20-14-97. Appeals by public schools or systems of accrediting agency findings.

In the event of a dispute between an accrediting agency and a public school or school system regarding the findings and recommendations of an assessment by the accrediting agency, the public school or school system shall have the right to appeal as follows:#

1. (1)

   The public school or school system may appeal the findings and recommendations within 70 days to an accreditation committee established by the State Board of Education for such appeal and may provide evidence in support of such appeal. The accrediting agency’s findings and recommendations which are the subject of such appeal shall be suspended from public access or disclosure during the pendency of such appeal and any arbitration or subsequent appeal;#

2. (2)

   The accreditation committee shall work with the parties to seek a resolution; and#

3. (3)

   Should the parties fail to agree to a resolution, the appealing public school or school system shall have the right to submit the dispute to arbitration under the provisions of Part 1 of Article 1 of Chapter 9 of Title 9, the “Georgia Arbitration Code.” The public school or school system and the accrediting agency shall be the parties to such arbitration. The accrediting agency shall be responsible for the costs of such arbitration.#

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, an arbitrator’s decision rendered pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of this Code section may be appealed by either party to the State Board of Education, the ruling of which shall be binding on the parties.#

Failure by an accrediting agency to comply without appeal to a decision under subsection (a) of this Code section or failure to comply with a ruling under subsection (b) of this Code section shall disqualify such agency from accrediting public schools or school systems in this state. The accreditation committee shall be granted the authority by the State Board of Education to:#

1. (1)

   Create general accreditation standards applicable to all parties before it; and#

2. (2)

   Grant accreditation directly to a public school or school system appealing under the provisions of this Code section.#

Failure of a public school or school system to comply with a final ruling of the State Board of Education shall cause such public school or school system to be placed on probationary accreditation status until compliance is achieved.#