Senate File 2272 - Reprinted SENATE FILE 2272 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 3088) (As Amended and Passed by the Senate February 27, 2018 ) A BILL FOR An Act relating to community college accreditation. 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 2 SF 2272 (2) 87 kh/jh/jh
S.F. 2272 Section 1. Section 260C.36, subsection 4, paragraph a, Code 1 2018, is amended to read as follows: 2 a. An ad hoc accreditation quality faculty plan protocol 3 committee to advise the department in the development of 4 protocols related to the quality faculty planning process to 5 be used by the an accreditation teams team during site visits 6 when invited by the community college to conduct an evaluation 7 of the quality faculty plan and assist the community college 8 in meeting the accreditation standards of the higher learning 9 commission, the department under the voluntary accreditation 10 process established pursuant to section 260C.47, subsection 3, 11 or any other accrediting agency . The committee shall, at a 12 minimum, determine what types of evidence need to be provided, 13 develop interview procedures and visit goals, and propose 14 accreditation protocol revisions. 15 Sec. 2. Section 260C.47, Code 2018, is amended by striking 16 the section and inserting in lieu thereof the following: 17 260C.47 Accreditation of community colleges —— programs. 18 1. Each community college shall be accredited by the higher 19 learning commission. In addition, specific programs offered by 20 the community college may be accredited by other accrediting 21 agencies. 22 2. The state board shall adopt rules under chapter 17A that 23 establish an accreditation process, accreditation standards, 24 and appropriate remedies and sanctions for community colleges 25 which fail to meet the accreditation standards of the higher 26 learning commission. A community college that fails to meet 27 the accreditation standards of the higher learning commission 28 shall comply with the accreditation standards and accreditation 29 process established by rule by the state board in accordance 30 with this subsection until the community college is in 31 compliance with the higher learning commission’s accreditation 32 standards. Action by the state board under this subsection is 33 final agency action for purposes of chapter 17A. 34 3. The state board shall adopt rules under chapter 17A that 35 -1- SF 2272 (2) 87 kh/jh/jh 1/ 2
S.F. 2272 establish a voluntary accreditation process and accreditation 1 standards to be administered by the department upon request 2 for specific community college programs that the higher 3 learning commission does not accredit, which may include but 4 is not limited to career and technical education programs and 5 quality faculty programs. A community college that voluntarily 6 seeks accreditation of a specific program by the department 7 under this subsection shall pay the cost of the voluntary 8 accreditation process and shall comply with the voluntary 9 accreditation process and accreditation standards established 10 by rule by the state board in accordance with this subsection. 11 Sec. 3. REPEAL. Section 260C.48, Code 2018, is repealed. 12 -2- SF 2272 (2) 87 kh/jh/jh 2/ 2