Indiana Code 20-31-4

IC 20-31-4
Chapter 4. Performance Based Accreditation

IC 20-31-4-1
"Legal standards"
Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "legal standards" means Indiana statutes and rules adopted by the state board that apply to each school for accreditation.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-2
Establishment of system; schedule for accreditation
     Sec. 2. (a) A school in Indiana may be accredited:
        (1) under the performance based accreditation system established by this chapter; or
        (2) by implementing a quality focused approach to school improvement such as the criteria for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Education or for a national or regional accreditation agency that is recommended by the education roundtable and approved by the state board.
    (b) The state board shall establish the following:
        (1) A performance based accreditation system for accrediting schools in Indiana under this chapter.
        (2) A procedure for determining whether a school is making progress toward meeting the criteria for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Education or a national or regional accreditation agency.
    (c) The department shall establish a schedule for accrediting schools under this chapter.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-3
Accreditation levels
     Sec. 3. (a) The state board shall establish the following accreditation levels:
        (1) Full accreditation status.
        (2) Probationary accreditation status.
    (b) After the review process described in this chapter has been completed, including the review conducted by the onsite review panel assigned under section 9 of this chapter, if applicable, the state board shall assign either full accreditation status or probationary accreditation status to each school and school corporation.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-4
Full accreditation status
     Sec. 4. (a) When all the schools in a school corporation achieve full accreditation status, the department shall provide a certificate of full accreditation to the school corporation.
    (b) If one (1) or more schools in a school corporation are assigned

probationary status but the school corporation is in substantial compliance with full accreditation standards, the state board shall assign full accreditation status to that school corporation.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-5
Benchmarks for performance
Sec. 5. The state superintendent and the state board shall determine which of the benchmarks and indicators of performance listed in IC 20-20-8-8 are appropriate benchmarks for performance based accreditation under this chapter.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-6
Compliance with legal standards
     Sec. 6. The department shall determine whether the school has complied with the following legal standards for accreditation:
        (1) Health and safety requirements.
        (2) Minimum time requirements for school activity.
        (3) Curriculum offerings.
        (4) Development and implementation of a staff evaluation plan under IC 20-28-11.5.
        (5) Completion of a school improvement plan that complies with requirements developed by the state board and:
            (A) focuses on academic performance; and
            (B) is consistent with metrics for improvement.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15. Amended by P.L.90-2011, SEC.40.

IC 20-31-4-7
Determination of full accreditation; review of school
     Sec. 7. (a) If the department determines that:
        (1) a school has complied with all the legal standards under section 6 of this chapter; and
        (2) the school's performance has met the expectations for that school in the areas described in section 5 of this chapter;
the state board shall make a determination that the school has acquired full accreditation status.
    (b) The department shall conduct the next review under this chapter of a school described under subsection (a) not later than five (5) years after the state board's determination of full accreditation.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-8
Onsite evaluation of school; publication of information concerning compliance
     Sec. 8. (a) If the department verifies that:
        (1) a school has not complied with all the legal standards under section 6 of this chapter; or
        (2) the school's performance has not met the expectations for that school in the areas described in section 5 of this chapter;

a review panel of at least three (3) members shall conduct an onsite evaluation of that school to make a recommendation to the state board as to the accreditation status of that school.
(b) The department may not publish or otherwise make available for public inspection any information concerning a school's compliance with legal standards under section 6 of this chapter, the meeting of performance expectations under section 5 of this chapter, the assignment of an onsite review panel under this section, or the recommended accreditation status of the school until all onsite reviews have taken place and recommendations to the state board concerning the accreditation status of the school have been made.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-9
Review panel
     Sec. 9. (a) Each review panel must consist of the following:
        (1) One (1) staff member from the department.
        (2) One (1) classroom teacher.
        (3) One (1) individual who is not a classroom teacher but who is representative of the field of education.
    (b) The state board shall determine the selection process for the review panels. However, the department shall assign, without state board approval, a review panel to each school required to be evaluated under section 8 of this chapter.
    (c) The department may require that more than one (1) review panel conduct the onsite evaluation of a school.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-10
Areas reviewed during onsite evaluation
     Sec. 10. (a) During its onsite evaluation, a review panel shall review the following for a school:
        (1) Teaching practices and administrative leadership in instruction.
        (2) Parental and community involvement.
        (3) Implementation of the ISTEP remediation program under IC 20-32-8 and the educational opportunity program for at-risk children.
        (4) The homework policy.
    (b) In addition to its review under subsection (a), the review panel shall verify compliance with the legal standards for accreditation under section 6 of this chapter.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-11
Recommendation of review panel
Sec. 11. Upon review of all the areas described in sections 5 and 10 of this chapter, a review panel shall make a recommendation to the state board concerning:
(1) the accreditation status of the school;

(2) if applicable, certain recommendations for improvement that the school should consider, including recommendations that the department provide technical assistance to the school; and
(3) the next date of review for the school.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-12
Determination by board of status of reviewed school
     Sec. 12. (a) Upon receipt of a review panel's recommendation, the state board shall make one (1) of the following determinations as to the accreditation status of the school:
        (1) Full accreditation status with the next review being conducted five (5) years after the state board's determination of full accreditation.
        (2) Full accreditation status with the next review being conducted earlier than five (5) years after the state board's determination of full accreditation.
        (3) Probationary accreditation with the next review being conducted one (1) year after the state board's determination of probationary accreditation.
    (b) A school that does not comply with all the legal standards may not be determined to have acquired full accreditation status.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-13
Probationary status; duty of governing body of school corporation
     Sec. 13. If a school is assigned probationary accreditation status, the governing body of the school corporation shall:
        (1) develop a plan, within one (1) year after the school is assigned probationary status, to raise the school's level of accreditation; and
        (2) raise the school's level of accreditation within three (3) years after the school is assigned probationary status.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-14
Probationary status; failure to make progress
     Sec. 14. (a) If a school having probationary status:
        (1) fails to make progress; or
        (2) at the end of three (3) years has not achieved full accreditation status;
the state board shall assign probationary accreditation status to the school corporation in which the school is located.
    (b) A school corporation on probationary accreditation status shall direct its efforts toward raising the level of accreditation of each of its schools that are on probationary accreditation status to full accreditation status within one (1) year after the school corporation is assigned probationary accreditation status.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-15
Probationary status; recommendations to general assembly
Sec. 15. If a school corporation on probationary accreditation status does not raise the level of accreditation of each of its schools that are on probationary accreditation status to full accreditation status within one (1) year after the school corporation was assigned probationary accreditation status, the department shall submit to the general assembly recommendations concerning the operation and administration of the school corporation and the schools within that school corporation.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-16
Probationary status; appeal; assistance
     Sec. 16. (a) If a school or school corporation is assigned probationary accreditation status, the governing body of the school corporation may appeal that determination to the state board.
    (b) If a school or school corporation is assigned probationary accreditation status, the department shall provide assistance to that school or school corporation to achieve full accreditation status.
    (c) If a school is assigned probationary accreditation status, the completion of the school improvement plan under section 6 of this chapter must involve parents, administrators, teachers, and other members of the community.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-4-17
Rules
Sec. 17. The state board shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 necessary to implement this chapter.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.