Bill Text: NY S01133 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the New York state web academy and virtual charter schools to provide online instruction.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-04 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION [S01133 Detail]

Download: New_York-2011-S01133-Introduced.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         1133
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                    January 5, 2011
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
         printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
       AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to creating the New  York
         state  web  academy  and  virtual  charter  schools  to provide online
         instruction
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section  1.  The education law is amended by adding a new article 56-A
    2  to read as follows:
    3                                 ARTICLE 56-A
    4                           VIRTUAL CHARTER SCHOOLS
    5  SECTION 2900. DEFINITIONS.
    6          2901. NEW YORK STATE WEB ACADEMY.
    7          2902. LICENSURE.
    8          2903. ENROLLMENT.
    9    S 2900. DEFINITIONS. THE FOLLOWING  TERMS  SHALL  HAVE  THE  FOLLOWING
   10  MEANINGS:
   11    1.  "VIRTUAL  CHARTER SCHOOL" SHALL MEAN A CHARTER SCHOOL IN WHICH ALL
   12  OR A PORTION OF THE INSTRUCTION IS PROVIDED THROUGH MEANS OF THE  INTER-
   13  NET,  AND THE PUPILS ENROLLED IN AND THE INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF EMPLOYED BY
   14  THE SCHOOL ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY REMOTE FROM EACH OTHER.
   15    2. "NEW YORK STATE WEB ACADEMY" SHALL MEAN AN  ONLINE  ACADEMY  ESTAB-
   16  LISHED  BY  THE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENROLL
   17  IN ONLINE COURSES THEY WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE ABLE  TO  TAKE,  WHICH  IS
   18  COMPRISED OF ONLINE COURSES PROVIDED BY VIRTUAL CHARTER SCHOOLS.
   19    S  2901. NEW YORK STATE WEB ACADEMY. 1. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH
   20  THE NEW YORK STATE WEB ACADEMY COMPRISED OF VIRTUAL CHARTER  SCHOOLS  TO
   21  PARTNER WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, PRIVATE
   22  SCHOOLS  AND  THE  CHARTERING ENTITIES OF CHARTER SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE
   23  STATE, TO OFFER ONLINE COURSES, AT A REASONABLE FEE TO BE DETERMINED  BY
   24  THE  COMMISSIONER,  FOR  MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. THE DEPARTMENT
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD01795-01-1
       S. 1133                             2
    1  SHALL ADD THE ONLINE COURSES TO A  SCHOOL  DISTRICT'S  MIDDLE  AND  HIGH
    2  SCHOOL CURRICULUM.
    3    2. THE BOARD OF REGENTS SHALL, AT A MINIMUM:
    4    A. ESTABLISH THE CONTENT OF THE ONLINE COURSES;
    5    B.  PROVIDE  FOR  ONLINE  CERTIFICATION  FOR  NEW YORK STATE CERTIFIED
    6  TEACHERS; AND
    7    C. PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR THE ACADEMY.
    8    3. THE ACADEMY SHALL ASSIST SCHOOL DISTRICTS, COOPERATIVE  EDUCATIONAL
    9  SERVICES, PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND THE CHARTERING ENTITIES OF CHARTER SCHOOLS
   10  IN DEVELOPING THEIR POLICIES FOR ONLINE LEARNING.
   11    4. THE ACADEMY'S ONLINE COURSES SHALL MEET NEW YORK STATE AND NATIONAL
   12  STANDARDS.
   13    5.  ALL  ONLINE  COURSES  OFFERED  BY VIRTUAL CHARTER SCHOOLS SHALL BE
   14  OFFERED FOR A REASONABLE COST TO BE DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
   15    6. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE FOR A SAFE AND SECURE ONLINE  ENVIRON-
   16  MENT,  ENSURE  THE  CONFIDENTIALITY OF PUPIL COURSEWORK AND RECORDS, AND
   17  DEVELOP A PROGRAM OR OTHER MEANS TO VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY OF A PUPIL'S
   18  COURSEWORK.
   19    S 2902. LICENSURE. 1. IN  ADDITION  TO  ANY  OTHER  CERTIFICATIONS  OR
   20  LICENSING REQUIRED BY LAW, ALL TEACHERS TEACHING AN ONLINE COURSE, SHALL
   21  ENROLL  IN AND SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM,
   22  APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT, THAT IS DESIGNED TO PREPARE  A  TEACHER  FOR
   23  ONLINE TEACHING PRIOR TO TEACHING SUCH ONLINE COURSE.
   24    2.  THIS  SECTION SHALL NOT PREVENT TEACHERS ALREADY EMPLOYED TO TEACH
   25  SUCH COURSES FROM TEACHING SUCH ONLINE COURSES, PROVIDED, THEY ENROLL IN
   26  AND SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT  PROGRAM,  APPROVED
   27  BY  THE  DEPARTMENT,  THAT  IS  DESIGNED TO PREPARE A TEACHER FOR ONLINE
   28  TEACHING PRIOR TO TEACHING SUCH ONLINE COURSE, WITHIN ONE YEAR FROM  THE
   29  EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ARTICLE.
   30    S  2903.  ENROLLMENT.  1.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL  LIMIT THE NUMBER OF
   31  STUDENTS ENROLLED IN A VIRTUAL CHARTER SCHOOL THROUGH AN OPEN ENROLLMENT
   32  PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES AN ONLINE ENROLLMENT APPLICATION FOR PUPILS.
   33    2. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ENSURE THAT:
   34    A. PUPILS ENROLLED PART-TIME IN ONLINE  COURSES  HAVE  DIRECT  CONTACT
   35  WITH  A  TEACHER,  EACH  WEEK  SCHOOL  IS SCHEDULED, FOR AT LEAST TWENTY
   36  MINUTES FOR EACH ONLINE COURSE;
   37    B. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PUPILS  WHO  ARE  ENROLLED  FULL-TIME  IN  ONLINE
   38  COURSES  HAVE  DIRECT CONTACT WITH A TEACHER FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS EACH
   39  DAY THAT SCHOOL IS SCHEDULED;
   40    C. HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS ENROLLED FULL-TIME IN ONLINE COURSES HAVE DIRECT
   41  CONTACT WITH A TEACHER AT LEAST THIRTY MINUTES EACH DAY THAT  SCHOOL  IS
   42  SCHEDULED; AND
   43    D. ONLY STATE RESIDENTS ENROLL IN THE WEB ACADEMY PROVIDED PURSUANT TO
   44  THIS ARTICLE.
   45    S  2.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
   46  the date on which it shall have become a law.