(a) For purposes of this chapter, “approved credential evaluation service” means an agency or organization that is approved by the board to evaluate education completed outside the United States and identify the equivalency of that education to education completed within the United States.

(b) If an applicant completes education outside of the United States, the applicant shall do both of the following:

(1) Submit documentation of his or her education to a board-approved credential evaluation service for evaluation.

(2) Have the results of the evaluation sent directly from the credential evaluation service to the board.

(c) If the board receives the results of an applicant’s evaluation pursuant to subdivision (b), the board shall examine the results and determine whether the applicant meets requirements for licensure. If the evaluated education is not sufficient to meet the requirements for licensure, the board may offer the applicant additional education, training, or standardized testing to satisfy the educational requirements. The board shall not require the applicant to complete education, training, or testing that is not otherwise required of applicants who complete education or training within the United States.

(d) The board shall establish, by regulation, an application process, criteria, and procedures for approval of credential evaluation services. The regulations shall, at a minimum, require the credential evaluation service to meet all of the following requirements:

(1) Furnish evaluations written in English directly to the board.

(2) Be a member of a nationally recognized foreign credential evaluation association, such as, but not limited to, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers or the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.

(3) Undergo reevaluation by the board every five years.

(4) Certify to the board that the credential evaluation service maintains a complete set of reference materials as determined by the board.

(5) Base evaluations only upon verified authentic, official transcripts, and degrees.

(6) Have a written procedure for identifying fraudulent transcripts.

(7) Include in an evaluation report submitted to the board the specific method or methods of authentication for the transcripts, certification, degrees, and other education evaluated for the purposes of the report.

(8) Include in the evaluation report, for each degree held by the applicant, the equivalent degree offered in the United States, the date the degree was granted, the institution granting the degree, an English translation of the course titles, and the semester unit equivalence for each course.

(9) Have an appeal procedure for applicants.

(10) Provide information concerning the credential evaluation service to the board that includes, but is not limited to, resumes or curriculum vitae for each evaluator and translator, which includes biographical information, three letters of references from public or private agencies, statistical information on the number of applications processed annually for the past five years, and any other information the board may require to determine whether the credential evaluation service meets the standards under this subdivision and the board’s regulations.

(11) Provide to the board all information required by the board, including, but not limited to, the following:

(A) Its credential evaluation policy.

(B) A complete list of terminology and evaluation terms used in producing its credential evaluations.

(C) A detailed description of the specific methods utilized for credential authentication.

(Repealed and added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 667, Sec. 6. (AB 2190) Effective January 1, 2017.)