DAR File No. 30087

Education, Administration

R277-413

Accreditation of Secondary Schools

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE

DAR File No.: 30087
Filed: 06/14/2007, 03:23
Received by: NL

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The purpose of this amendment is to outline newly revised Northwest Association of Accredited Schools and Utah State Board of Education accreditation standards.

Summary of the rule or change:

The changes delete previous Northwest Association of Accredited Schools and Utah State Board of Education accreditation standards and provide newly revised Northwest Association of Accredited Schools and Utah State Board of Education accreditation standards.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

Subsections 53A-1-402(1)(c) and 53A-1-401(3)

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to the state budget. Revised accreditation standards merely reflect current national, regional, and state curriculum and terminology revisions.

local governments:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to local government. Revised accreditation standards merely reflect current national, regional, and state curriculum and terminology revisions.

other persons:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to other persons. Revised accreditation standards merely reflect current national, regional, and state curriculum and terminology revisions.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

There are no compliance costs for affected persons. Revised accreditation standards merely reflect current national, regional and state curriculum and terminology revisions.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

I have reviewed this rule and I see no fiscal impact on businesses. Patti Harrington, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Education
Administration
250 E 500 S
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84111-3272

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

Carol Lear at the above address, by phone at 801-538-7835, by FAX at 801-538-7768, or by Internet E-mail at carol.lear@schools.utah.gov

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

07/31/2007

This rule may become effective on:

08/07/2007

Authorized by:

Carol Lear, Director, School Law and Legislation

R277. Education, Administration.

R277-413. Accreditation of Secondary Schools.

R277-413-4. Accreditation Procedures.

A. The evaluation of secondary schools for the purpose of accreditation is a cooperative activity in which the school, the school district, the USOE, and Northwest share responsibilities. A school's self-evaluation, development, and implementation of a school improvement plan are the crucial primary steps toward accreditation.

B. A school seeking Northwest accreditation for the first time shall submit a membership application to Northwest. The accepted application shall be forwarded to the USOE.

(1) Upon a visit by USOE staff verifying a school's compliance with accreditation standards, the school shall then receive [initial]provisional accreditation[ and become a Candidate member].

(2) Within three years of [initial]receiving provisional, accreditation, a candidate school shall complete a self-evaluation utilizing materials and protocols recommended and/or provided by the USOE.

(3) [Candidate]Provisional schools shall be visited annually until they have completed their first self-evaluation and full-team visit.

C. Northwest accredited schools shall be subject to:

(1) compliance with Northwest membership requirements;

(2) receipt and review of annual reports by the State Committee;

(3) satisfactory review by the State Committee, Northwest, and final Board approval;

(4) a new self-evaluation and site visit at least every six years by a visiting team assigned by the USOE to review the self-evaluation materials, visit classes, and talk with staff and students as follows:

(a) The visiting team shall present its finding in the form of a written report in a timely manner. The report shall be provided to the school, school district superintendent or local charter board chair, USOE staff, and the Board.

(b) USOE staff shall review the visiting team report, consult with the State Committee and Northwest and recommend appropriate accreditation status to the Board.

D. Following review and acceptance, accreditation visiting team reports are public information and are available online.

E. The Board is the final accrediting authority.

 

R277-413-5. Board Accreditation Standards.

A. Board accreditation standards include Northwest standards and Utah-specific requirements. Each standard requires the school to [answer]respond to a series of [questions]indicator statements and provide [information]evidence of compliance as directed.

B. Northwest Core Standards for Accreditation.

(1) Teaching and Learning Standards

(a) Mission, Beliefs and Desired Results for Student Learning.

(b) Curriculum

(c) Instruction

(d) Assessment

(2) Support Standards

(a) Leadership and Organization

(b) School Services

(i) Student Support Service

(ii) Guidance Services

(iii) Health Services

(iv) Library Information Services

(v) Special Education Services

(vi) Family and Community Services

(c) Facilities and Finance

(3) School Improvement Standard

(a) Culture of Continual Improvement

C. Utah-specific indicators have been added to the Northwest standard indicators which include essential information sought from schools to demonstrate alignment with Utah law and Board rules. Utah-specific indicators are available from the USOE Curriculum Section.[

B. Standard I - The Education Program

(1) Northwest requirements as provided in the Annual Report:

(a) Philosophy and objectives;

(b) Administrative policies and practices;

(c) Program of studies;

(d) Technology in the curriculum;

(2) Utah-specific requirements which shall be satisfied and may be addressed under the Northwest standards:

(a) State graduation and credit requirements (consistent with requirements of R277-700, The Elementary and Secondary School Core Curriculum);

(i) Core curriculum;

(ii) Assessments;

(iii) Standardized testing, under Sections 53A-1-601 through 53A-1-611.

