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2014 SESSION

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HB 1115 Virtual Virginia; DOE to increase online courses available to other school divisions through Program

Introduced by: Thomas A. "Tag" Greason | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:

Virtual Virginia; local school divisions; shared online courses. Permits the Department of Education to contract with one or more local school boards that have created online courses to make such courses available to other school divisions through Virtual Virginia. The bill permits such school divisions to charge a per-student or per-course fee, subject to Board of Education approval. The bill requires the Department to establish the Virtual Learning Advisory Committee to advise the Department on (i) online courses, in-service training, and digital instructional resources that school divisions need to meet the Commonwealth's graduation requirements and (ii) strategic planning to expand blended and online learning opportunities in Virginia's public schools. The bill permits the Department to charge school divisions requesting to offer a course through Virtual Virginia and multidivision online providers an application fee.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Virtual education; Virtual Virginia and multidivision online providers. Requires the Department of Education to publish the criteria for approval of multidivision online providers on its website, including any applicable deadlines and guidelines. The bill requires the Department to pay the reasonable costs of evaluating and approving multidivision online providers, subject to the availability of funds. If the Department does not have sufficient funds, the bill directs the Department to prioritize certain applications and permits the Department to charge an application fee. The bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish a reciprocal multidivision online provider approval process for providers of courses that (i) are equivalent in instructional rigor and scope to a course that is provided in a traditional classroom setting and (ii) are approved in another state that has established an approval process similar to the process developed pursuant to this section. The bill further requires multidivision online providers to submit certain information annually for publication in an open format on the Department's website on online courses and virtual programs offered by multidivision online providers. The bill also enhances the information about online courses and virtual programs offered by multidivision online providers required to be published on local school boards' websites and requires such information to be conveyed to students and their parents by additional means. The bill also establishes a Virtual Virginia Board and expands the services offered and the students eligible to participate in Virtual Virginia.