Okla. Admin. Code § 210:35-33-4

Current through Vol. 42, No. 3, October 15, 2024

Section 210:35-33-4 - Criteria for approval and recognition of private accrediting association

The following criteria must be addressed by a private accrediting association in the application to the State Board of Education in order to be recognized by the State Board of Education to accredit schools:

(1)Scope of operations.

(A) The association must serve schools in the State of Oklahoma.

(B) The association must clearly define in its charter, bylaws, or accrediting standards, the scope of its activities, including the types and levels of institutions covered.

(2)Organization.

(A) The association must have the administrative personnel and procedures to carry out its operations in a timely and effective manner.

(B) The association must define its fiscal needs, and have adequate financial resources to carry out its operations as shown by an annual externally-audited financial statement or other reasonable documentation.

(C) The association's fees, if any, for the accreditation process shall not exceed the reasonable cost of sustaining and improving the process.

(D) The association shall use competent and knowledgeable persons, qualified by training and experience, and will select such persons in accordance with nondiscriminatory practices:

(i) To participate on visiting teams;

(ii) To engage in consultative services for the evaluation and accreditation process; and

(iii) To serve on policy and decision-making bodies.

(E) The association must include on each visiting committee at least one person who is not a member of its policy or decision-making body or its administrative staff.

(3)Procedures.

(A) The association must maintain clear definitions of each level of accreditation status and have clearly written procedures for granting, denying, reaffirming, revoking, and reinstating such accredited status.

(B) If the association develops a pre-accreditation status, the criteria and procedures applying to the pre-accreditation must be related in an appropriate manner to those employed for accreditation.

(4)Accreditation policies. Accreditation serves clearly identified needs as follows:

(A) The association's accreditation program must take into account the rights, responsibilities, and interests of the schools and their constituents.

(B) The association's purposes and objectives must be clearly defined in its charter, bylaws, or accrediting standards.

(5)Public information; standards by which schools are evaluated. The association publishes or otherwise makes publicly available the standards by which schools are evaluated which shall include the following areas:

(A)Philosophy and objectives. The school shall have a clearly stated philosophy with objectives which are adequate to implement the philosophy.

(B)Organization, governance, and finance. The school shall be a legal entity with adequate financial resources and demonstrated professional management of its resources.

(C)Plant and facilities. The plant and facilities shall be adequate to support the program of the school. The school must comply with applicable state, county, and municipal health, safety, and sanitation codes.

(D)Program. The program of the school shall be designed in the best interests of the students, and students are admitted only when it has been determined that there are reasonable expectations that the students' best interests can be served. The program, while appropriately adjusted to serve the best interest of its students and to be consistent with the school's philosophy and objectives, complies with applicable rules of the State Board of Education, especially in the following areas:

(i) Length of the school day and school year;

(ii) The basic skills subjects in the elementary curriculum including subjects which constitute a well-balanced elementary curriculum; instructional time requirements and essential elements which are comparable to those required in the like subjects at equivalent grade levels in the public school system; student academic records; and achievement levels required for promotion; and

(iii) The appropriate subjects in the secondary curriculum, including sequencing of courses for which transferability of credit may be sought from the state; essential elements which are comparable to those required in the like subjects and courses at equivalent grade levels by the state; student academic records; and achievement levels necessary for the awarding of credits and diplomas.

(E)Administration and staffing. Professional staff members must hold degrees and be qualified by preparation or experience for positions they hold and for the work to which they are assigned.

(6)Other public information. In addition to the standards by which schools are evaluated, the association publishes or otherwise makes publicly available information on the following:

(A) The procedures utilized in arriving at decisions regarding the accreditation status of a school.

(B) The current accreditation status of schools and the date of the next currently scheduled review or reconsideration of accreditation.

(C) The names and affiliations of members of its policy and decision-making bodies and the names of its principal administrative personnel,

(D) A description of the control and type of legal organization of the association.

(E) Advance notice of proposed or revised standards to all schools affected by its accreditation process and adequate opportunity to comment on such standards prior to their adoption.

(F) Written procedures for the review of complaints pertaining to school quality, as these relate to the association's standards, and adequate procedures to provide timely treatment of such complaints in a manner that is fair and equitable to the school.

(7)Assurance of systematic process in accrediting procedures. The association must assure a systematic process in its accrediting procedures, as demonstrated in part by:

(A) Affording initial evaluation of a school only when the chief executive officer of the school applies for accreditation of the school.

(B) Providing for adequate discussion during an on-site visit between the visiting team and the faculty, administrative staff, students, and other appropriate persons.

(C) Furnishing, as a result of an evaluation visit, a written report to the school commenting on areas of strengths, areas needing improvement, and when appropriate, suggesting means of improvement including specific areas, if any, where the school may not be in compliance with the association's standards; filing a copy of the written report with the accrediting association; and taking action on the report.

(D) Providing the chief executive officer of the school with an opportunity to comment upon the written report and to file supplemental materials pertinent to the facts and conclusions in the written report of the visiting team before the accrediting association takes action on the report.

(E) Evaluating the report of the visiting team.

(F) Providing for the withdrawal of accreditation only for just cause, after review, or when the school does not permit reevaluation after due notice.

(G) Providing the chief executive officer of the school with a specific statement of reasons for any adverse accrediting action and notice of the right to appeal such action.

(H) Establishing and implementing published rules of procedure regarding appeals which will provide for:

(i) No change in the accreditation status of the school pending disposition of appeal;

(ii) Right of the school to a hearing before the appeal body; and

(iii) Supplying the chief executive officer of the school with a written decision of the appeal body, including a statement of specifics.

(8)Ethical and nondiscriminatory practices. The association has demonstrated capability and willingness to foster ethical practices among the schools which it accredits, as well as nondiscriminatory practices in admissions and employment.

(9)Program of evaluation.

(A) The association maintains a program of evaluation of its educational standards designed to assess their validity and reliability.

(B) The association secures sufficient qualitative and quantitative information regarding the school which shows an ongoing program of evaluation of results consistent with the educational goals of the school and applicable state requirements.

(C) The association accredits only those schools which meet its published standards, and demonstrates that its standards, policies, and procedures are fairly applied and that its evaluations are conducted and decisions rendered under conditions that assure an impartial and objective judgment.

(D) The association periodically reevaluates each school which it has accredited.

Okla. Admin. Code § 210:35-33-4

Added at 12 Ok Reg 2785, eff 7-13-95; Amended at 13 Ok Reg 275, eff 9-8-95 (emergency); Amended at 13 Ok Reg 1355, eff 5-13-96