Public School Licensing Essays - Wyoming, License, Accreditation

Public School Licensing Section 1. Purposes. The purposes of the rules are: (a) To establish a procedure for the licensing of post secondary education institutions (colleges, universities, correspondence schools offering degrees, etc.) with the exception of the University of Wyoming and the Community Colleges of Wyoming (21-2-102 and 21-2-103) or any post-secondary post secondary education institution possessing current accreditation by a recognized and accepted accrediting agency. (b) To establish minimum standards for post secondary education institutions until accreditation by a recognized and accepted accrediting agency may be achieved. (c) To protect persons enrolled in a course of study in post secondary education institution. Section 2. Authority. These rules are promulgated pursuant to W.S. 21-2-401 and 403 of the Private School Licensing Act, and have been adopted by the Wyoming State Board of Education in accordance with the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act (W.S. 16-3-101 through 16-3-115). They are effective upon filing with the Secretary of State. Section 3. Applicability. These rules govern the operation of all post secondary education institutions not accredited by a recognized and accepted accrediting agency as defined by rules of the Wyoming Department of Education, which are located within the state, or have their principal place of business out of state but do business in the state. These rules do not apply to any parochial, church, or religious school as defined by W.S. 21-4-101(a)(iv), home-based educational programs as defined by W.S. 21-4- BC 101(a)(v), aircraft flight training schools approved and authorized by the Federal Aviation Agency of the United States of America, or a school teaching techniques of outdoor recreation, leadership, ecology, or conservation domiciled in the state of Wyoming. nor do they apply to post secondary Instit accredited by a recognized and accepted accrediting agency Section 4. Amendment of Rules. Any amendments to these rules shall become effective upon filing with the Secretary of State. Section 54. Definitions. (a) "Agent" means any person owning any interest in, employed by, or representing for remuneration or other consideration a post secondary education institution located within or without this state who enrolls or who, in places other than the principal school premises, offers or attempts to secure the enrollment of any person within this state for education in a post secondary education institution. (b) "Attorney General" means the Attorney General of the State of Wyoming. (c) "Degree" means any award, earned or honorary, conferred with the designation of associate, baccalaureate, master, professional, specialist or doctorate. (d) "Post Secondary Education Institution" means any post secondary institution offering a degree, earned or honorary, conferred with the designation of associate, baccalaureate, master, professional, specialist or doctorate. (e) "License" means a non-transferable document issued by the Wyoming Department of Education to a post secondary education institution located within this state or located outside the state, but whose agent solicits students from within the state in the name of such Institution, which permits the Institution to solicit, offer, and maintain a course(s) of instruction or study in compliance with the provision of the Private School Licensing Act and the rules of the Wyoming State Board of Education promulgated pursuant to the Act. (f) "Recognized and Accepted Accreditation Agency" includes those agencies recognized by the United States Department of Education through National Advisory Committee on Accreditation and Institutional Eligibility. If the post secondary education institution originates in a foreign country, accreditation recognized and accepted by that country's Department of Education or equivalent agency is required. (g) "StaDepartment" means Wyoming Department of Education. (h) "StateBoard" means Wyoming State Board of Education. (i) "Licensing year" is from July 1 through June 30 of the following calendar year. Section 65. Granting, Refusing or Revoking Licenses. Denial, suspensions, or revocations of a license may occur when it is found that a school has failed to comply with Wyoming Post Secondary Education Institution Licensing statutes and the Post Secondary Education Institution rules adopted by the Wyoming State Board of Education. Such action will be governed by the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act (W.S. 16-3-101 through 16- BC 3-115). Licensure is not required once accreditation is achieved from a recognized and accepted accreditation agency and documentation of such is provided to the office of the Secretary of State and the Department. Section 6. Licensing Application Procedure. Application for a license shall be made to the Department. The applicant must submit the following: (a) Documentation that the institution: (i) is currently seeking appropriate accreditation and detailing steps taken during the year to achieve that goal, or (ii) is not seeking accreditation and explaining why it is not necessary to achieve its goals. (b) The application shall be accompanied by a certified check or