HF 2157 (LSB 5160YH (3) 86)

HOUSE FILE 2157

BY  WILLS

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the Iowa learning online initiative.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.42, subsections 1, 4, 5, and 8, Code 2016, are amended to read as follows:
   1.  An Iowa learning online initiative is established within the department to partner with school districts, and accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools to provide distance education to high school students in kindergarten through grade twelve statewide. The department shall utilize a variety of content repositories, including those maintained by the area education agencies and the public broadcasting division, in administering the initiative.  School districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools that comply with the requirements of this section may offer online coursework through the initiative.
   4.  Each participating school district, and accredited nonpublic school, and charter school shall submit its online curricula, if any, to the department for review and possible inclusion in the initiative. Each participating school district and accredited nonpublic school shall include in its comprehensive school improvement plan submitted pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 21, a list and description of the online coursework offered by the district or school.
   5.  Under the initiative, students must be enrolled in a participating school district, or accredited nonpublic school, or charter school, which district or school is responsible for recording grades received for initiative coursework in a student’s permanent record, awarding high school credit for initiative coursework, and issuing high school diplomas to students enrolled in the district or school who participate and complete coursework under the initiative. Each participating school shall identify a site coordinator to serve as a student advocate and as a liaison between the initiative staff and teachers and the school district, or accredited nonpublic school, or charter school.
   8.  The department shall establish fees payable by school districts, and accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools participating in the initiative. Fees collected pursuant to this subsection are appropriated to the department to be used only for the purpose of administering this section and shall be established so as not to exceed the budgeted cost of administering this section to the extent not covered by the moneys appropriated in subsection 9. Providing professional development necessary to prepare teachers to participate in the initiative shall be considered a cost of administering this section.  The department shall transfer fees received for courses offered by districts or schools, less any budgeted costs incurred by the department, to the school or district that offered the course. Notwithstanding section 8.33, fees collected by the department that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the purpose of expanding coursework offered under the initiative in subsequent fiscal years.
    Sec. 2.  Section 256.42, Code 2016, is amended by adding the following new subsections:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  4A.  The department shall review the technical specifications of curricula submitted under subsection 4. The department may request that a district or school submit additional information regarding such curricula, including but not limited to the qualification and credentials of the teacher, the number of hours of instruction, the technology required to deliver and receive the course, the technical capacity of the district or school district to deliver the course, and the times that the district or school plans to deliver the course, in order to determinate whether such curricula are appropriate for inclusion in the initiative. The department shall approve a course for inclusion in the initiative if the district or school agrees to participate by offering the course through the initiative and the department determines that the district or school can satisfactorily deliver the course through the technology necessary for that delivery. The department may negotiate changes in the proposal to offer a course through the initiative if the department determines that changes are necessary in order to approve the course.
   NEW SUBSECTION.  4B.  The department shall publish a catalog listing each course approved for the initiative on the department’s internet site and shall make paper copies available upon request. The catalog shall include the following:
   a.  Information necessary for a student and the student’s parent, guardian, or custodian and the student’s school district, accredited nonpublic school, or charter school to decide whether the child should enroll in the course.
   b.  Instructions for enrolling in each course, including deadlines for enrollment.
   NEW SUBSECTION.  10.  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section, including but not limited to rules permitting students receiving private instruction pursuant to chapter 299A to receive instruction through the initiative.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill makes various changes to the Iowa learning online initiative administered by the department of education pursuant to Code section 256.42.
    Under current law, participation in the initiative is limited to high school students. The bill provides that students in kindergarten through grade 12 may participate in the initiative. The bill also provides that charter schools may participate in the initiative.
   The bill specifies that school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools that comply with the requirements of Code section 256.42 may offer online coursework through the initiative.
   The bill requires each school district, accredited nonpublic school, and charter school to submit its online curricula, if any, to the department for review and possible inclusion in the initiative. The bill requires each school district and accredited nonpublic school to submit a list and description of the online coursework offered by the district or school in its comprehensive school improvement plan.
   The bill requires the department to review the technical specifications of curricula submitted as required by the bill. The bill permits the department to request that a district or school submit additional information regarding such curricula in order to determinate whether such curricula are appropriate for inclusion in the initiative. The bill requires the department to approve a course for inclusion in the initiative if the district or school agrees to participate by offering the course through the initiative and the department determines that the district or school can satisfactorily deliver the course through the technology necessary for that delivery. The bill permits the department to negotiate changes in the proposal to offer a course through the initiative if the department determines that changes are necessary in order to approve the course.
   The bill requires the department to publish a catalog listing each course approved for the initiative and including necessary information about the courses and enrollment instructions.
   The bill requires the department to transfer fees received for courses offered by districts or schools, less any budgeted costs incurred by the department, to the school or district that offered the course.
   The bill requires the department to adopt administrative rules to administer Code section 256.42, including but not limited to rules permitting students receiving private instruction pursuant to Code chapter 299A to receive instruction through the initiative.