Standards for Non-Traditional Educational Centers

Non-Traditional Educational Centers are defined as those centers serving groups of students engaged in independent study and are members of a center for non-traditional learning. Effective July 1, 2013: Non-Traditional Educational Centers will be defined as those centers serving home-schooled students a maximum of 60% of the time at the center. The remaining 40% of the time must be spent studying at home or at a place designated by the parents. Parents or guardians may teach their own children in the home study program or parents or guardians may employ a tutor who holds at least a high school diploma or a GED equivalency diploma to teach their children

The process of accrediting Non-Traditional Educational Centers begins with an examination of the center's written statement of its educational goals. This focus allows the center's program to be uniquely specialized to meet the learning needs of the students served and to be responsive to the interests and general welfare of the groups and students they serve.

Because Non-Traditional Educational Centers vary widely in the kinds of students they serve, the kinds of programs provided also vary. For this reason, the Commission has developed specific standards that these centers must meet. Thus, all Non-Traditional Educational Centers are required to meet the following standards (listed by accreditation status) in order to be accredited with the Georgia Accrediting Commission:

The standards are cumulative; that is, all the standards for Accredited Annually (Provisional) must be met before consideration will be given regarding the status of Accredited Annually. Also, all of the standards for Accredited Annually (Provisional) and Accredited Annually must be met before consideration for the status of Accredited Fully will be given. Likewise, the standards are cumulative for Accredited with Quality.

Application Procedures for Non-Traditional Educational Centers

1. Effective July 1, 2008: The GAC Executive Director will assign a consultant by the Board of Directors to work with the center. The consultant must be paid $200 per day plus travel expenses by the center for each day on-site. The chief administrator of the center will have worked with the consultant and will provide the Commission with satisfactory documentation that the operation of the center is in agreement with each standard. The written application should directly address how the center meets each standard. Center personnel are encouraged to make the applications as concise as practical with additional documentation made available to the consultant on the site. An application fee of $50.00 must be forwarded to GAC along with the Center’s application. In addition, a fee of $50.00 will be paid for each year of membership.

2. The consultant will review the center's written application and visit the center.

3. Because of the specialized nature of the programs, it is essential that there is sufficient stability in leadership positions to ensure program continuity. So, whenever the person designated as the educational director of the center leaves the position, the Executive Director of the Georgia Accrediting Commission must be notified within 3 months. Then, a consultant must visit the center to verify the continuity of the educational program.

4. After the center has been awarded Accredited Fully or AWQ status, the center will apply for Continuing Accreditation status on or before November 1 of each year. Effective July 1, 2008: A consultant visit each year is required for the first three years of accreditation. After the third-year visit, a consultant visit will be required every three years for renewal of accreditation.

Accreditation Statuses

The Board of Directors has approved three levels of classifications for Non-Traditional Educational Centers seeking Accreditation status with the Georgia Accrediting Commission.

Accredited Annually Status: Classification for a center which has involved its faculty and staff in a study of the GAC principles and has provided the Commission with satisfactory documentation that the following principles have been met. Effective July 1, 2008: A center may be in Accredited Annually status a maximum of two years, and a consultant must make annual visits. If the center does not advance to either Accredited Fully or Accredited with Quality status after two years, the center will not be accredited. The center may reapply for reaccreditation after one year in non-accredited status.

Documents verifying compliance with the following standards must be provided to the consultant.

1. The agency will arrange with the County Superintendent of Schools for the reporting of enrollment (ages 5 to 16) each year.

2. The agency maintains attendance records for all students. All student records must be kept for a period of not less than seven years. After that time only transcripts must be kept

3. The center maintains an academic transcript of the courses completed, the clock hours devoted to each, and the average grade of tests administered by the center.

4. The center administers, scores, and records a content test at the end of each course.

5. The center must administer a nationally standardized testing program for each student enrolled by the center.

6. The center provides frequent group enrichment and socialization activities. They are arranged for all students enrolled by the center.

7. The center develops activities to provide for competition in academic, recreational and entertainment involving students in the center and students in nearby groups.

8. When students transfer to other schools, the agency will assist the receiving school in evaluating the grade placement of the student.

9. The agency will certify that the school day includes at least 41/2 clock hours of instructional activity.

10. The agency will certify that the school year consists of 180 days.

11. One person who is assigned to leadership in academic planning for the agency must possess at least a bachelor’s degree.

12. For grades 9 through 12, the center offers the college preparatory curriculum. Such a curriculum must include: 4 units in mathematics, 3 units of sciences, 1 unit of health, 4 units of English, 3 total units of history and social sciences, 2 units of foreign language, and will certify the completion of at least 22 units for graduation (a minimum of 120 clock hours of class activity equals a unit).

13. The philosophy and objectives are reflected in admissions and in the program of operation, administration, organization, instruction, and student activities.

14. All standards for grades 9 through 12 also apply to summer school programs provided by the center.

15. The center requires a student to complete an academic year of study through the accredited center program before verifying independent study completed prior to entry into the center.

16. The center provides space and opportunity for patrons to examine and/or review curriculum materials and books that may be utilized in independent study, and will assist mentors in ascertaining progress in the weekly learning tasks of students.

