Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

     Purpose: Language in chapter 180-55 WAC was amended to remove references to public school and/or school districts. With the passage of E2SHB 3098 the state board only has authority to accredit private schools.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending chapter 180-55 WAC.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 28A.305.130(6), 28A.150.220(4), and 28A.305.140.

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 06-19-093 on September 19, 2006.

     Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: The state board voted not to strike language in WAC 180-55-005 (1)(a) through (e) and (g).

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 4, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 4, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 4, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: October 27, 2006.

Edith W. Harding

Executive Director

OTS-9232.2

     (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; and

     (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)) 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.]

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