PROPOSED RULES
Original Notice.
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 06-14-081.
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: Chapter 180-55 WAC, School accreditation.
Hearing Location(s): Puget Sound Educational Service District 121, 800 Oakesdale Avenue S.W., Renton, WA 98055, on October 26, 2006, at 9:00 a.m.
Date of Intended Adoption: October 27, 2006.
Submit Written Comments to: Edith Harding, Executive Director, P.O. Box 47206, Olympia, WA 98504-7206, e-mail eharding@ospi.wednet.edu, fax (360) 586-2357, by October 12, 2006.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Laura Moore, Executive Assistant, by October 12, 2006, TTY (360) 664-3631 or (360) 725-6025.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: Technical edits to remove all reference to public schools/school districts as the only authority, under E2SHB 3098, is for private schools.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: See above.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 28A.305.130(6), 28A.150.220(4) and 28A.305.140.
Statute Being Implemented: E2SHB 3098 (chapter 263, Laws of 2006).
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Name of Proponent: State board of education, governmental.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation and Enforcement: Edith Harding, State Board of Education, Olympia, Washington, (360) 725-6025.
No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. Not applicable.
A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328. Not applicable.
September 19, 2006
Edith W. Harding
Executive Director
OTS-9232.1
PRIVATE SCHOOL ACCREDITATION
(a) Support the state board's long-term vision of a performance-based education system under WAC 180-51-001 by aligning school accreditation requirements to continuous improvement of student learning, achievement, and growth;
(b) Promote educational excellence and equity for every student through enhancement of the quality and effectiveness of the school's educational program in safe and supportive learning environments;
(c) Promote staff growth and commitment to the learning of every student;
(d) Build stronger links with families, parents, and the community by reaching consensus about educational expectations through family, parent, and community involvement;
(e))) provide a statement of accountability to the
public((;
(f) Assure that school districts, under the district policy on recognizing earned credits under WAC 180-51-050, shall accept credits earned from schools or programs, accredited by the state board of education or other accrediting body as may be recognized by the state board of education pursuant to WAC 180-55-017; and
(g) Facilitate the sharing of)) and validate effective
((schools)) practices ((and positive impacts on student
learning)) in private schools through an external appraisal
process.
(2) Authority. The authority for this chapter is RCW 28A.305.130(((6))) (5).
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.150.220(4), 28A.305.130(6), and 28A.305.140. 05-08-015, § 180-55-005, filed 3/28/05, effective 4/28/05; 04-04-093, § 180-55-005, filed 2/3/04, effective 3/5/04; 02-18-056, § 180-55-005, filed 8/28/02, effective 9/28/02. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.305.130(6). 91-04-015, § 180-55-005, filed 1/28/91, effective 2/28/91. Statutory Authority: 1990 c 33. 90-17-009, § 180-55-005, filed 8/6/90, effective 9/6/90. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.04.120(4). 81-08-027 (Order 2-85), § 180-55-005, filed 3/26/81.]
(2) "Approved private school" shall mean a school approved by the state board of education pursuant to chapter 28A.195 RCW and chapter 180-90 WAC.
(3) "Accredited" status shall be assigned to ((public
or)) state board of education approved private schools that:
(a) Complete and meet fully state board of education
requirements for accreditation as described in WAC 180-55-020((,)); or((;))
(b) Participate and qualify in accordance with standards and procedures established by accrediting bodies or processes recognized by the state board of education.
(4) "School improvement plan" shall mean the same as described under WAC 180-16-220 (2)(b) and (d).
(5) "Continuous improvement process" shall mean the ongoing process used by a school to monitor, adjust, and update its school improvement plan.
(6) "Self-review" shall mean the same as described under WAC 180-16-220 (2)(c).
(7) "Appraisal" shall mean an objective, external appraisal of a school's self-review activities and school improvement plan pursuant to WAC 180-55-020(5).
(8) "Recognized accrediting body" shall mean an organization recognized by the state board of education and listed on the state board web site.
