ENROLLED SENATE
BILL NO. 280	By:	Stanislawski of the Senate

			and

		Coody and Ritze of the House

An Act relating to online education; amending 70 O.S. 2001, Section 1-111, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 352, O.S.L. 2010 (70 O.S. Supp. 2010, Section 1-111), which relates to the length of a school day and certain exceptions; deleting requirement that the State Department of Education make rules requiring telephonic communication between teachers and students and their parents; deleting requirement for establishment of certain plans; deleting requirement for certain assessments; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

SUBJECT:  Online education

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     70 O.S. 2001, Section 1-111, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 352, O.S.L. 2010 (70 O.S. Supp. 2010, Section 1-111), is amended to read as follows:

Section 1-111.  A.  Except as otherwise provided for by law, a school day shall consist of not less than six (6) hours devoted to school activities.  A district board of education may elect to extend the length of one (1) or more school days to more than six (6) hours and reduce the number of school days as long as the total amount of classroom instruction time is not less than one thousand eighty (1,080) hours per year as required pursuant to Section 1-109 of this title.

B.  A school day for nursery, early childhood education, kindergarten, and alternative education programs shall be as otherwise defined by law or as defined by the State Board of Education.  Not more than one (1) school day shall be counted for attendance purposes in any twenty-four-hour period.

C.  Students absent from school in which they are regularly enrolled may be considered as being in attendance if the reason for such absence is to participate in scheduled school activities under the direction and supervision of a regular member of the faculty or to participate in an online course approved by the district board of education.  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to provide for the implementation of supplemental online courses which shall include, but not be limited to, provisions addressing the following:

1.  Criteria for student admissions eligibility;

2.  A student admission process administered through the district of residence, which provides the ability for the student to enroll in individual courses;

3.  An electronic student transfer system which does not require the student desiring to transfer to another district for enrollment in an online course to personally appear in the district to which the transfer is sought;

4.  A process by which students are not denied the opportunity to enroll in educationally appropriate courses by school districts;

5.  Creation of a system which provides ongoing enrollment access for students throughout the school year;

6.  A grace period of fifteen (15) calendar days from the first day of an online course for student withdrawal from an online course without academic penalty;

7.  Establishment of an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) for each student;

8.  Mastery of competencies for course completion rather than Carnegie units;

9. 8.  Student participation in extracurricular activities in the district of residence accordance with school district eligibility rules and policies and any rules and policies of a private organization or association which provides the coordination, supervision, and regulation of the interscholastic activities and contests of schools;

10. 9.  Parent authorization for release of state test results to online course providers, on a form developed by the State Department of Education;

11.  Student participation in assessments administered pursuant to Section 1210.508 of this title at a school in the district of residence;

12.  Provision for ongoing weekly telephonic communication between teacher and student, and monthly telephonic communication between teacher and parent; and

13. 10.  A review process to identify and certify online course providers and a uniform payment processing system.

D.  Each district board of education shall adopt policies and procedures that conform to rules for online courses as adopted by the State Board.  Such policies shall include criteria for approval of the course, the appropriateness of the course for a particular student, authorization for full-time students to enroll in online courses, and establishing fees or charges.  No district shall be liable for payment of any fees or charges for any online course for a student who has not complied with the district’s policies and procedures.  School districts shall not deny students the opportunity to enroll in educationally appropriate courses and shall provide an admissions process which includes input from the student, the parent or guardian of the student, and school faculty.

E.  Districts shall require students enrolled in online courses to participate in the Oklahoma School Testing Program Act.  Students participating in online courses from a remote site will be responsible for providing their own equipment and Internet access, unless the district chooses to provide the equipment.  Credit may not be granted for such courses except upon approval of the State Board of Education and the district board of education.

F.  The school day for kindergarten may consist of six (6) hours devoted to school activities.

SECTION 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 2011.

SECTION 3.  It being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is hereby declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval.

Passed the Senate the 17th day of May, 2011.

	
	Presiding Officer of the Senate

Passed the House of Representatives the 19th day of May, 2011.

	
	Presiding Officer of the House
	of Representatives