{"id":4142,"date":"2026-08-17T19:19:37","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T16:19:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ist.ee\/?p=4142"},"modified":"2026-08-18T09:29:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T06:29:47","slug":"why-can-families-trust-the-quality-of-education-at-ist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ist.ee\/et\/blog-2\/why-can-families-trust-the-quality-of-education-at-ist\/","title":{"rendered":"Miks v\u00f5ivad pered usaldada IST hariduse kvaliteeti?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/ist.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/DSC07286.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4145\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5000197153109105;width:656px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ist.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/DSC07286.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/ist.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/DSC07286-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/ist.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/DSC07286-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/ist.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/DSC07286-520x347.jpg 520w, https:\/\/ist.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/DSC07286-140x93.jpg 140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading wp-el\"><em>How Do You Measure School Quality?<\/em>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">Choosing a school is one of the most important decisions a family makes. Parents want to know whether a school provides high-quality education, supports student wellbeing, and prepares young people for future success.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">At Tallinn International School (IST), quality is not based on reputation alone. It is systematically developed, measured, analyzed, and continuously improved through a combination of international external evaluations and robust internal quality practices.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">This means that the quality of education is assessed not only by the school itself, but also by independent international organizations, students, parents, and staff.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading wp-el\"><strong>International Quality Assurance<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading wp-el\"><em>NEASC Accreditation<\/em>&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">IST is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Only around 10% of IB schools worldwide hold NEASC accreditation, making it one of the most rigorous marks of quality a school can carry.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">NEASC is one of the world&#8217;s most respected accrediting organizations and evaluates schools comprehensively, including:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>leadership and governance;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>teaching and learning;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>student wellbeing;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>school culture;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>academic outcomes;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>continuous improvement processes.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">Accreditation confirms that a school meets internationally recognized standards and is committed to ongoing development. Learn more:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.neasc.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">neasc.org<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading wp-el\"><em>CIS Membership<\/em>&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">IST is also a member of the Council of International Schools (CIS). CIS is a global organization that supports international schools in&nbsp;maintaining&nbsp;and improving quality. Membership&nbsp;demonstrates&nbsp;a commitment to best practices in international education and participation in a worldwide professional network. Learn more:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cois.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cois.org<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading wp-el\"><em>CEESA Membership<\/em>&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">IST is additionally a member of the Central and Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA), a regional network of international schools that supports professional collaboration, shared best practices, and ongoing school improvement across the region.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">Together, these memberships and accreditations mean that IST&#8217;s educational quality is not assessed by the school alone \u2014 it is independently reviewed against&nbsp;objective, internationally recognized criteria, giving families confidence grounded in more than reputation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading wp-el\"><strong>Internationally Benchmarked Learning Outcomes<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading wp-el\"><em>International Baccalaureate (IB)<\/em>&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">IST delivers education through the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework. The IB is one of the world&#8217;s leading educational&nbsp;programmes&nbsp;and is offered in more than 150 countries. Its goal is not only academic achievement, but also the development of critical thinking, inquiry skills, international-mindedness, and&nbsp;responsible&nbsp;global citizenship. Learn more:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibo.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ibo.org<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading wp-el\"><em>IB Diploma&nbsp;Programme&nbsp;Results<\/em>&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">At the end of upper secondary school, IST students complete the internationally recognized IB Diploma&nbsp;Programme&nbsp;(DP) examinations. In the&nbsp;previous&nbsp;academic year:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>100% of IST students successfully passed the IB Diploma&nbsp;Programme&nbsp;examinations&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>The global average pass rate was 82.6%&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">These results provide a meaningful international benchmark and demonstrate how students perform against global standards.