(a) The bureau shall adopt by regulation minimum operating standards for an institution that shall reasonably ensure that all of the following occur:
(1) The content of each educational program can achieve its stated objective.
(2) The institution maintains specific written standards for student admissions for each educational program and those standards are related to the particular educational program.
(3) The facilities, instructional equipment, and materials are sufficient to enable students to achieve the educational program’s goals.
(4) The institution maintains a withdrawal policy and provides refunds.
(5) The directors, administrators, and faculty are properly qualified.
(6) The institution is financially sound and capable of fulfilling its commitments to students.
(7) That, upon satisfactory completion of an educational program, the institution gives students a document signifying the degree or diploma awarded.
(8) Adequate records and standard transcripts are maintained and are available to students.
(9) The institution is maintained and operated in compliance with this chapter and all other applicable ordinances and laws.
(b) Except as provided in Section 94885.1, an institution offering a degree must satisfy one of the following requirements:
(1) Accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, with the scope of that accreditation covering the offering of at least one degree program by the institution.
(2) An accreditation plan, approved by the bureau, for the institution to become fully accredited within five years of the bureau’s issuance of a provisional approval to operate to the institution’s degree programs. The provisional approval for the unaccredited institution to operate degree programs shall be in compliance with Section 94885.5.
(c) For institutions that are approved by means of accreditation and accredited by an agency that loses recognition by the United States Department of Education, an application for approval to operate an institution unaccredited shall be submitted to the bureau within six months of the agency’s loss of recognition. The application shall include an accreditation plan for the institution to become fully accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education within five years of the bureau’s issuance to the institution of a provisional approval to operate degree programs. If the institution fails to submit the required application and accreditation plan within six months of its accreditor’s loss of recognition, the institution shall cease to hold a valid approval to operate. The bureau shall review the submitted application and accreditation plan and issue the institution a provisional approval to operate degree programs within 18 months of the accreditor’s loss of recognition or deny the application, at which time the institution shall cease to hold a valid approval to operate. An unaccredited institution with a provisional approval to operate degree programs shall comply with Section 94885.5, except for paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 94885.5. The institution shall not seek bureau approval for additional degree programs until the institution regains accreditation.
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 544, Sec. 4. (SB 1433) Effective January 1, 2023. Repealed as of January 1, 2027, pursuant to Section 94950.)