Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce DevelopmentProprietary Recertification Tips
This page includes tips and suggestions for using the electronic documents and data forms found on this website. After reviewing this information, if you still have questions about downloading and completing the electronic forms, please contact us using the recertification information request form.
Downloading Instructions
All documents are available in at least one of three file formats, and some are available in multiple formats. These include Portable Document Format (PDF), Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel.
To download the desired document, simply click on the corresponding link. Depending on your browser type and configuration, the form may open in your browser window, open the corresponding software program, or take you directly to a "Save As" dialogue box. Regardless of the format, you should immediately go to the file menu and select "Save As..." in order to save the file, with a name of your choosing, on your computer hard drive. You can then open and manipulate the files using the appropriate software. If, when you open the file, you are prompted regarding enabling macros in the document, you should enable the macros in order to ensure all of the document features will be available.
The complete document and forms, regardless of the version you choose, is a large document. Downloading through a dial-up connection may take a considerable amount of time to complete, depending on network traffic and connection speed. If you are using such a connection, please be patient. You may wish to wait until after normal business hours to download these files since this may shorten the wait time.
Using the Electronic Documents and Data Forms
In order to access the documents that are in PDF format, you must have either Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader installed on you computer. Acrobat Reader is free software that lets you view and print documents saved as PDF files. To download and install a copy of that software, simply click here.
Files saved as Word or Excel documents require that you have those Microsoft products installed on your computer. Based on our tests of the files saved in these formats, all functions should be accessible by anyone using Microsoft Office (or Word or Excel) 97 or any more recent version of those programs. While the files may also work with previous versions of these software products, we have not tested them in that environment and cannot guarantee the results will meet minimum requirements. Additionally, materials saved as Microsoft Word and Excel documents can be opened with other software programs (such as WordPerfect, Lotus 123, and Wordpad). We would not recommend using these programs to complete the documents due to issues with formatting and layout. If you do not have access to the appropriate software to complete the documents and forms electronically, we recommend that you print the PDF version and complete it by hand or typewriter.
The Word document contains fill-in fields for each item that requires a response from the school, except for those items that require signatures or initials. In general, the fill-in fields are the only portion of the document you can change. You can move from item to item by using the "TAB" key, the arrow keys, or by clicking on the space with the mouse pointer. The documents also contain hyperlinks to additional information and separate data forms. Clicking on those links, as directed by the software program, will take you to those resources if your computer is connected to the Internet.
In instances where long answers may be required, additional lines may be automatically added to the document. This is normal and is expected as part of the completion process. In addition, some of the data forms include automatic total or calculation lines that cannot be changed. These are provided to reduce mathematical and typographical errors in recording the results of these items. The calculation of these items is sometimes slow so please be patient as you work on these items.
Be sure to save your work often. This will avoid problems with system crashes and lost data and will lead to a quicker completion process.
Each data form is also available as a stand-alone file that may be downloaded and completed independently from the application or survey. Each document has a specific set of data forms, and links to these files are provided on the main download page for their related application. These files provide a simple method to complete multiple copies of these forms (such as those requiring separate reports for each branch campus). These documents are available in either Microsoft Word or Excel, depending on the nature of the form.
Please read all instructions carefully; some forms require you to complete a separate form for each campus.
Application Submission
Although much of the application or survey can be completed electronically, the final document must be submitted in printed form. Once you have finished the data entry process, you must print the entire document and any additional data forms required for branch campuses or information beyond the capacity of the original form, and complete all signature and initial lines. The document is then ready for packaging with the exhibit materials (catalog or other publications, enrollment agreement, transcript, personnel information, and supplemental documents) and mailing to the department.
Once completed, the application must be received by the Missouri Department of Higher Education no later than Wednesday, March 15, 2017. It is suggested that the application be submitted by certified mail or other receipt requested delivery to the Missouri Department of Higher Education, Proprietary School Certification, 205 Jefferson Street, 11th Floor, Jefferson City, MO 65101.