Minnesota Administrative Rules

4880.2500 CATEGORIES OF CHAPTER 141 SCHOOLS.

Subpart 1.

Definitions.

For purposes of this part, the following terms have the meanings given.

A.

"Examination" means an examination administered by a national or state testing body, the state of Minnesota, or the federal government for licensure or other certification in a profession or occupation.

B.

"Graduate" means an individual who has received a degree, diploma, or certificate for completion of a program during the most recent 12-month period that ended June 30 for which data are available.

C.

"Passing rate" means the number of the school's graduates who passed the examination, as reported by the testing agency, as a percent of the number of the school's graduates who took the examination during the most recent 12-month period ending June 30 for which data are available.

D.

"Placement" means a graduate who, within 12 months after graduation, has obtained a paid position of employment and the position is in an occupation related to the educational program, as reported by the graduate, the graduate's parent or guardian, spouse or domestic partner, adult sibling, employer, or instructional staff at the school.

E.

"Placement rate" means the number of graduates in a cohort who obtained employment related to their education program as a percent of the total number of graduates in the cohort. For purposes of this item, a "cohort" is a class or group of students of the school that graduate in the same year.

F.

"Program" means a vocational or professional program preparing students for an occupation which requires licensure or other certification by examination for entry into the occupation in Minnesota and completion of the program is required for admission to the examination. This definition applies only to a category C school under subpart 2, item C, subitem (3).

Subp. 2.

Categories of schools.

Schools licensed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 141, must qualify under one of the two following categories of schools:

A.

A category A school must, for reporting purposes, satisfy all of the licensure requirements under parts 4880.1500 to 4880.2800 and Minnesota Statutes, chapter 141.

B.

A category B school must, for reporting purposes, satisfy all of the licensure requirements under parts 4880.1500 to 4880.2800, Minnesota Statutes, chapter 141, and meet all of the following applicable performance indicators:

(1)

the school must verify that it has achieved full institutional reaccreditation with an accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education;

(2)

the school must have a cohort default rate equal to or less than an average of 15 percent for the previous three consecutive years, as calculated by the United States Department of Education;

(3)

the passing rate of the school's graduates on licensure or other certification examinations must be equal to or greater than 85 percent of the national or state passing rate, based on a minimum of ten graduates sitting for the examination in any one year;

(4)

the school must have a placement rate equal to or greater than 70 percent, based on a minimum of ten graduates from the school in any one year;

(5)

the school's withdrawal rate for the three most recent consecutive years, as established by the Code of Federal Regulations, title 34, section 668.16, paragraph (1), must not exceed 33 percent;

(6)

the school must receive a satisfactory audit by the office for the three most recent consecutive years. The school must provide evidence that it has adhered to:

(a)

the refund policy as specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 141.271, or that any discrepancies noted by each audit report have been corrected within 90 days of issuance of the report to the school; and

(b)

the requirement for student records pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 141, including acceptable academic transcripts and student financial account records, or that any discrepancies noted in an audit report have been corrected within 90 days of issuance of the report to the school;

(7)

the school must provide evidence that there has been no determination of limitation, suspension, or termination by the United States Department of Education during the past five years; and

(8)

the school must verify annually there have been no unresolved student complaints related to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 141, or its attendant rules during the preceding 12 months immediately prior to the relicensure notification from the office. The office will notify a school in writing when the office has determined that a student complaint has been resolved.

Subp. 3.

Relicensure report.

Schools that meet the requirements of subpart 2, item A, are required to submit a full licensure report every year. Schools that meet the requirements of subpart 2, items B and C, are required to submit a full relicensure report once every four years and in the interim years will be exempt from the requirements of parts 4880.1700, subpart 6, and 4880.2100, subpart 4; and Minnesota Statutes, section 141.25, subdivision 3, clauses (4), (5), and (8).

Statutory Authority:

MS s 14.388; 136A.01

History:

24 SR 1289; 34 SR 1137

Published Electronically:

February 25, 2010