Iowa Conservatory (ICON) has announced its regional accreditation with Cognia and recognition by the state of Iowa as an independently accredited non-public school for the 2024-2025 school year.

Founded in 2022, ICON offers studies in classical and contemporary dance, vocal/percussive music and composition, theater, and design and production, according to its website. Students will take core art classes and electives to round out their education.

Cognia, a global nonprofit organization, provides accreditation and improvement services to over 40,000 institutions worldwide, according to a news release. ICON’s accreditation signifies that it meets standards of educational quality and effectiveness recognized by universities, state departments of education, and ministries of education globally.

Achieving this status required an intensive self-assessment process, in-person site visits, stakeholder interviews, and ongoing mentorship from Cognia experts, the release states.

With inclusion on Iowa’s list of accredited non-public schools, ICON can implement best-practice curricular decisions tailored to student needs while meeting state secondary education requirements.

“This accreditation will create more trust in this emerging school from families across the nation and allow us to attract international students as well,” Leslie Nolte, founder of ICON said in the release. “We are so grateful to our supporters who believed in this project since it was just a dream. The success of our early graduates and this designation are proving that we have built something special here in Iowa City.”