Hinsdale Central's athletic department has earned the highest rating a high school sports program can receive from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA).

The school received an "Exemplary" designation, the top tier of six levels in the NIAAA's Quality Program Assessment (QPA), The Hinsdalean reported. Only six to eight schools nationally are accepted into the QPA cohort each year, according to Athletic Director Mike Jezioro.

The rating did not weigh Central's trophy case. The Red Devils hold the IHSA record for most state championships in a single year, winning eight in 2014-15. Instead, the QPA evaluated the department across 10 categories: philosophy, educational compatibility, mentoring staff and student leaders, program safety and risk management, communication, program access and equity, budget and funding, personnel and program assessment, technology, and sports medicine and innovation. Schools must score at least 80 percent in each category to qualify.

That bar is high.

Central applied two years ago but was not accepted into the cohort until last year. The review process took about 12 months, with Jezioro submitting documentation every month to six weeks.

"Each month to six weeks, depending on what the category is, you have to provide all this documentation on things you do," Jezioro told The Hinsdalean.

Jezioro also completed eight NIAAA professional development courses as part of the requirements. He said the process pushed him to formalize existing practices and flagged areas for growth, such as sending athletes to feeder schools and other conference schools as ambassadors.

Principal Bill Walsh said the recognition reflects a tradition built by multiple leaders.

Jezioro will accept the formal recognition at the NIAAA's national conference in Phoenix, scheduled for Dec. 11-15. The school will receive a plaque, banner and commendation letter, and the program will be featured in Interscholastic Athletic Administrator magazine, on the NIAAA website and in the NIAAA e-newsletter.