HSB 622 (LSB 5378DP (6) 83)

SENATE/HOUSE FILE _____

BY  (PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BILL)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to private college preparatory schools exempted from the state’s educational standards and accreditation process, and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.11, subsection 13, Code Supplement 2009, is amended to read as follows:
   13.  a.  Notwithstanding subsections 1 through 12 and as an exception to their requirements, a private high school or private combined junior-senior high school operated for the express purpose of teaching a program designed to qualify its graduates for matriculation at accredited four-year or equivalent liberal arts, scientific, or technological colleges or universities shall be placed on a special accredited list of college preparatory schools, which list shall signify accreditation of the school for that express purpose only, if:
   a.  (1)  The school complies with minimum standards established by the Code other than this section, and rules adopted under the Code, applicable to:
   (1)  (a)  Courses comprising the limited program.
   (2)  (b)  Health requirements for personnel.
   (3)  (c)  Plant facilities.
   (4)  (d)  Other environmental factors affecting the programs.
   b.  (2)  At least eighty percent of those graduating from the school within the four most recent calendar years, other than those graduating who are aliens, graduates entering military or alternative civilian service, or graduates deceased or incapacitated before college acceptance, have been accepted by accredited four-year or equivalent liberal arts, scientific, or technological colleges or universities.
   c.  b.  A school claiming to be a private college preparatory school which fails to comply with the requirement of paragraph “b” of this subsection “a”, subparagraph (2), shall be placed on the special accredited list of college preparatory schools probationally if the school complies with the requirements of paragraph “a” of this subsection, subparagraph (1), but a probational accreditation shall not continue for more than four successive years.
   c.  The state board shall not add to the special accredited list of college preparatory schools after the effective date of this Act. Only schools placed on the special accredited list on or before the effective date of this Act that continue to meet the criteria of this subsection shall remain on the special accredited list after the effective date of this Act.
    Sec. 2.  EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT.  This Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
EXPLANATION
   This bill restricts the state board of education from adding to the special accredited list of college preparatory schools after the effective date of the bill.
   Currently, a private high school or private combined junior-senior high school that exists to qualify its graduates for matriculation at accredited four-year colleges or universities is placed on a special accredited list of college preparatory schools by the state board and is exempt from the educational standards for accreditation specified in Code section 256.11, subsections 1 through 12. The schools on the list must comply with minimum standards established in statute and administrative rules applicable to courses comprising the limited program, health requirements for personnel, plant facilities, and other environmental factors affecting the programs; and at least 80 percent of those graduating from the school within the four most recent calendar years, with few exceptions, must have been accepted by accredited four-year colleges or universities.
   Under the bill, only schools placed on the list on or before the effective date of the bill, that continue to meet the criteria established in the Code, may remain on the list after that date. 
   The bill takes effect upon enactment, which is generally the date of approval by the governor.