The California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) is a non-profit organization of 229 elementary, middle, and secondary schools in California. The Association serves and strengthens its schools by setting standards of academic quality and ethical conduct, by providing for the professional growth of faculty, administrators, and trustees, and by promoting ethnic and socio-economic diversity.

CAIS provides member schools with:

To be a full member of CAIS, schools must have received accreditation by the Association. The accreditation process includes a written self-study based on 16 standards with responses to questions about every aspect of the school. This report is followed by an on-site visit by a team of educators and administrators who look into every aspect of the school's programs and operations to assess its effectiveness in fulfilling the school's stated purposes.