House File 2317 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2317 BY SCHULTZ A BILL FOR An Act relating to the accreditation of nonpublic schools. 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 2 TLSB 5878HH (5) 83 kh/rj

H.F. 2317 Section 1. Section 256.11, Code Supplement 2009, is amended 1 by adding the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 16. a. Notwithstanding subsections 3 1 through 12, there is established an alternative to the 4 accreditation of nonpublic schools by the state board. The 5 state board shall maintain a list of approved alternative 6 accrediting agencies comprised of at least six regional or 7 national nonprofit, nongovernmental agencies recognized in the 8 education community as reliable authorities concerning the 9 quality of education offered by a school and shall publish the 10 list of alternative accrediting agencies on the department’s 11 internet site. 12 b. A nonprofit school that participates in the accreditation 13 process offered by an alternative accrediting agency on 14 the approved list published pursuant to paragraph “a” shall 15 be deemed to meet the education standards of this section. 16 However, such a school shall comply with statutory health and 17 safety requirements for students and school personnel, and 18 school facilities. 19 c. If the state board takes preliminary action to remove 20 an agency from the approved list published on the department’s 21 internet site pursuant to paragraph “a” , the department 22 shall, at least one year prior to removing the agency from 23 the approved list, notify the nonpublic schools participating 24 in the accreditation process offered by the agency of the 25 state board’s intent to remove the accrediting agency from its 26 approved list of alternative accrediting agencies. The notice 27 shall also contain the proposed date of removal. The nonpublic 28 school shall attain accreditation under this subsection or 29 subsections 1 through 12 not later than one year following the 30 date on which the state board removes the agency from its list 31 of alternative accrediting agencies. 32 EXPLANATION 33 This bill establishes an alternative to the accreditation of 34 nonpublic schools by the state board of education by requiring 35 -1- LSB 5878HH (5) 83 kh/rj 1/ 2

H.F. 2317 the state board to maintain a list of approved alternative 1 accrediting agencies comprised of at least six regional or 2 national nonprofit, nongovernmental agencies recognized in the 3 education community as reliable authorities concerning the 4 quality of education offered by a school and to publish the 5 list of alternative accrediting agencies on the department’s 6 internet site. A nonprofit school that participates in the 7 accreditation process offered by an alternative accrediting 8 agency on the list published by the state board shall be 9 deemed to meet the education standards of Code section 256.11. 10 However, such a school shall comply with statutory health and 11 safety requirements for students and school personnel, and 12 school facilities. 13 If the state board takes preliminary action to remove an 14 agency from its list of approved accrediting agencies, the 15 department shall notify the nonpublic schools accredited 16 through the alternative process of the state board’s intent 17 to remove the accrediting agency from its approved list at 18 least one year prior to removing the agency from the approved 19 list, and the nonpublic school shall attain accreditation not 20 later than one year following the date on which the state 21 board removes the agency from its approved list of alternative 22 accrediting agencies. 23 -2- LSB 5878HH (5) 83 kh/rj 2/ 2