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March is Approval Application Month. See below for information to help you prepare for a smooth and speedy application process.
In this bulletin:
Samples of both the New Private School Approval Application and the Renewing Private School Approval Application for 2024 - 2025 are now available for download. See the website for additional information about the Private School Approval.
What will the Inspections section of the Approval Application involve?
- If your school has changed locations or undergone extensive renovations, you will be asked to upload inspection documents. See page 9 here: Renewing School Approval Application.
- If your school has not moved or undergone extensive locations, you will not be asked to upload inspection documents. However, you will need to identify who completed your latest inspections and when they were completed. See page 10 and following here: Renewing School Approval Application.
- Schools seeking approval for a new or existing additional campus or location will upload health and fire inspection paperwork. See page 8 here: New School Approval Application.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your private school meets local and state health code requirements and any other requirements.
Please ensure that your school is retaining documentation of inspections where they can be easily located. WAC 180-90-160: “The physical facilities of the school are adequate to meet the program offered, and all school facilities and practices are in compliance with all reasonable health requirements and all reasonable fire safety requirements, as defined in WAC 180-90-112, and substantiated as required by current inspection reports of appropriate health and fire safety officials which are on file in the school or district administrator’s office...”
Mark your calendars!
- February 15: THIS WEEK, Change of Information Forms Due for schools with recent leadership changes. Note that if you already submitted a form, you do not need to complete another one.
- February 29, 9–11am: Information Session for Participation in ESEA Federal Programs
- March 1: Online Approval Application Launch
- April 1: Approval Applications Due
- Mid-April: Private School Participation in ESEA Federal Programs Application Due
- June 7: additional application materials due (staffing and / or inspection paperwork)
- June 25-27: vote to approve private schools at the State Board of Education meeting
- July 15: 2024 - 2025 Approval Certificates available for download
NOTE that per WAC 180-90-130:, at least 90 days before the beginning of the annual school term or period, the school “shall file with the state board of education a certificate of compliance as set forth in WAC 180-90-160.”
Links to both the Renewing and New School Approval Applications will be available March 1st on our website: Private School Approval | SBE (wa.gov). Here’s how you can prepare:
- Identify your login information: Head of School Email Address & School Building Code/s
- Identify your school’s most recent health & fire inspection paperwork (WAC 180-90-160)
- Schedule health & fire inspections, if necessary, according to local regulations
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Update School Contact Information by February 15, 2024
- Download & Complete Approval Application Paperwork
Certificate of Compliance – signed by Head of School
If you have questions about the approval application process, stop in during Zoom office hours, Wednesdays 11:30–12:30:
- February 28
- March 6
- March 13
- March 20
- March 27
When you click “submit” at the end of the Approval Application, you will receive a confirmation email along with a PDF of your application. Please forward this email to appropriate persons in your organization and save the PDF.
Beginning in mid-March, you will be able to check the status of your application by downloading a spreadsheet from the Private School Approval webpage. The webpage will be updated once a week. When you download the spreadsheet, you’ll be able to see the following column headings:
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Date Submitted: This date is automatically generated when you log in to the online approval application.
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Application Status: If you have logged in to the Renewing Private School Application, or if you have begun or completed a New Private School application, you will see either “Complete” or “Partial” here. No action is needed if you see “Complete.” If this field is blank, we have not yet received your application.
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Date Reviewed: The Private Schools Manager will review applications as quickly as possible.
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Recommended Action: If there is an issue with your application, you will be notified here. If your application is complete and your school is ready for recommendation to the board for approval, the month of the board meeting will be listed here along with the recommendation for either full or provisional approval.
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