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State Board hears overview of nonpublic‑school approval, reporting and monitoring process
Summary
Department staff reviewed the six State Board categories of nonpublic schools, the application and monitoring process, reporting timelines in the ePlan portal, and a tiered monitoring system; presenters said ~715 nonpublic schools are approved and the most recent reported enrollment was about 176,994 students (Dec. 2025).
Diana Burton, senior manager of nonpublic school programs in the department’s Division of Choice, presented a detailed description of how nonpublic schools are approved and monitored under State Board rules. She said the board recognizes six categories of nonpublic schools and that approval paths differ by category: direct departmental application (categories 1 and 5 and some special purpose), accreditation agency pathways (categories 2 and 3), membership agency pathways (category 4 church‑related schools), and local registration for independent homeschools.
Burton told the board that about 715 nonpublic schools are currently recorded as approved and that the department’s December 2025 reporting indicates roughly 176,994 students enrolled across those programs. She described the tiered reporting and monitoring cycle: annual tier‑1 reports are submitted via the department’s ePlan portal each fall and spring; a small number of schools demonstrating need may be selected for tier‑2 monitoring that includes additional documentation, interviews and on‑site or virtual visits; and up to five schools may be selected for tier‑2 monitoring each cycle based on a points‑deduction scoring system.
The presentation covered required materials (facility inspections, staff rosters, teacher credentials or attestations depending on category, handbooks and policies, immunization and attendance reporting), the department’s role facilitating inspections and clarifying category requirements, and the advisory council (a 9‑member Nonpublic School Advisory Council that provides policy input and met recently on rule revisions). Burton said the department will share monitoring guidebooks and that nonpublic applicants commonly face the longest delay around obtaining educational‑occupancy safety inspections from the State Fire Marshal.
Board members asked about the tier‑2 selection cap and whether capacity limits could be relaxed; Burton said the cap is driven by team capacity but that schools can be selected in subsequent cycles if concerns persist. The board did not take action but thanked staff for the overview and asked for follow‑up materials.
