The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) proudly awards the Accreditation for Comprehensive Student Wellbeing™ (ACSW) to Harvest Community School, recognizing its achievement as the first school in the United States to earn the designation. To earn this accreditation, at least 80% of educational staff and administrators completed autism and mental health training to foster a supportive, inclusive, and mentally healthy learning environment for all students. As part of the ACSW process, Harvest will also receive a facilities review to provide additional recommendations to support the school’s students.
“Receiving the Accreditation for Comprehensive Student Wellbeing™ from IBCCES represents a meaningful step forward for Harvest and our commitment to all of our students. This designation reinforces our belief that student success begins with a supportive environment,” said Jackson Wilcox, headmaster of Harvest Community School. “Through the ACSW training, our staff has gained understanding of practical strategies that help us move beyond simply reacting to challenges and instead create a proactive, inclusive learning environment. We are proud to be part of a movement that focuses on optimizing the educational experience so that all students have the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.”
“Having the opportunity to complete the training for the Comprehensive Student Wellbeing course has enriched our faculty’s ability to relate to students and understand relevant challenges in today’s culture,” said Jana Stricklin, upper school administrator at Harvest Community School. “Having the ability to recognize potential struggles and more effectively relate to the nuances of student behaviors has enriched our faculty’s confidence in this area.”
The ACSW training and designation transforms a school system from a reactive environment, where educators struggle to manage diverse mental health and neurodevelopmental needs, into a proactive, inclusive, and high-functioning system. By addressing autism, depression, anxiety, trauma, behavioral challenges, and overall student mental health through evidence-based training, the ACSW program creates an ecosystem where all students can thrive.
“[At Harvest,] the teachers really advocate for you,” said Taylor Marts, senior at Harvest Community School. “Even in high school, taking AP physics, I wasn’t afraid I was going to fail because I knew the teacher was somebody who was ready to help me whenever I needed it.”
“Harvest Community School’s achievement of becoming the first school in the United States to earn the Accreditation for Comprehensive Student Wellbeing reflects a powerful commitment to creating an environment where every student can succeed,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES CEO and board chairman. “This milestone demonstrates true leadership in education by shifting the focus from simply addressing challenges to building a system where all students are supported, understood, and empowered to thrive.”
For 25 years, IBCCES has been a leader in providing autism, sensory and neurodiversity training and certification for professionals worldwide, including those in healthcare, education, public safety, travel, and corporate sectors. As the only credentialing board offering these programs, IBCCES provides training from subject matter experts and autistic self-advocates, along with long-term support, continuous learning, onsite reviews, and renewal requirements to ensure continued growth and lasting impact.
To further support inclusivity efforts, Harvest Community School is featured on the IBCCES Accessibility App, which is free to download. This app provides individuals with a variety of disabilities real-time guidance on certified destinations, sensory-friendly spaces, and tailored recommendations. By connecting users to accessible locations worldwide, the app helps ensure seamless, enjoyable experiences for everyone.
IBCCES also provides access to resources such as AccessibilityCertified.com and AutismTravel.com, which are free online tools for families that list certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met IBCCES certification requirements.
Learn more about the accreditation and how your school can become an ACSW at: ibcces.org/accreditation-for-comprehensive-student-wellbeing-acsw/.
About Harvest Community School
Harvest Community School is a small private Christian school that trains the next generation through academics and spiritual discipleship, leading students to discover their potential and their purpose. With small class sizes and purposeful instruction our students are provided more than an ordinary education. They are challenged to believe in themselves and demonstrate a belief in others around them, to love well and to lead well.
About IBCCES
Delivering the global standard for training and certification in the fields of autism, neurodiversity, and accessibility – IBCCES provides a series of certification programs that empower professionals to be leaders in their field and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. For over two decades, IBCCES has been a global leader, setting the industry standard in autism and cognitive differences training. IBCCES works in over 111 countries and provides training in 8 languages, and its programs have been recognized around the world as the leading benchmark in training and certification.
In addition to individual certification programs, IBCCES partners with cities, destinations, and organizations on initiatives like the Certified Autism Destination™ (CAD) and Autism Certified City™ (ACC), ensuring autistic and sensory-sensitive residents and visitors feel welcomed and safe. Destinations that achieve the CAD designation have completed a specialized program that ensures a multitude of recreation, hospitality and entertainment organizations have completed an autism and sensory-sensitivity training, certification and IBCCES facilities review process. The ACC designation expands on that program and includes IBCCES training and certification for the public safety, education, healthcare and workplace sectors.
IBCCES also created the Accessibility App, AutismTravel.com, and AccessibilityCertified.com – free resources for individuals with a variety of neurodiversities and disabilities, listing certified locations and connecting individuals to other resources and each other.
Take the First Step
To learn how your school can apply for the Accreditation for Comprehensive Student Wellbeing™, please fill out the form below, and one of our accreditation experts will contact you via phone as soon as possible.
