CHAPTER 1029Iowa learning online initiative — students receiving private instruction — online learning working groupS.F. 2131AN ACT expanding the Iowa learning online initiative to include students receiving independent private instruction, competent private instruction, or private instruction and providing for related fees, directing the area education agencies to convene an online learning working group, and including effective date provisions.Be It Enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa: Section 1. Section 256.42, subsections 1, 5, and 8, Code 2018, 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 to provide distance education to high school students statewide. The initiative may also provide distance education to a student receiving independent private instruction as defined in section 299A.1, subsection 2, paragraph “b”, competent private instruction under section 299A.2, or private instruction by a nonlicensed person under section 299A.3. 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. 5. Under the initiative, students a student must be enrolled in a participating school district or accredited nonpublic school, which or be receiving private instruction under chapter 299A as described in subsection 1. For a student enrolled in a participating school district or accredited nonpublic school, the school 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 a student enrolled in the district or school who participate participates and complete completes 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. The individual providing instruction to a student under chapter 299A as described in subsection 1 shall receive the student’s score for completed initiative coursework.See chapter 1172, §23 herein 8. The department shall establish fees payable by school districts, and accredited nonpublic schools participating in, and individuals providing instruction to students under chapter 299A as described in subsection 1, for coursework offered under 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. 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, subsection 9, Code 2018, is amended by striking the subsection. Sec. 3. AREA EDUCATION AGENCIES ONLINE LEARNING WORKING GROUP. 1. The area education agencies, in collaboration with the community colleges and the department of education, shall convene a working group to identify effective means by which students may access educational instruction and content online and shall identify partnerships between existing providers of rigorous and high-quality online coursework. 2. The working group shall submit its findings to the general assembly by October 15, 2018. Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. The section of this Act providing for an online learning working group, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.Approved March 28, 2018
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