History of TAAPS

For many years the private schools of Texas were served by the Texas Education Agency. One of the major roles of the Agency was to make accreditation visits to private schools. In 1985, TEA discontinued nonpublic school accreditation due to the Agency's first obligation to the public schools of the state and it was no longer possible to properly serve both entities. The Texas Association of Non-Public Schools initiated the development of the accrediting umbrella known as the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC), freeing TEA from the responsibility of non-public school accreditation. TEA recognizes the accrediting process for non-public schools as administered through TEPSAC. In this process, recognized associations submit their accrediting standards to the Commission for review and approval. Upon approval, each accrediting association administers its own accrediting process. Schools meeting the standards of their respective accrediting associations are recognized by TEA as being accredited. The Texas Private School Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC) began operating in 1986. The private school leaders of Texas staff operate this new commission. Because the State has a compelling interest in the education of its citizens. TEA and TEPSAC work in harmony by determining educational quality and compliance with applicable rules of the State Board of Education for the non-public schools. The use of the term, "compliance with applicable rules of the State Board of Education," does not mean that accredited private schools are expected to surrender their unique qualities or to operate and teach exactly as do the public schools. In order for the State officially to recognize the accreditation of a private school, however, its operation, curriculum, staffing and instruction, must be sufficiently comparable to and compatible with those of the public schools to justify that recognition. This is essentially the same requirement that has always applied for state accreditation of non-pubic schools. TEPSAC serves in an advisory capacity to the Commissioner of Education, who was at that time, Dr. William Kirby. The Commissioner approved various associations to accredit private schools. Should these approved associations recommend a private school's accreditation to TEPSAC, it will be recognized as an "accredited school by the Commissioner of Education and will be so listed in the Texas Non-Pubic School Directory that is published annually by the Texas Education Agency. In 1985 at the Annual Meeting of the Texas Association of Non-Public Schools annual meeting, Mr. Ben Branch of TEA suggested the private schools form an association to serve the private schools of Texas. At that time, there were two out of state accrediting associations serving Texas private schools and several parochial associations. The Texas Alliance of Accredited Private Schools seeks to accredit private schools who meet the high standards of the association and continue to maintain the quality of education as expected by TAAPS.

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