H-1346

   Amend Senate File 475, as amended, passed, and reprinted by the Senate, as follows:
   1.  By striking page 1, line 3, through page 6, line 34, and inserting: 
   Section 1.  ONLINE LEARNING WORKING GROUP.  The department of education shall convene a working group of education stakeholders to study online learning and programming for school districts and accredited nonpublic schools and related educational, assessment, and funding issues. The working group shall review the appropriate use of online learning by school districts and accredited nonpublic schools, partnerships between school districts and accredited nonpublic schools and private providers of online programs, and the potential use of online learning as the exclusive means to provide coursework required under the state’s educational standards. In particular, the working group shall study the effect of online learning on student assessment and achievement results and shall identify and develop measures to reduce the student dropout rate and improve rate-of-retention and achievement results at virtual schools. The working group shall submit its findings and recommendations in a report to the general assembly by January 1, 2018.>
   2.  By renumbering as necessary.

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R. SMITH of Black Hawk