Approval Process
Prepare to apply
Before you apply for approval, follow these steps:
- Verify that your organization qualifies as a multidistrict online provider using the "approval eligibility" questions. Contact us if you have questions.
- Ensure that your organization has been accredited (full or provisional) by the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) (formerly the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools) at the time of your application for approval. See the list of NWAC-accredited providers to ensure your organization is on the list.
- Review the approval process timeline.
- Review the approval criteria and assurances.
Apply
Complete the web-based application form.
Applications are due March 15, 2012 by 5:00 pm for the Spring 2012 Approval Cycle.
The application form includes the following sections:
- Contact information.
- Background information, including basic information about the provider and the provider's business.
- Provider data, including student-to-teacher ratios, completion rates, and passing rates.
- Certificate of assurances. Note: the assurances must be signed via an uploaded letter.
- Supporting documentation for criteria, including documents and/or links provided by the applicant to assist the review committee when scoring the application. (See some possible sources of evidence.)
- Access information, including log-in credentials to provider systems.
School district online school programs that are fully implementing an online program provider's program (either approved or seeking approval) may choose to align their approval status to that of the program provider's approval. Learn more about this option.
Scoring
Provider applications are scored by a team of independent Approval Reviewers using a standard review and scoring protocol.
After the approval process
Applicants will be notified of the status of the review, including specific feedback on criteria that did not pass the review, and the appeal process and timelines for applications that did not pass the review.
After approval, approved providers are:
- Required to participate in an Approved Provider orientation.
- Displayed on the approved providers list.
- Subject to the monitoring and rescindment processes.
- Required to initiate their renewal no later than the approval window in their fourth year of approved status in order to maintain approval into the following year.
- Included in the DLD course catalog (if the provider is an online course provider)
Legal
The review process is described in RCW 28A.250 and WAC 392-502.