House File 583 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 583 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO HF 167) A BILL FOR An Act relating to independent accreditation of nonpublic 1 schools. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2130HV (1) 84 kh/rj

H.F. 583 Section 1. Section 256.11, Code 2011, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 16. a. Notwithstanding subsections 3 1 through 12, a nonpublic school may be accredited by an 4 approved independent accrediting agency instead of by the state 5 board as provided in this subsection. The state board shall 6 maintain a list of approved independent accrediting agencies 7 comprised of at least five regional or national nonprofit, 8 nongovernmental agencies recognized in the education community 9 as reliable authorities concerning the quality of education 10 offered by a school and shall publish the list of independent 11 accrediting agencies on the department’s internet site. The 12 list shall include the north central association commission on 13 accreditation and school improvement, the independent schools 14 association of the central states, the association of christian 15 schools international, christian schools international, and 16 the national accreditation commission of the lutheran church 17 —— Missouri synod. 18 b. A nonpublic school that participates in the accreditation 19 process offered by an independent accrediting agency on 20 the approved list published pursuant to paragraph “a” shall 21 be deemed to meet the education standards of this section. 22 However, such a school shall comply with statutory health and 23 safety requirements for school facilities. 24 c. If the state board takes preliminary action to remove 25 an agency from the approved list published on the department’s 26 internet site pursuant to paragraph “a” , the department 27 shall, at least one year prior to removing the agency from 28 the approved list, notify the nonpublic schools participating 29 in the accreditation process offered by the agency of the 30 state board’s intent to remove the accrediting agency from 31 its approved list of independent accrediting agencies. The 32 notice shall also be posted on the department’s internet site 33 and shall contain the proposed date of removal. The nonpublic 34 school shall attain accreditation under this subsection or 35 -1- LSB 2130HV (1) 84 kh/rj 1/ 2

H.F. 583 subsections 1 through 12 not later than one year following the 1 date on which the state board removes the agency from its list 2 of independent accrediting agencies. 3 EXPLANATION 4 This bill establishes an alternative to the accreditation of 5 nonpublic schools by the state board of education by requiring 6 the state board to maintain a list of approved independent 7 accrediting agencies comprised of at least five regional or 8 national nonprofit, nongovernmental agencies recognized in the 9 education community as reliable authorities concerning the 10 quality of education offered by a school, and to publish the 11 list of independent accrediting agencies on the department’s 12 internet site. A nonpublic school that participates in the 13 accreditation process offered by an independent accrediting 14 agency on the list published by the state board shall be 15 deemed to meet the education standards of Code section 256.11. 16 However, such a school shall comply with statutory health and 17 safety requirements for school facilities. 18 The list shall include the north central association 19 commission on accreditation and school improvement, the 20 independent schools association of the central states, the 21 association of christian schools international, christian 22 schools international, and the national accreditation 23 commission of the lutheran church —— Missouri synod. 24 If the state board takes preliminary action to remove an 25 agency from its list of approved independent accrediting 26 agencies, the department shall notify the nonpublic schools 27 accredited through the alternative process of the state board’s 28 intent to remove the independent accrediting agency from its 29 approved list at least one year prior to removing the agency 30 from the approved list, and the nonpublic school shall attain 31 accreditation not later than one year following the date on 32 which the state board removes the agency from its approved list 33 of independent accrediting agencies. 34 -2- LSB 2130HV (1) 84 kh/rj 2/ 2