DATE:
December 8, 2020
TO:
Secondary Principals
FROM:
Chris Richards-Khong, Teaching and Learning Staff Assistant Administrator
SUBJECT:
USBE Accreditation Waiver 2020-2021 and Deferment Notice Request
On December 7, 2020, the Utah State Board of Education voted in a Board Meeting to waive the accreditation requirement for the schools up for renewal or in their initial accreditation process due to the demands of COVID-19. Jordan District schools that are renewing their accreditation or seeking initial accreditation may wait until next year to go through the accreditation process. USBE staff will connect with Cognia to make them aware of the waiver decision. The official Board motion is referenced below.
If schools are scheduled for an accreditation review this year and wish to defer their accreditation review until next year, they are asked to contact Chris Richards-Khong via email. This notification will allow her to amend and defer the accreditation budget allocation for that school.
Important Note: This waiver will not alter the rotation of other schools anticipating accreditation beyond 2020-21.
USBE Board Motion 12/07/2020:
1) for a school renewing the school’s accreditation or a school in its first or second year of operation during the 2020-21 school year, waives the requirement in Section R277-410-3 for the school to obtain accreditation from a regional accrediting body and allow the school an additional year to obtain accreditation; and
2) for a student enrolled in a school in the school’s first year of operation during the 2019-20 or the 2020-21 school year, waives the requirements of Subsection R277-410-3(2) and deems credit granted from a non-accredited school during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school year as credit earned from an accredited source.
CC:
Shelley Nordick, Ph.D., Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Brad Sorensen, Administrator of Schools
Cody Curtis, Administrator of Schools
CRK:cw
