| (a) A school is not required to submit applications for additional courses of instruction or for course revisions to the Commission for approval, if the school: (1) has been licensed for at least one year under the current ownership; (2) is accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education; and (3) is in good standing with its designated accrediting agency and not subject to: (A) probation; (B) a directive to show cause as to why accreditation should not be revoked; or (C) any other action, as defined by the accrediting agency, that would otherwise prevent the school from seeking approval to add or revise a course of instruction. (b) Upon receipt of the approval of the course of instruction from the accrediting agency, the school shall provide a copy to the Commission. (c) The Commission may require the school director of an accredited school to file applications for nondegree programs if there have been two substantiated complaints regarding programs in the previous year. (d) A school submitting applications for approval of seminars shall use abbreviated forms provided by the Commission. (e) No class or program shall be approved by the Commission unless the school demonstrates that the program's quality, content, and length reasonably and adequately imparts the job skills and knowledge necessary for the student to obtain employment in the stated occupation. (f) A school may not solicit students, otherwise advertise, or conduct classes for a course of instruction prior to the Commission's approval of the course of instruction. Any such activity by the school, prior to the Commission's approval of the course of instruction, shall constitute a misrepresentation by the school and shall entitle each student in the course of instruction to a full refund of all tuition and fees paid by the student and release from all obligations. (g) The school shall establish and maintain a formal advisory committee of at least five members, unless the Commission approves a lesser number of persons in advance, for each type of program with course time in excess of 200 hours in length. At least annually, the committee shall evaluate the curriculum, instructional materials and media, equipment, and facilities to ensure they meet the needs of the job market. The school shall have written documentation of the evaluation available for review by the Commission. If the school does not follow an advisory committee recommendation, the school shall maintain written documentation of the justification for not following the recommendation. (h) If the applicant requests approval to measure courses of instruction in credit hours, the following conversion table shall be used. (1) One academic quarter credit hour equals a minimum course time of: (A) 10 hours of classroom lecture; (B) 20 hours of laboratory experience; or (C) 30 hours of externship. (2) One academic semester credit hour is equal to a minimum course time of: (A) 15 hours of classroom lecture; (B) 30 hours of laboratory experience; or (C) 45 hours of externship. (3) The school shall calculate lecture, laboratory, and externship credit hour conversions individually for each class, rounding down to the nearest half credit hour. The school shall add the total for the credit hours for lecture, laboratory, and externship to determine the total credit hours for a class. |