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading wp-el\"><em>MAP Assessments<\/em>&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">IST also uses Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments. These internationally recognized assessments are conducted three times per year in core subjects for students in Grades 4-10 and help to:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>monitor individual student growth;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>identify&nbsp;strengths and areas for development;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>support instructional planning;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>compare progress against international benchmarks.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">The purpose of MAP assessments is not to rank students, but to provide meaningful information that supports learning and academic growth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading wp-el\"><strong>Parent, Student, and Staff Engagement<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">Sustainable quality cannot be achieved without active community involvement. IST engages parents, students, and staff in shaping the school&#8217;s development and strategic priorities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">One example is the School Council, which includes nine parent representatives, while Estonian legislation requires only two. This reflects IST&#8217;s commitment to meaningful family participation and partnership.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading wp-el\"><strong>Surveys and Community Feedback<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">IST voluntarily&nbsp;participates&nbsp;in several independent feedback and evaluation processes, including:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>surveys conducted by the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>KiVa&nbsp;programme&nbsp;surveys;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>school&nbsp;community surveys.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">KiVa&nbsp;is an internationally recognized anti-bullying&nbsp;programme&nbsp;designed to promote safe and supportive learning environments. Feedback is used not simply for reporting purposes, but to&nbsp;identifyopportunities for improvement and guide decision-making.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading wp-el\"><strong>Data-Informed Decision Making and Technology<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">Modern education requires decisions to be based on evidence rather than assumptions. IST uses digital tools and data systems to support:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>learning analysis;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>student progress monitoring;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>educational planning;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>school&nbsp;improvement processes.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">The school&#8217;s information systems include learning analytics and artificial intelligence tools that help educators better understand student needs and make informed decisions \u2014 part of the same thoughtful, structured approach to AI outlined in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ist.ee\/blog-2\/artificial-intelligence-ai-is-changing-learning-and-work-how-is-ist-preparing-for-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how IST approaches artificial intelligence in education<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading wp-el\"><strong>Quality Does Not Happen by Chance<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">The quality of education at IST is built on several interconnected pillars:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>international accreditation and external evaluation;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>internationally benchmarked learning outcomes;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>continuous monitoring of student progress;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>active parent engagement;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>independent feedback processes;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wp-el\">\n<li>data-informed decision making and continuous improvement.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">Together, these systems help ensure that every learner is supported and that the school continues to evolve alongside the needs of its community.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-el wp-block-paragraph\">Curious what this looks like in practice, day to day?&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/euc-word-edit.officeapps.live.com\/we\/wordeditorframe.aspx?new=1&amp;ui=en-US&amp;rs=en-US&amp;wdenableroaming=1&amp;mscc=1&amp;hid=1E1F31A2-90B8-2001-B906-0C7C9B4DDB43.0&amp;uih=sharepointcom&amp;wdlcid=en-US&amp;jsapi=1&amp;jsapiver=v2&amp;corrid=f30482aa-5443-05f8-4d8c-22206222627c&amp;usid=f30482aa-5443-05f8-4d8c-22206222627c&amp;newsession=1&amp;sftc=1&amp;hfto=1786702533441&amp;uihit=docaspx&amp;muv=1&amp;ats=PairwiseBroker&amp;cac=1&amp;sams=1&amp;mtf=1&amp;sfp=1&amp;sdp=1&amp;hch=1&amp;hwfh=1&amp;wopisrc=https%3A%2F%2Finternationalschooltallinn.sharepoint.com%2Fsites%2FMarketing_PR%2F_vti_bin%2Fwopi.ashx%2Ffiles%2F12f893f0a9bd4f388131fb26426cc923&amp;dchat=1&amp;sc=%7B%22pmo%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Finternationalschooltallinn.sharepoint.com%22%2C%22pmshare%22%3Atrue%7D&amp;ctp=LeastProtected&amp;rct=Normal&amp;wdorigin=DocLib&amp;wdhostclicktime=1786702533298&amp;afdflight=43&amp;csiro=1&amp;wdredirectionreason=Unified_SingleFlush#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read why more families are choosing IST<\/a>&nbsp;<em>[link once that article is&nbsp;published]<\/em>,&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ist.ee\/admission\/schedule-a-visit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">book a school visit<\/a>&nbsp;to see it for yourself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kuidas m\u00f5\u00f5ta kooli kvaliteeti?  Kooli valimine on \u00fcks olulisemaid otsuseid, mida perekond teeb. Vanemad\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4145,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[165],"class_list":["post-4142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-2"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ist.ee\/et\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ist.ee\/et\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ist.ee\/et\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ist.ee\/et\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ist.ee\/et\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4142"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ist.ee\/et\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4151,"href":"https:\/\/ist.ee\/et\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4142\/revisions\/4151"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ist.ee\/et\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ist.ee\/et\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ist.ee\/et\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}