your Heat Map or better understanding your Composite Financial Index (CFI) score.
Learn more  →

The Opportunity Within Accreditation

Rather than approaching accreditation as a checklist, many schools are reframing it as a strategic pause—an opportunity to step back and assess not just whether things are working, but how and why.

In our consulting work, we’ve found that the schools best prepared for accreditation are often those that have invited in external feedback—not because something is broken, but because they want to be better. Whether through internal self-assessment or third-party engagement, these schools model the kind of continuous improvement that accreditation is meant to encourage.

Final Thoughts

The accreditation process asks schools to demonstrate that their operations are sound, sustainable, and aligned with mission. The business office plays a critical role in this effort—alongside faculty, academic leaders, and others who bring the school’s mission to life for students. Success depends on leaders who are willing to reflect honestly, plan strategically, and tell their story with confidence.

If your school is preparing for accreditation and would benefit from additional insight or support, NBOA Advisory Services is here to help. From financial modeling to operational assessments, our team brings independent school experience and sector expertise to the table—always with the goal of helping schools build capacity and clarity.

It’s not about checking boxes. It’s about strengthening the foundation that helps your school thrive.