(1) Certification by the state board of education of compliance with private school approval requirements under chapter 28A.190 RCW and chapter 180-90 WAC shall be prerequisite to a private school's application to the state board of education for accreditation under WAC 180-55-015 (3)(b).

(2) Standard accreditation - six years, shall be granted to an approved private school after a satisfactory external appraisal of the school's self-review activities and school improvement plan, and approval by the state board of education of the appraisal findings and recommendations by the external site appraisal team.

(3) Conditional accreditation - one year, for an approved private school where the external appraisal identifies omissions, inaccuracies or weaknesses in the building's self-review activities, or school improvement plan or continuous improvement process.

(4) Application. Application for school accreditation shall be made to the state board of education or other body or entity designated by the state board of education. Such application shall be submitted jointly by the appropriate officials of the private school and governing board, in accordance with procedures and timelines established by the state board of education.

(5)(a) External appraisal. The state board of education, or other body or entity designated by the state board of education, shall direct an external appraisal process for approved private school accreditation purposes. The state board may place yearly limits on the number of schools that may participate in the external appraisal process using the state board accreditation option. The external appraisal shall be conducted by persons external to the approved private school. The external site appraisal team shall include, but is not limited to, certificated teachers and administrators who may earn continuing education clock hours pursuant to WAC 180-85-033(2).

(b) The external appraisal shall focus on the provisions of WAC 180-16-220 (2)(b), (c) and (d), and 180-55-005(1). The appraisal shall focus on an analysis of the school's self-review activities, the school's improvement plan and its progress and impact, in particular relating to WAC 180-55-005 (1)(c), and the school's continuous improvement process.