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ACCREDITATION PROCESS

1. The applicant for accreditation must first submit payment of required dues to the National Coalition of Alternative Community Schools (NCACS, PO Box1451, Ann Arbor MI 48106; NCACS Website: www.ncacs.org; NCACS EMAIL: office@ncacs,org;, or proof of current membership in NCACS, along with annual dues to NALSAS, or proof of current membership in NALSAS. In addition, an administrative fee must be submitted to NALSAS along with the application. To obtain an application contact NALSAS.

2. Thereafter, arrangements must be made with the main office in Santa Fe for an on-site visitation. This requires submitting (3) possible dates (in order of preference), at least (2) weeks apart, that such a visit might be made when the program is in operation. All travel costs at established rates, plus a daily stipend, must be paid in advance to the main office, unless specifically waived in writing by an eligible representative of NALSAS who has agreed to make the visitation report under alternative arrangements. An "eligible representative" is an active director or officer of an educational program currently accredited by NALSAS who has agreed to make on-site visitations in his/her area to applicant programs. (NOTE: An on-site visit is required every three years, unless the name or location changes. This visit must be conducted only by an officer or board member of NALSAS when an application is submitted initially, or pursuant to a change of name or location.)

3.The eligible representative of NALSAS then makes an on-site visitation that all of the information submitted with the application is indeed true; to verify what is being claimed in the application has been observed, in fact, to be taking place at the site. In addition, the NALSAS representative is responsible for verifying compliance with local health and fire safety requirements.

4. The representative then completes an on-site visitation form provided by NALSAS and submits it to the main office in Santa Fe, recommending either disapproval or approval for accreditation by NALSAS.

5. Upon receipt of this recommendation, NALSAS will either institute a process for reviewing a negative recommendation, or, in the event of approval, will forward a Certificate of Accreditation valid for the remainder of that school year, ending June 30th. For the next two years, provided that the name or the location is not changed, this accreditation can be renewed with the resubmission of updated information and payment of appropriate dues as specified in item #1 above. During the fourth year, another on-site visitation will be required for re-accreditation with NALSAS

NALSAS Contact Info: NALSAS, PO Box 2823, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2823.

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