Ind. Admin. Code tit. 511, r. 6.1-1-1 – School accreditation

Authority: IC 20-19-2-8; IC 20-31-1-1; IC 20-31-4-17

Affected: IC 20-24; IC 20-26-15; IC 20-31-4; IC 20-31-8

Sec. 1. (a) A public school must be accredited. A nonpublic school may seek accreditation.

(b) A school may be accredited by meeting the following criteria:

(1) Comply with the legal standards in section 4 of this rule.
(2) Comply with the school improvement plan requirements of IC 20-31-5 [IC 20-31-5 repealed by P.L. 214-2025, SECTION 170, effective July 1, 2025.] by doing one (1) of the following:
1. (A) Complete a continuous and strategic school improvement and achievement plan that meets the requirements of IC 20-10.2-3 [IC 20-10.2 was repealed by P.L.1-2005, SECTION 240, effective July 1, 2005.] and 511 IAC 6.2-3.
2. (B) Implement a quality-focused approach to strategic and continuous school improvement, such as the criteria for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Education or the criteria for a national or regional accrediting agency approved by the state board.
(3) Meet school improvement and performance requirements under IC 20-31-8.

(1) becomes a freeway school under IC 20-26-15 [IC 20-26-15 repealed by P.L. 214-2025, SECTION 97, effective July 1, 2025.]; and
(2) complies with the terms of the freeway school contract.
(d) The board shall accredit a school that:
(1) becomes a charter school under IC 20-24; and
(2) complies with the requirements of IC 20-24.

(e) A school holding accreditation under the former performance-based accreditation system shall retain accreditation until the transition to the accreditation system described in this rule is complete.

(Indiana State Board of Education; 511 IAC 6.1-1-1; filed Jan 9, 1989, 11:00 a.m.: 12 IR 1184; readopted filed Oct 12, 2001, 12:55 p.m.: 25 IR 937; filed Feb 20, 2002, 9:43 a.m.: 25 IR 2231; errata filed Jul 11, 2005, 10:00 a.m.: 28 IR 3306; readopted filed Nov 12, 2008, 10:15 a.m.: 20081203-IR-511080524RFA; readopted filed Dec 2, 2013, 3:26 p.m.: 20140101-IR-511130419RFA; readopted filed Dec 1, 2020, 1:48 p.m.: 20201230-IR-511200548RFA)