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78S40062 SLO-F

By:  Isett                                                        H.B. No. 7  



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the accreditation of private elementary and secondary 
schools.  
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 7, Education Code, is 
amended by adding Section 7.113 to read as follows:
	Sec. 7.113.  PRIVATE SCHOOL ACCREDITATION.  (a)  A private 
elementary or secondary school is considered to be accredited for 
all purposes under this code if the school:
		(1)  is accredited by an organization that is 
recognized by the commissioner to accredit nonpublic schools; or
		(2)  is accredited by the board under Subsection (d).                  
	(b)  A private school may apply for accreditation to the 
board by submitting to the board:
		(1)  a report certified by the school's governing body 
that lists all of the students who have graduated from the school 
during the preceding four years; and
		(2)  the results of the Scholastic Assessment Test 
(SAT) or the American College Test (ACT) of all graduating seniors 
at the school who took the SAT or ACT during the preceding four 
years.
	(c)  The board shall make a determination on an application 
under Subsection (b) and notify the private school governing body 
of that determination not later than the 60th day after the date the 
board receives the application.
	(d)  The board shall accredit the private school if the board 
determines that, for at least three of the preceding four years:
		(1)  the percentage of graduating seniors at the school 
who took the SAT or ACT exceeds the state average percentage of 
graduating seniors who took the SAT or ACT; and
		(2)  the average SAT or ACT scores for graduating 
seniors at the school exceeded the state average of SAT or ACT 
scores for graduating seniors in the state.
	(e)  The accreditation of a private school that is accredited 
under Subsection (d) expires on the third anniversary of the date 
the accreditation is granted.  Except as provided by Subsection 
(h), Subsections (b)-(d) apply each time the school applies for 
accreditation.
	(f)  For the sole purpose of confirming the information 
submitted by a private school that is accredited under Subsection 
(d), the board may audit the school one time during each three-year 
period that the school is accredited.
	(g)  If, during the audit, the board determines that there is 
any discrepancy in the data the school submits to the board under 
Subsection (b), the board shall notify the school of the 
discrepancy in writing and of the school's right to respond in 
writing to the determination not later than the 60th day after the 
date the school receives the notification.  As soon as practicable 
after the end of the 60-day period, the board shall make a 
preliminary determination concerning whether the school satisfies 
the requirements for accreditation under Subsection (d).  The board 
shall notify the school of the preliminary determination and if the 
board has determined that the school does not satisfy one or more of 
the requirements, the board shall notify the school of the date, 
time, and location of a board meeting at which the board will 
consider whether to revoke the school's accreditation and of the 
right of a school representative to be heard at the meeting.  If the 
board determines at the meeting that the school does not satisfy one 
or more of the requirements, the board shall immediately revoke the 
school's accreditation.  The board may revoke the school's 
accreditation regardless of whether a school representative 
attends the meeting.
	(h)  A school whose accreditation is revoked under 
Subsection (g) may not reapply for accreditation under Subsection 
(b) until the third anniversary of the date that the board revokes 
the school's accreditation.
	(i)  The board shall adopt rules as necessary to carry out 
this section.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2005.