American Baccalaureate

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American Baccalaureate (AB)

The American Baccalaureate (AB) is a non-accredited academic program that issues high school diplomas and associate degrees to students affiliated with schools operating outside the United States that pay licensing fees. The AB is a division of the American Scholar Group, a for-profit company located in Pennsylvania. The AB prints transcripts, high school diplomas, and associate degree diplomas. Despite having a similar name, the AB is not affiliated with the American Baccalaureate School in Kuwait, the International Baccalaureate, or Advanced Placement (AP).

Company Offices and Registration

The AB and American Scholar Group maintain offices at 10 North Penn Avenue, Greenville, PA 16125 and multiple registrations with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of State list of Business Entities:

• American Baccalaureate Inc, Entity 4359743, PA Non Stock Corporation, Created 06/03/2015, Active
• American Baccalaureate Institute, Entity 6568841, Fictitious Name, Created 06/15/2017, Active
• American Baccalaureate LLC, Entity 4347195, Limited Liability Company, Created 04/13/2015, Active
• American Scholar Crest LLC, Entity 6558472, Limited Liability Company, Created 05/22/2017, Terminated
• American Scholar Foundation, Entity  6589148, Non-Profit (Non Stock), Created 08/04/2017, Dissolved

American Scholar Group is registered as operating at 516 Conneaut Lake Road, Adamsville, PA 16110.  It is listed as an Active Business Corporation, Entity 4193412, since 06/10/2013.  The president of American Scholar Group is Ching Ng.

Lack of Accreditation or Licensed/Registered Status

The American Baccalaureate does not appear on the Pennsylvania Department of Education list of Licensed/Registered Schools or the List of Boarding Schools. Pennsylvania does not require independent accreditation, but recognizes the Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools, the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, and AdvancED as accreditation agencies in the state. The American Baccalaureate or American Scholar Group do not appear on the list of accredited schools by the Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools, the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, or AdvancedED.

Teacher Certification

The AB offers a "Teacher Certification" program and displays the logo of the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Edinboro University, but does not cite any actual relationship between the AB and either entity. Neither the American Scholar Group nor American Baccalaureate appear on the Pennsylvania Department of Education list of Approved Certification Programs.  A search for "American Baccalaureate" on the Edinboro University website also yields no results.

Controversial Leadership

The president of the American Baccalaureate is Cecilia Yauger.  She was appointed in September 2016 by American Scholars Group, having previously served as Dean of Academic and Strategic Planning and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining the AB, Yauger was Executive Director of the Midwestern Intermediate Unit 4 in Grove City, Pennsylvania.  She resigned her $124,840-a-year position in April 2013 and was "accused of charging $72,465 in personal items on a credit card meant only for work-related expenses between August 2007 and April 2013 while she was the agency’s executive director." "According to the United States Attorney’s Office, Cecelia H. Yauger pleaded to a charge of theft...in Pittsburgh.  In her plea, Yauger acknowledged stealing at least $5,000 from the Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV, based in Grove City.  The intermediate unit provides assorted educational support services to area school districts, including those in Lawrence County." On July 20, 2014 the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General released a statement about Yauger's guilty plea: "Cecelia H. Yauger, age 56, pleaded guilty to one count before Chief United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from in and around January 2012, to in and around December 2012, Yauger, being an agent of the Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV (“IU4”), did knowingly steal property worth at least $5,000, which was owned by and under the custody and control of IU4. Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for Nov. 14, 2014 at 3 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The United States Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Department of Education, Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Cecelia H. Yauger." The U.S. Department of Justice issued a statement from United States Attorney David J. Hickton on November 14, 2014 that Yauger was "sentenced in federal court to three years probation, which includes two months in a community confinement center, 150 hours of community service, and a $2,000 fine on her conviction of theft concerning a program receiving federal funds..." On October 12, 2017 the Pennsylvania Department of Education recorded that Yauger surrendered her certificate, and included the notation that the "Educator was criminally convicted of the federal crime of Theft Concerning a Program Receiving Federal Funds."

References

This article "American Baccalaureate" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:American Baccalaureate. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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