Accreditations & Distinctions

Accreditations

St. Brendan School is accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Accreditation by these organizations requires a rigorous, comprehensive evaluation process that includes a detailed self-study and a visit by a committee of educators from across the Western United States. St. Brendan School’s last self-study was in 2025, and the school was awarded a full six-year term for accreditation. 

Distinctions

St. Brendan School prides itself on its excellent academic record and the exceptional preparation of its students for the rigors of high school and college. Our students consistently excel on standardized tests and exceed the expectations of the many institutions of higher learning to which they matriculate.

The STAR Test is given four times a year to assess where a student is in his/her learning and progress throughout the school year.  At St. Brendan, the most important use of these tests is to track students’ growth from year to year.

Trends consistently indicate that with each passing year, our students outperform their grade levels by an ever-increasing margin, such that by the time students get to eighth grade, many are performing at the level of college freshmen. In other words, the longer a student is at St. Brendan School, the more exponential growth he or she experiences. By the eighth grade, our students' average standardized test scores are among the top in the nation.  

St. Brendan 5th and 8th graders take the National Catholic Education Association Assessment of Catholic Religious Education (NCEA ACRE) test each May. ACRE evaluates how well students are gaining a solid understanding of their faith. The results of this assessment are compared to a national profile of students. An analysis of outcomes from the 2024-2025 testing confirms that our students performed above their peers in Catholic schools nationwide.

Our students frequently distinguish themselves and our school at various competitions and are often recognized by the wider education community for their achievements. Distinctions include:

• Placements in local, regional, and state-wide science fairs
• Championship wins across all CYO athletics programs

Approximately 80% of our students are accepted to San Francisco high schools with distinctions and honors, including:

Archbishop Riordan High School

• Acceptance to the St. Francis Scholar Program
• Acceptance to the Honors Engineering Program
• Acceptance with Honors

Sacred Heart Cathedral

• Acceptance in the De Paul Scholar Program
• Acceptance in the Inquiry and Innovation (i2) Program

St. Ignatius College Preparatory

• Acceptance with Distinction
• Acceptance with Honors