17. Each student is assigned an adult mentor.

18. All mentors not possessing college degrees have completed at least 8 clock hours of instruction in mentoring. A waiver may be requested so long as mentors are engaged in receiving instruction and are making progress toward attaining the 8 hours.

19. The center has an annual budget allocation that is adequate for the educational program.

20. Each center has a satisfactory system of internal accounting with records kept on all funds by the administrator or his or her appointed personnel. A financial statement is available and subject to an annual, external review.

21. Student records are protected against fire, theft, and damage by being located in a fire resistant cabinet, or a second, duplicate set of records is located in another area.

22. The governing group of the center publishes policies that will assure the observance of professional ethics by all concerned and will promote the professional development of competent personnel.

23. The center will maintain official SAT/ACT reports for each graduating senior of the College Preparatory Curriculum and make these reports available to the Commission Consultant.

24. A faculty member with a bachelor’s degree will be present for centers offering group classes, and for each period, with a ratio of one bachelor degreed teacher for 40 students (Commission Consultant will make calculations by dividing the total number of students enrolled, each period, by 40).

25. The governing group delegates to the administrator executive and administrative functions, including the appointment of staff personnel.

26. Buildings in which group classes are conducted will meet local Fire Marshall requirements. If the building is exempt from Fire Marshall concern, the Commission Consultant will make a judgment of conditions for escaping fire and for withstanding storms.

27. A plan has been developed by the center for safety preparedness, fire drills, natural disaster, and acts of terrorism. Appropriate drills are conducted.

28. When students transfer to other schools, the school will assist the receiving school in making the transition to the new school. Such assistance will include, but not be limited to, evaluation of work completed, credits earned, tests completed, attendance, records transfer and other pertinent information. However, the school has the right to withhold records until all obligations, such as financial, have been met.

Accredited Fully Status: Classification for a center which has involved its faculty and staff in a study of the GAC principles and has provided the Commission with satisfactory documentation that all Principles required for Accredited Annually status have been met. In addition, the following Principles have been met.

1. The center will document specifics regarding the secluded space for academic study.

2. The center will document that the student has access to appropriate research materials, including encyclopedic, CD-ROM or Internet capability.

3. Where group classes meet, the center meets applicable School Plant guidelines contained in Appendix A.

4. The center has a plan to follow the progress of those students who have left the center.

5. The center explains the professional growth experiences of the staff for the past year.

Accredited with Quality: Classification for a center that has involved its faculty and staff in a study of the GAC principles and has provided the Commission with satisfactory documentation that all Principles required for Accredited Fully status have been met. In addition, the following principles must also have been met.

1. The educational program is under the administration of a person with a Master’s degree. When this person leaves the position, the Executive Director of the Georgia Accrediting Commission must be notified.

2. The center’s student retention rate from the start to the end of the academic year is at least 60%. A minimum of 50% of the students have scored average or above on the standardized achievement tests.

3. Students and mentors have agreed to a plan for: assessment of each student; development of an individualized plan to be followed in study; evaluation of the student based on the plan; and prescription of a re-teaching plan.

4. All homes of the center have a mentoring family member who has completed some academic credit beyond high school.

5. All who serve as mentors to students have completed methodology for instructing each of the fields of mathematics, sciences, English, history and foreign language (four clock hours each).

Standards for the Physical Plant for Non-Traditional Educational Centers that Offer Classes for 15 or more Students

1. A safety preparedness plan has been developed for the center.

2. Fire drills are conducted monthly.

3. A natural disaster plan has been developed and drills are conducted annually.

4. Panic hardware is installed and operational on all outside doors except classrooms that open directly to an outside area.

5. Electric and gas lighting fixtures are in safe conditions.

6. There is a minimum of 20 square feet of floor space per student in each instructional area.

7. Commodes, lavatories, and urinals are clean and operational.

8. Fire extinguishers are available and have current inspection labels attached.

9. Exit lights are operational.

10. All storage spaces are free of fire hazards.

11. Building appears to be structurally sound.

12. Drinking fountains are available and operational.

13. All exits are free of obstruction.

14. In centers with kitchens, equipment is safe and operational.

15. A functioning exhaust system is installed in the science laboratory.

16. There is adequate lighting throughout the center.

17. Science laboratory equipment and furnishings are in safe and operational condition.

18. All buildings have a Certificate of Occupancy issued by the Georgia State Fire Marshal. Those buildings not eligible to be issued a certificate of occupancy by the State Fire Marshal have an acceptable inspection report by an appropriate local, state, or federal fire official on file.

19. Protective eyewear is used in appropriate place in laboratories.

20. Emergency eye wash equipment is provided in labs where chemicals are used.

21. A center seeking initial accreditation has at least a 1-acre site plus an additional acre for each 100 students.

22. Outside lighting is sufficient to avoid hazards at night.

23. Where lockers are present they are operable.

24. Adequate teacher workspace is available.

25. Shelving in the media center is adequate for materials and equipment.

26. In centers with cafeteria workers, separate restroom facilities are available.

27. Automatic door closers are present in areas where food is prepared or consumed.