(b) Length of school day and school year (consistent with requirements of R277-419, Pupil Accounting);

(c) Title IX, (which is incorporated by reference) compliance;

(d) Special education (consistent with requirements of R277-750, Education Programs for Students with Disabilities);

C. Standard II - Student Personnel Services

(1) Northwest requirements as provided in the Annual Report:

(a) Special services including school services and community services;

(b) Program of comprehensive services (available for students including counselors, social workers, school nurses, psychologists, and psychiatrists);

(c) Personnel and organization (ratios and services);

(d) Postsecondary services;

(e) Student conduct and attendance;

(2) Utah-specific requirements which shall be satisfied and may be addressed under the Northwest standards:

(a) Comprehensive guidance (consistent with requirements of R277-462, Comprehensive Guidance Program);

(b) Student Educational Occupational Plan (SEOP) (consistent with requirements of R277-462, Comprehensive Guidance Program and R277-911, Secondary Applied Technology Education);

(c) School fees (consistent with requirements of R277-407, School Fees);

(d) Student conduct and attendance (consistent with Section 53A-11-901).

D. Standard III - School Plant and Equipment

(1) Northwest requirements as provided in the Annual Report:

(a) Adequacy;

(b) Function;

(c) Assurances;

(2) Utah-specific requirements which shall be satisfied and may be addressed under the Northwest standards:

(a) School emergency response plans (consistent with requirements of R277-400, School Emergency Response Plans);

(b) Design, construction, operations, sanitation, and safety of schools (consistent with requirements of R392-200, Design, Construction, Operation, Sanitation, and Safety of Schools).

E. Standard IV - Library Media Program - Northwest requirements as provided in the Annual Report:

(1) Student performance objectives;

(2) Use of center;

(3) Staffing;

(4) Facilities;

(5) Equipment;

(6) Collection and alternative resources such as bookmobiles, or electronic resources.

F. Standard V - Records

(1) Northwest requirements as provided in the Annual Report:

(a) Safekeeping;

(b) Minimum information;

(c) Handling of student records; and

(2) Utah-specific requirements which shall be satisfied and may be addressed under the Northwest standards:

(a) Student records (consistent with requirements of the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 USC, Sec. 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99).

G. Standard VI - School Improvement (Northwest and Utah requirements): A school shall submit pertinent information about its community support, school profile, school mission statement, school goals, and implementation of those goals.

H. Standard VII - Preparation of Personnel

(1) Northwest requirements as provided in the Annual Report:

(a) Preparation of professional personnel;

(b) Paraprofessional or non-professional personnel;

(c) Alternatives to the standard teacher preparation;

(d) Professional preparation deficiency report;

(e) Professional development

(f) Excessive turnover and efficiency of instruction;

(g) Incentive programs for teachers and students; and

(2) Utah-specific requirements which shall be satisfied and may be addressed under the Northwest standards:

(a) Professional development as required by the Board; and

(b) Professional and ethical conduct of staff.

I. Standard VIII - Administration - Northwest requirements as provided in the Annual Report:

(1) Responsibility and leadership; and

(2) Administrative staff size.

J. Standard IX - Teacher Load - Northwest requirements as provided in the Annual Report:

(1) Maximum teacher load; and

(2) Personnel schedule.

K. Standard X - Student Activities - Northwest requirements as provided in the Annual Report:

(1) Student activities; and

(2) Audit for student activity funds and bond requirements for persons managing student funds.

L. Standard XI - Business Practices - Northwest requirements as provided in the Annual Report:

(1) Financial responsibility, including solvency and student fees proportionate to expenditures;

(2) Student tuition and fees policies; and

(3) Advertising about the school and school program that is only truthful and positive.]

 

KEY: accreditation

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [April 1, 2005]2007

Notice of Continuation: February 26, 2004

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: Art X Sec 3; 53A-1-402(1); 53A-1-401(3)