House File 113 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 113 BY DOLECHECK , FORRISTALL , LANDON , SALMON , WATTS , GARRETT , SHEETS , S. OLSON , SCHULTZ , KLEIN , COSTELLO , JORGENSEN , and BYRNES 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 1824YH (4) 85 kh/rj

H.F. 113 Section 1. Section 256.11, Code 2013, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 16. a. Notwithstanding subsections 1 3 through 12, a nonpublic school may be accredited by an approved 4 independent accrediting agency as provided in this subsection 5 instead of by the state board. The department shall maintain a 6 list of approved independent accrediting agencies comprised of 7 at least six regional or national nonprofit, nongovernmental 8 agencies recognized in the education community as reliable 9 authorities concerning the quality of education offered by a 10 school and shall publish the list of independent accrediting 11 agencies on the department’s internet site. The list shall 12 include but not be limited to the north central association 13 commission on accreditation and school improvement, the 14 independent schools association of the central states, the 15 association of christian schools international, christian 16 schools international, the evangelical lutheran education 17 association of the evangelical lutheran church in America, and 18 the national accreditation commission of the lutheran church 19 —— Missouri synod. 20 b. A nonpublic school that participates in the accreditation 21 process offered by an independent accrediting agency on 22 the approved list published pursuant to paragraph “a” shall 23 be deemed to meet the education standards of this section. 24 However, such a school shall comply with statutory health and 25 safety requirements for school facilities. 26 c. If the department takes preliminary action to remove an 27 independent accrediting agency from the approved list published 28 on its internet site pursuant to paragraph “a” , the department 29 shall, at least one year prior to removing the agency from 30 the approved list, notify a nonpublic school participating 31 in the accreditation process offered by the agency of the 32 department’s intent to remove the agency from its approved list 33 of independent accrediting agencies. The notice shall also be 34 posted on the department’s internet site and shall contain the 35 -1- LSB 1824YH (4) 85 kh/rj 1/ 3

H.F. 113 proposed date of removal. The nonpublic school that received 1 notification shall attain accreditation under this subsection 2 or subsections 1 through 12 not later than one year following 3 the date on which the department removes the agency from its 4 list of independent accrediting agencies. 5 d. If the department takes preliminary action to remove an 6 independent accrediting agency that is specified in paragraph 7 “a” from the approved list published pursuant to paragraph 8 “a” , the department shall submit to the general assembly the 9 department’s findings and recommendations for statutory change 10 to effect removal of the agency from the approved list. 11 EXPLANATION 12 This bill establishes an alternative to the accreditation 13 of nonpublic schools by the state board of education by 14 requiring the department of education to maintain a list of 15 approved independent accrediting agencies comprised of at 16 least six regional or national nonprofit, nongovernmental 17 agencies recognized in the education community as reliable 18 authorities concerning the quality of education offered by a 19 school, and to publish the list of independent accrediting 20 agencies on the department’s internet site. A nonpublic school 21 that participates in the accreditation process offered by an 22 independent accrediting agency on the list published by the 23 department shall be deemed to meet the education standards of 24 Code section 256.11. However, such a school shall comply with 25 statutory health and safety requirements for school facilities. 26 The list shall include the north central association 27 commission on accreditation and school improvement, the 28 independent schools association of the central states, the 29 association of christian schools international, christian 30 schools international, the evangelical lutheran education 31 association of the evangelical lutheran church in America, and 32 the national accreditation commission of the lutheran church 33 —— Missouri synod. 34 If the department takes preliminary action to remove an 35 -2- LSB 1824YH (4) 85 kh/rj 2/ 3

H.F. 113 agency from its list of approved independent accrediting 1 agencies, the department shall notify a nonpublic school 2 accredited through the alternative process of the state board’s 3 intent to remove the independent accrediting agency from its 4 approved list at least one year prior to removing the agency 5 from the approved list, and the nonpublic school shall attain 6 accreditation not later than one year following the date on 7 which the state board removes the agency from its approved list 8 of independent accrediting agencies. 9 If the department takes preliminary action to remove 10 an agency specified in the bill from the approved list, 11 the department shall submit to the general assembly the 12 department’s findings and recommendations for statutory change 13 to effect removal of the agency from the approved list. 14 -3- LSB 1824YH (4) 85 kh/rj 3/ 3