The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accredits more than 12,000 public and private educational institutions, from prekindergarten through university level,  in 11 states of the Southeastern U.S. and in Latin America. Member institutions regularly perform comprehensive self-evaluations to assist them in planning for improvement and to assure the public of their overall quality. SACS is one of only six such regional accrediting organizations in the U.S. recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Member institutions are accredited through one of SACS' three commissions, the Commission on Colleges, the Commission on Secondary and Middle Schools, and the Commission on Elementary and Middle Schools.