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K-12 Accreditation and District Improvement
On March 22, 2005, the South Dakota Board of Education approved new administrative rules for District Accreditation and Improvement. The new Administrative Rules 24:43 have outlined the process for required school improvement plans for all public and private school districts that wish to seek school state accreditation. Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions on this page to find valuable information and links to important documents. Onsite Visits to Date
Under ARSD 24.43.01.03, the school improvement plan is identified. An "improvement plan" is a written document developed by the school district, based on local data. An improvement plan sets forth policies, processes, practices, and strategies that are grounded in research and will lead to continuous improvement of student learning. The plan identifies a challenging set of goals and sets forth actions that will be taken to achieve the goals. It specifies the responsibilities of the school district and its schools. The plan includes periodic benchmarks, measurement processes, and evaluation protocols. An improvement plan is the subject of official action by the school board and, after adoption, becomes an official district document. An improvement plan is subject to annual review. In other words, all school districts/systems wishing to remain or become accredited by the Department of Education must have school improvement plans in place by OCTOBER 15, 2007. The accreditation process will also include the requirement of an onsite visit to each district, in 5-year cycles (ARSD 24:43:02:05). The purpose of this visit is not only regulatory but also intended to aid schools in the constant school improvement process. Requirements of the visit can be found in ARSD 24:43:02:06. All districts must host an onsite visit. If a district is currently accredited by an external accrediting agency, such as NCA, the district must still host a visit from the State in order for a representative to check the district’s assurance statement items. There is no one model for successful school improvement plans. Many school buildings and districts may already have some form of school improvement plan in place. South Dakota Administrative Rule states, though, that accreditation and district improvement is for an entire district. Although not all buildings within a district must be included under the same improvement plan, all buildings within a district must have some form of current improvement plan in place. Onsite visits will verify the existence and implementation of these plans. The Department of Education has also developed an improvement plan template for any district/system use. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in action by the secretary of education as outlined by Chapter 24:43:07. The models listed below fit the improvement plan profile.The state reviewer may inspect the approved school improvement plan. South Dakota Accreditation Options
If a school district uses another improvement model, they may request approval from the Department of Education. Please contact Steve Fiechtner at steve.fiechtner@state.sd.us or by phone at 773-4774.
My district is currently NCA accredited. Do I still need to have an onsite visit? Yes, every district must host an onsite visit. If a district is currently accredited by an external accrediting agency, such as NCA, the district must still host a visit from the state in order for a representative to check the district's assurance statement items. Click here for more information about the onsite visit. How did the accreditation and SI process come about? During the 1995 legislature, over 500 rules and statutes governing public education were repealed. Many of these rules gave districts “more flexibility” and local control. Many of the standards specific to school accreditation were repealed, and accreditation became a process of simply submitting a yearly online set of data regarding staffing, graduation requirements, and school safety. As NCLB came into place, additional requirements were added to the list of “assurances”. The 2004 legislature charged DOE with the responsibility to review the current accreditation system and to implement a more rigorous model beyond the current submission of yearly data. An advisory group met and discussed the basis of the changes made to administrative rule in 2005: 1) The need for a district improvement plan, 2) The reinstatement of onsite visits to districts, and 3) Allowing districts to use outside accrediting agencies/improvement plans to obtain accreditation. Current accreditation is still under the authority of: 13-3-47. Classification and accreditation of schools. The secretary of the Department of Education shall be responsible for the classification and accreditation of all public and nonpublic schools under the rules established by the South Dakota Board of Education pursuant to chapter 1- 26. What happens if we don’t comply? Districts that do not comply could lose federal funding. This is in statute: 13-1-12.1. Rules and standards for classification and accreditation of schools, for preparation of certified personnel, procedures to determine eligibility to receive state foundation aid, vocation-technical education, minimum curriculum requirements. The South Dakota Board of Education shall promulgate rules pursuant to chapter 1-26 to establish standards for the classification and accreditation of schools within this state, to establish standards for preparation of certified personnel, to set forth procedures for determining the eligibility of school districts to receive state foundation aid effective January 1, 1997, to adopt policies and rules necessary to establish standards and procedures for vocation-technical education and to establish curriculum requirements for both a basic high school program and for a recommended high school program for all public and nonpublic schools within the state. Are we required to turn any report information in to the state? Districts are required to submit their Personnel Record Forms and Student Information Management System information online in the fall of each year. Administrative rule relating to the school improvement plans is copied below. 24:43:02:03. Eligibility for state accreditation -- Compliance with regulations and district improvement plan. To be eligible for state accreditation, the school board of a public school district shall:
What are the acceptable improvement options in lieu of the State School Improvement model? If a school district uses or wishes to use a school improvement model that is not yet approved by the Department, they may request approval from the Department of Education. The forms to request approval of an outside agency can be downloaded here. When will onsite visits occur at my school district? If you are currently part of an approved accrediting agency or have an approved school improvement option that conducts onsite visits, districts may request the state visit coordinate with their current school improvement cycle. When will I be notified of an onsite visit? Pending communication with all school districts, a schedule of onsite visits will be made available on the DOE website. |
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