Text: HSB00196 Text: HSB00198 Text: HSB00100 - HSB00199 Text: HSB Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION – IOWA VIRTUAL
1 2 ACADEMY. There is appropriated from the general fund of the
1 3 state to the department of education for the fiscal year
1 4 beginning July 1, 2003, and ending June 30, 2004, the
1 5 following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be
1 6 used for the purposes designated:
1 7 For the establishment and operation of the Iowa virtual
1 8 academy, including salaries, support, maintenance, and
1 9 miscellaneous purposes:
1 10 .................................................. $ 400,000
1 11 Sec. 2. Section 256.7, Code 2003, is amended by adding the
1 12 following new subsection:
1 13 NEW SUBSECTION. 26. Adopt rules setting forth the
1 14 academic policies and operational procedures for the Iowa
1 15 virtual academy established pursuant to section 256.24 and
1 16 identifying the responsibilities of the school districts that
1 17 utilize the academy.
1 18 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 256.24 IOWA VIRTUAL ACADEMY.
1 19 1. An Iowa virtual academy is established within the
1 20 department of education to provide secondary students with
1 21 access to quality courses delivered through instructional
1 22 technology including, but not limited to, web-based and Iowa
1 23 communications network applications. The academy shall serve
1 24 as a central resource, clearinghouse, and provider of on-line
1 25 and interactive video learning opportunities for students,
1 26 educators, and school districts. The department is
1 27 responsible for the development, regulation, and improvement
1 28 of the academy. The academy shall collaborate with school
1 29 districts, area education agencies, and Iowa accredited higher
1 30 education institutions in order to provide quality learning
1 31 opportunities for secondary students who are located anywhere
1 32 in the state, and who have a variety of educational needs, to
1 33 prepare them for postsecondary academic or vocational-
1 34 technical pursuits.
1 35 2. The director shall appoint the administrator of the
2 1 academy in accordance with section 256.9, subsection 4. The
2 2 administrator, subject to approval by the director, is
2 3 authorized to do the following:
2 4 a. Review courseware and make determinations and
2 5 recommendations relative to the quality of the courseware,
2 6 delivery of the courseware, and class size. The state board
2 7 shall prescribe by administrative rule the providers from
2 8 which courseware may be obtained.
2 9 b. Secure services through school districts and accredited
2 10 postsecondary educational institutions to provide teachers and
2 11 curriculum for academy courses. The administrator may also
2 12 secure services through an area education agency for staff
2 13 development opportunities for academy teachers.
2 14 c. Develop evaluation procedures that will measure the
2 15 effects of instruction provided by means of the academy on
2 16 student achievement.
2 17 d. Establish enrollment fees school districts are
2 18 responsible for paying on behalf of their students. The
2 19 administrator may waive the enrollment fee for school
2 20 districts that offer courses through the academy.
2 21 e. Provide for determination of student grade percentages
2 22 and grades and award credits and grades to students
2 23 participating in the academy. The administrator may elect to
2 24 have the resident school district assign the appropriate
2 25 credit or grade to participating students.
2 26 3. Curriculum authorized for credit or grades through the
2 27 academy shall be taught by a teacher licensed under chapter
2 28 272 who is responsible for teaching, assignments, and assuring
2 29 all coursework is completed.
2 30 4. A school district may access academy courses to meet up
2 31 to twenty percent of the course offerings required to meet the
2 32 educational standards for secondary schools as provided in
2 33 section 256.11. Except as otherwise specified under a
2 34 contract entered into in accordance with subsection 2, the
2 35 school district is responsible for, at a minimum, supervising
3 1 students enrolled in the school district who participate in a
3 2 course offered through the academy, providing a student
3 3 receiving courseware through the academy with access to
3 4 student services the school district provides to the general
3 5 student population, and providing a student with access to a
3 6 computer with internet connectivity during the school day or
3 7 with access to other electronic equipment as the academy deems
3 8 necessary.
3 9 5. Academy courseware utilized by a school district shall
3 10 be included in the school district's comprehensive school
3 11 improvement plans and meet the district's school improvement
3 12 goals developed in accordance with section 256.7, subsection
3 13 21.
3 14 Sec. 4. Section 272.2, Code 2003, is amended by adding the
3 15 following new subsection:
3 16 NEW SUBSECTION. 17. License individuals from Iowa, or
3 17 another state or country, to teach courses delivered through
3 18 the Iowa virtual academy, established in section 256.24, using
3 19 instructional technology including, but not limited to, web-
3 20 based and Iowa communications network applications.
3 21 Sec. 5. EMERGENCY RULES. The state board of education may
3 22 adopt emergency rules under section 17A.4, subsection 2, and
3 23 section 17A.5, subsection 2, paragraph "b", to implement the
3 24 provisions of this Act and the rules shall be effective
3 25 immediately upon filing unless a later date is specified in
3 26 the rules. Any rules adopted in accordance with this section
3 27 shall also be published as a notice of intended action as
3 28 provided in section 17A.4.
3 29 Sec. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of
3 30 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
3 31 EXPLANATION
3 32 This bill establishes an Iowa virtual academy within the
3 33 department of education to provide secondary students with
3 34 access to quality courses delivered through instructional
3 35 technology including, but not limited to, web-based and Iowa
4 1 communications network applications. The bill appropriates
4 2 $400,000 from the general fund of the state for FY 2003-2004
4 3 for the establishment and operation of the academy.
4 4 The bill makes the department responsible for the
4 5 development, regulation, and improvement of the academy; and
4 6 requires the state board of education to adopt rules setting
4 7 forth the academic policies and operational procedures for the
4 8 academy and for identifying the responsibilities of the school
4 9 districts that utilize the academy.
4 10 The director of the department must appoint the academy
4 11 administrator. The bill authorizes the administrator to
4 12 review courseware, delivery of courseware, and class size;
4 13 contract with school districts and accredited postsecondary
4 14 educational institutions to provide teachers and curriculum
4 15 for the academy; develop evaluation procedures to measure the
4 16 effects of academy instruction; establish enrollment fees
4 17 school districts pay on behalf of their students; waive the
4 18 enrollment fee for school districts that offer courses through
4 19 the academy; and provide for the determination of student
4 20 grade percentages and grades and award credits and grades to
4 21 students participating in the academy. The administrator may
4 22 elect to have the resident school district assign the
4 23 appropriate credit or grade to participating students.
4 24 The bill directs the state board of education to prescribe
4 25 by rule the providers from which courseware may be obtained.
4 26 Academy courseware must be taught by a teacher licensed by
4 27 the board of educational examiners and must be included in a
4 28 school district's comprehensive school improvement plan, which
4 29 is annually submitted to the department.
4 30 The state board of education is authorized to adopt
4 31 emergency rules to implement the bill.
4 32 The bill takes effect upon enactment.
4 33 LSB 1654XL 80
4 34 kh/cl/14.2
Text: HSB00196 Text: HSB00198 Text: HSB00100 - HSB00199 Text: HSB Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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