(9) "Recognized accrediting process" shall mean the state board of education process managed through the educational service districts for approved private schools.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.150.220(4), 28A.305.130(6), and 28A.305.140. 05-08-015, § 180-55-015, filed 3/28/05, effective 4/28/05; 04-04-093, § 180-55-015, filed 2/3/04, effective 3/5/04; 02-18-056, § 180-55-015, filed 8/28/02, effective 9/28/02. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.305.130(6). 91-04-015, § 180-55-015, filed 1/28/91, effective 2/28/91. Statutory Authority: 1990 c 33. 90-17-009, § 180-55-015, filed 8/6/90, effective 9/6/90. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.04.120(4). 84-11-050 (Order 8-84), § 180-55-015, filed 5/17/84; 81-08-027 (Order 2-85), § 180-55-015, filed 3/26/81.]
(b) Accrediting bodies recognized by the state board of education shall verify that standards for approved private schools seeking accreditation through them meet or exceed the school accreditation standards pursuant to WAC 180-16-220.
(c) Accrediting bodies recognized by the state board of education for the specific purpose of accrediting state board approved private schools, prior to being considered by the state board for recognition, shall have their accreditation standards verified for compliance under (b) of this subsection by a private school advisory committee established by the superintendent of public instruction. If verified, the committee may recommend the accrediting body to the state board for recognition.
(d) A list of recognized accrediting bodies will be maintained on the web site of the state board of education.
(2)(((a) Public school districts must be approved by the
state board of education prior to a school in the district
being recommended by a state board of education recognized
accrediting body for state accreditation consideration.
(b) Public schools may not seek accreditation through a sectarian affiliated accrediting body. Public schools may seek accreditation through a state board of education recognized accrediting body or process and be recommended for state accreditation consideration.
(c))) Private schools must be approved by the state board of education prior to being recommended by a state board of education recognized accrediting body or process for state accreditation consideration.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.150.220(4), 28A.305.130(6), and 28A.305.140. 05-08-015, § 180-55-017, filed 3/28/05, effective 4/28/05.]
(b))) Certification by the state board of education of compliance with private school approval requirements under chapter 28A.190 RCW and chapter 180-90 WAC shall be prerequisite to a private school's application to the state board of education for accreditation under WAC 180-55-015 (3)(b).
(2) Standard accreditation - six years, shall be granted
to ((a)) an approved private school after a satisfactory
external appraisal of the school's self-review activities and
school improvement plan, and approval by the state board of
education of the appraisal findings and recommendations by the
external site appraisal team.
(3) Conditional accreditation - one year, for ((a)) an
approved private school where the external appraisal
identifies omissions, inaccuracies or weaknesses in the
building's self-review activities, or school improvement plan
or continuous improvement process.
(4) Application. Application for school accreditation
shall be made to the state board of education or other body or
entity designated by the state board of education. Such
application shall be submitted jointly by the appropriate
officials of the ((school and school district, or)) private
school and governing board, in accordance with procedures and
timelines established by the state board of education.
(5)(a) External appraisal. The state board of education,
or other body or entity designated by the state board of
education, shall direct an external appraisal process for
approved private school accreditation purposes. The state
board may place yearly limits on the number of schools that
may participate in the external appraisal process using the
state board accreditation option. The external appraisal
shall be conducted by persons external to the approved private
school ((and district)). The external site appraisal team
shall include, but is not limited to, certificated teachers
and administrators who may earn continuing education clock
hours pursuant to WAC 180-85-033(2).
(b) The external appraisal shall focus on the provisions of WAC 180-16-220 (2)(b), (c) and (d), and 180-55-005(1). The appraisal shall focus on an analysis of the school's self-review activities, the school's improvement plan and its progress and impact, in particular relating to WAC 180-55-005 (1)(c), and the school's continuous improvement process.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.150.220(4), 28A.305.140, and 28A.305.130(6). 04-04-093, § 180-55-020, filed 2/3/04, effective 3/5/04; 02-18-056, § 180-55-020, filed 8/28/02, effective 9/28/02. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.305.130(6). 91-01-068, § 180-55-020, filed 12/14/90, effective 1/14/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.04.120(4). 84-11-050 (Order 8-84), § 180-55-020, filed 5/17/84; 81-08-027 (Order 2-85), § 180-55-020, filed 3/26/81.]