House Bill 342 - High School Accreditation Summary

• Public universities and community colleges are prohibited from using secondary school accreditation as a factor in admissions, loans, scholarships, or other educational activities unless the accreditation was conducted by a state agency.

• The term "accreditation" includes certification and any similar approval processes for secondary schools located in North Carolina.

• The State Board of Education is authorized to accredit schools in local school administrative units upon request, with local districts bearing the actual costs of the accreditation process.

• The State Board of Education must adopt rigorous academic standards for accreditation based on regional and national accrediting agencies, Common Core Standards, and other relevant information.

• The Department of Public Instruction is directed to use existing budget funds to establish a position coordinating the accreditation process, effective for academic semesters beginning July 1, 2011.