Text: SF00382 Text: SF00384 Text: SF00300 - SF00399 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 256.7, Code 2003, is amended by adding 1 2 the following new subsections: 1 3 NEW SUBSECTION. 26. Adopt rules setting forth the 1 4 academic policies and operational procedures for the Iowa 1 5 virtual academy established pursuant to section 256.24 and 1 6 identifying the responsibilities of the school districts that 1 7 utilize the academy. 1 8 NEW SUBSECTION. 27. Adopt rules and establish a policy 1 9 for students enrolled in kindergarten through grade six 1 10 relating to the use of instructional technology in meeting the 1 11 minimum educational standards for accreditation. 1 12 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 256.24 IOWA VIRTUAL ACADEMY. 1 13 1. If funds are sufficient from a source other than the 1 14 general fund of the state, an Iowa virtual academy is 1 15 established within the department of education to provide 1 16 secondary students with access to quality courses delivered 1 17 through instructional technology including, but not limited 1 18 to, web-based and Iowa communications network applications. 1 19 The academy shall serve as a central resource, clearinghouse, 1 20 and provider of on-line and interactive video learning 1 21 opportunities for students, educators, school districts, and 1 22 accredited nonpublic schools. The department is responsible 1 23 for the development, regulation, and improvement of the 1 24 academy. The academy shall collaborate with school districts, 1 25 accredited nonpublic schools, area education agencies, and 1 26 Iowa accredited higher education institutions in order to 1 27 provide quality learning opportunities for secondary students 1 28 who are located anywhere in the state, and who have a variety 1 29 of educational needs, to prepare them for postsecondary 1 30 academic or vocational-technical pursuits. For purposes of 1 31 this section, "secondary students" means students in grades 1 32 seven through twelve. 1 33 2. The director shall appoint the administrator of the 1 34 academy in accordance with section 256.9, subsection 4. The 1 35 administrator, subject to approval by the director, may do the 2 1 following: 2 2 a. Establish a review process for approval of academy 2 3 courseware providers. The state board shall approve and 2 4 prescribe by administrative rule the process by which 2 5 courseware and providers may be obtained. 2 6 b. Secure services through a variety of education 2 7 providers to provide teachers and curriculum for academy 2 8 courses. The administrator may also secure services through 2 9 an area education agency for staff development opportunities 2 10 for academy teachers. 2 11 c. Develop evaluation procedures that will measure the 2 12 effects of instruction provided by means of the academy on 2 13 student achievement. 2 14 d. Except as authorized in section 261C.4 and section 2 15 257.11, subsection 3, establish enrollment fees school 2 16 districts and accredited nonpublic schools are responsible for 2 17 paying on behalf of their students. The administrator may 2 18 waive all or part of the enrollment fee for school districts 2 19 and accredited nonpublic schools that offer courses through 2 20 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 provider shall cooperate 2 24 with the resident school district or accredited nonpublic 2 25 school of enrollment to provide or assign the appropriate 2 26 credit or grade to participating students. This paragraph 2 27 shall apply only to those courses for which a student may earn 2 28 credit toward high school graduation. 2 29 3. Curriculum authorized for credit or grades through the 2 30 academy shall be taught by a teacher licensed under chapter 2 31 272 who is responsible for teaching, assignments, and assuring 2 32 all coursework is completed. 2 33 4. A school district or accredited nonpublic school may 2 34 access courses delivered through the use of instructional 2 35 technology to meet up to twenty percent of the course 3 1 offerings required to meet the educational standards for 3 2 secondary schools as provided in section 256.11. Except as 3 3 otherwise specified under a contract entered into in 3 4 accordance with subsection 2, the school district, or the 3 5 accredited nonpublic school, as appropriate, is responsible 3 6 for, at a minimum, supervising students enrolled in the school 3 7 district, or in the accredited nonpublic school, who 3 8 participate in a course offered through the academy, providing 3 9 a student receiving courseware through the academy with access 3 10 to student services the school district or accredited 3 11 nonpublic school provides to its general student population, 3 12 and providing a student with access to a computer with 3 13 internet connectivity during the school day or with access to 3 14 other electronic equipment as the academy deems necessary. 3 15 5. Accredited higher education institutions located in 3 16 Iowa offering courses authorized under section 261C.4, or 3 17 classes offered through a sharing agreement between a school 3 18 district and a community college pursuant to section 257.11, 3 19 subsection 3, may be listed in the academy course catalog at 3 20 no cost to the institution. Nothing in this section shall be 3 21 construed to prohibit a school district or accredited 3 22 nonpublic school from using telecommunications as an 3 23 instructional tool in accordance with section 256.7, 3 24 subsection 7, or delivering its own web-based courses to 3 25 students or schools located within or without this state. 3 26 6. Academy courseware utilized by a school district or 3 27 accredited nonpublic school shall be included in the 3 28 district's or school's comprehensive school improvement plans 3 29 and meet the district's or school's school improvement goals 3 30 developed in accordance with section 256.7, subsection 21. 3 31 7. The state board shall set enrollment fees by rule, in 3 32 accordance with section 256.7, subsection 26. The department 3 33 may retain fees collected to administer the Iowa virtual 3 34 academy and the fees retained are appropriated to the 3 35 department for the purposes of administering this section. 4 1 Notwithstanding section 8.33, fees that remain unexpended at 4 2 the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the general 4 3 fund of the state but shall be available for use for the 4 4 following fiscal year to administer the academy. 4 5 8. Not later than January 15, annually, the department 4 6 shall submit to the chairpersons and ranking members of the 4 7 senate and house committees on education a report of academy 4 8 activities, fees collected and funds expended for the 4 9 operation of the academy, and budget projections for the 4 10 anticipated activities of the academy in subsequent years. 4 11 The department shall investigate expansion of the activities 4 12 of the academy to other state agencies and institutions, 4 13 including, but not limited to, the department of corrections 4 14 for purposes of meeting the requirements of section 904.516. 4 15 Recommendations for expansion of the academy's activities 4 16 shall be included in the annual report submitted pursuant to 4 17 this subsection. 4 18 Sec. 3. Section 272.2, Code 2003, is amended by adding the 4 19 following new subsection: 4 20 NEW SUBSECTION. 17. License individuals from Iowa, or 4 21 another state, territory, federal district, or country, to 4 22 teach courses delivered using instructional technology 4 23 including, but not limited to, web-based and Iowa 4 24 communications network applications. 4 25 Sec. 4. EMERGENCY RULES. The state board of education may 4 26 adopt emergency rules under section 17A.4, subsection 2, and 4 27 section 17A.5, subsection 2, paragraph "b", to implement the 4 28 provisions of this Act and the rules shall be effective 4 29 immediately upon filing unless a later date is specified in 4 30 the rules. Any rules adopted in accordance with this section 4 31 shall also be published as a notice of intended action as 4 32 provided in section 17A.4. 4 33 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of 4 34 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment. 4 35 SF 383 5 1 kh/cc/26
Text: SF00382 Text: SF00384 Text: SF00300 - SF00399 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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