Bill Text: IN SB0179 | 2012 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Virtual instruction course requirement.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-02-16 - Representative Heuer added as cosponsor [SB0179 Detail]
Download: Indiana-2012-SB0179-Engrossed.html
Citations Affected: IC 20-32; noncode.
Synopsis: Virtual instruction course requirement. Beginning with the
class of students who enter grade 9 in 2013, requires a student pursuing
a Core 40 high school diploma to complete at least one virtual
instruction course. Specifies that if the virtual instruction course is
provided by the school corporation, the school corporation must fund
the virtual instruction course through the school corporation's
resources, and the school corporation is not entitled to any additional
funding because the school corporation provides the virtual instruction
course. Provides that if a state university provides a virtual instruction
course that is a dual enrollment course or a dual credit course, that
course may not be counted for purposes of any component of the higher
education funding formula that is determined by or based on the
increase in dual enrollment courses or dual credit courses. Inserts a
cross-reference to federal educational privacy statutes. Establishes the
education issues interim study committee to study the issues relating to
the provision of virtual instruction.
Effective: Upon passage; July 1, 2012.
(HOUSE SPONSORS _ BEHNING, HEUER)
January 4, 2012, read first time and referred to Committee on Education and Career
Development.
January 26, 2012, amended, reported favorably _ Do Pass.
January 31, 2012, read second time, amended, ordered engrossed.
February 1, 2012, engrossed. Read third time, passed. Yeas 38, nays 12.
February 9, 2012, read first time and referred to Committee on Education.
February 16, 2012, amended, reported _ Do Pass.
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A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
education.
Chapter 4.5. Virtual Courses
Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "provider" means a provider that offers virtual instruction courses consistent with Indiana academic standards for Core 40 courses and whose teachers have completed and submitted to the provider an expanded criminal history check (as defined in IC 20-26-2-1.5).
Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "school corporation" means the following:
(1) A school corporation (as defined in IC 20-26-2-4).
(2) A charter school established under IC 20-24.
Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "student" means a student attending an Indiana public school and pursuing a Core 40 diploma.
Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, "virtual instruction course"
means a Core 40 course or credit requirement adopted by the state
board under IC 20-30-10 and provided in an interactive learning
environment created through technology in which students are
separated from their teachers by time or space, or both. The term
includes courses taken by students in grades 6 through 12.
Sec. 5. (a) Beginning with the cohort (as defined in
IC 20-26-13-2) of students who enter grade 9 for the first time in
the school year beginning in 2013, a student must complete at least
one (1) course or credit requirement toward a Core 40 diploma
through a virtual instruction course before the student may be
awarded a Core 40 diploma.
(b) Each school corporation shall provide at least three (3)
virtual instruction courses in which a student may choose to enroll.
The school corporation shall decide what courses to offer based
upon the local needs of the school corporation's students and may
align its offerings with a strategic and continuous school
improvement and achievement plan developed under IC 20-31-5.
(c) A school corporation may not charge a student or a student's
parent or guardian a fee for the sole purpose of defraying the cost
of complying with this chapter.
(d) A school corporation is not required to pay any costs
associated with a virtual instruction course taken by the student
enrolled in the school corporation if the virtual instruction course
is not provided by the school corporation under subsection (b). If
the virtual instruction course is provided by the school corporation
under subsection (b), the school corporation must fund the virtual
instruction course through the school corporation's resources, and
the school corporation is not entitled to any additional funding
because the school corporation provides the virtual instruction
course.
(e) A student or the student's parent or guardian may choose to
enroll the student in a virtual instruction course that is not offered
by a school corporation under subsection (b) but otherwise meets
the other requirements established under this chapter. If the
virtual instruction course meets the requirement established under
this chapter, the course counts toward the virtual instruction
course requirement established in subsection (a).
(f) A student's transcript at the school in which the student is
enrolled must include the credits earned and grades received for
any virtual instruction courses the student has taken under this
section.
Sec. 6. (a) The department may request to review an individual
school corporation's virtual instruction course offerings and may
determine whether the courses meet the requirements established
under this chapter.
(b) The department shall work with each school corporation to
assist the school corporation in meeting the requirements of this
chapter without additional cost to the school corporation.
Sec. 6.5. If a state educational institution (as defined in
IC 21-7-13-32) provides a virtual instruction course under this
chapter that is a dual enrollment course or a dual credit course,
that course may not be counted for purposes of any component of
the higher education funding formula (as established by the
commission for higher education) that is determined by or based
on the increase in dual enrollment courses or dual credit courses.
Sec. 7. The state board shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to
administer this chapter. The rules adopted under this section must
address the following:
(1) Enrollment in virtual instruction courses.
(2) Alignment of virtual instruction courses with the teacher
evaluation requirements established under IC 20-28-11.5.
(3) Transfer of student performance data between the school
corporation of residence and a virtual instruction course
provider, to the extent that the data may be transferred under
the education records privacy provisions of the federal Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g).
(4) Evaluating this chapter's impact on student growth and
performance.
(5) Teacher certification requirements.
(b) The legislative council, under IC 2-5-1.1-5(a)(2), shall establish an interim study committee to be known as the education issues interim study committee. The committee shall do the following:
(1) Study the costs and savings to a school corporation or a charter school relating the implementation of this act.
(2) Study issues relating the accessibility, and instruction of a virtual instruction course, as defined in IC 20-32-4.5-4, as added by this act.
(3) Study how the school funding formula in the state budget for the state fiscal years beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2015, may be adjusted to recognize the achievement
of objectives under this act for a school corporation or
charter school that implements virtual instruction courses, as
defined in IC 20-32-4.5-4, as added by this act,
(4) Study any additional topics the legislative council
considers necessary.
(c) The committee shall operate under the policies governing
study committees adopted by the legislative council. The committee
shall submit a final report to the following:
(1) The legislative council in an electronic format under
IC 5-14-6.
(2) The governor.
(3) The chairperson of the house committee on ways and
means.
(4) The ranking minority member of the house committee on
ways and means.
(5) The chairperson of the senate committee on
appropriations.
(6) The ranking minority member of the senate committee on
appropriations.
(d) This SECTION expires December 31, 2012.
