2012 -- S 2276

=======

LC01026

=======

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

____________

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - STATEWIDE VIRTUAL EDUCATION

     Introduced By: Senators DiPalma, Sheehan, Gallo, DeVall, and Metts

     Date Introduced: February 01, 2012

     Referred To: Senate Education

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1-1

     SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended

1-2

by adding thereto the following chapter:

1-3

     CHAPTER 16.22.1

1-4

THE STATEWIDE VIRTUAL EDUCATION ACT

1-5

     16-16.22.1-1. Short title. – This chapter shall be known as and may be cited as “The

1-6

Rhode Island statewide virtual education act."

1-7

     16-16-22.1-2. Legislative findings. – The legislature hereby finds and declares the

1-8

following:

1-9

     (1) A well-educated population benefits Rhode Island, supports its communities,

1-10

enhances the standard of living for all of its citizens, increases its capacity for success, and lays

1-11

the foundation for shared prosperity.

1-12

     (2) Students in Rhode Island’s public elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools

1-13

and institutions should be able to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible to support

1-14

and extend their learning. Their learning opportunities should allow them to acquire the

1-15

knowledge and technology skills that will allow them to contribute to and participate in a digital

1-16

world.

1-17

     (3) The number and type of virtual learning programs and courses have increased

1-18

considerably, and the prevalence of virtual learning continues to grow. Virtual learning utilizes

1-19

the power and scalability of technology to remove the constraints of traditional classroom

1-20

learning, which can allow Rhode Island’s students to access personalized learning at any time, in

2-1

any place, and in ways that complement and extend traditional school settings.

2-2

     (4) Public schools, school districts, and postsecondary institutions in Rhode Island should

2-3

have the freedom to work with teachers, families, and students to create customizable learning

2-4

opportunities that incorporate technology and reflect effective practices.

2-5

     (5) The freedom that comes from technologically-supported opportunities to learn must

2-6

be accompanied by a clear responsibility to ensure that such opportunities are of high quality,

2-7

consistent with state standards for teaching and instruction, fulfill high school graduation

2-8

requirements, reflect the principles of equity and access, and include accountability provisions

2-9

that assure citizens that any investment of public tax dollars is well spent.

2-10

      (6) Rhode Island is one of a few states that has not established the kind of statewide

2-11

policies on virtual education that will create the optimal conditions for effective learning and

2-12

instruction.

2-13

     (7) The general assembly therefore finds that it is in the best interests of the people of the

2-14

state of Rhode Island to enact the Rhode Island statewide virtual education act to create

2-15

comprehensive guidelines that will result in high quality, integrated virtual K-20 learning

2-16

experiences that will engage and challenge students through structured, sustained study.

2-17

     16-16-22.1-3. Purpose. – The purposes of this chapter are to provide additional

2-18

opportunities to Rhode Island’s public school students for high quality virtual instruction; put into

2-19

place a series of guidelines that will ensure that high quality virtual instruction is offered

2-20

consistently throughout the state; and facilitate and promote public school districts’ effective

2-21

decision making for virtual program and course providers.

2-22

     16-16-22.1-4. Definitions. -- When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have

2-23

the following meanings:

2-24

     (1) “Board” means the Rhode Island board of regents for elementary and secondary

2-25

education.

2-26

     (2) “Commissioner” means the Rhode Island commissioner for elementary and secondary

2-27

education.

2-28

     (3) “Course” means a course of study consistent with subdivision 16-1-5(4) and that

2-29

meets the requirements of the basic education program.

2-30

     (4) “School district” means local education agencies in Rhode Island operated by

2-31

municipalities and those entities established under sections 16-77.2-1, 16-77.3, and 16-77.4.

2-32

     (5) “Virtual course” means a course in which:

2-33

     (i) Instruction and content are delivered primarily through technology, including over the

2-34

Internet, via television, and through multi-media;

3-1

     (ii) A student and teacher may be in physically different locations for a portion of the

3-2

student’s instructional period;

3-3

     (iii) Most instructional activities take place in a technology-supported environment;

3-4

     (iv) The technology-supported instructional activities are integral to the students’

3-5

academic program;

3-6

     (v) Extensive communication between a student and a teacher and among students is

3-7

emphasized; and

3-8

     (vi) A student is not necessarily required to be located on the physical premises of a

3-9

public school.

3-10

     (6) “Virtual course provider” means:

3-11

     (i) A public school district or school in Rhode Island that provides virtual courses to:

3-12

     (A) Students enrolled in that district or school; or

3-13

     (B) Students enrolled in another school district or school;

3-14

     (ii) An accredited public or private institution of higher education in Rhode Island or

3-15

another state that provides virtual courses or programs to students attending public schools in

3-16

Rhode Island;

3-17

     (iii) A not-for-profit or for-profit organization whose mission focuses on offering virtual

3-18

courses or programs to students attending public schools in Rhode Island.

3-19

     16-16-22.1-5. Guidelines for virtual courses. -- (a) With the direction and approval of

3-20

the board of regents for elementary and secondary education, the commissioner for elementary

3-21

and secondary education shall develop and promulgate guidelines for Rhode Island school

3-22

districts that are using or intend to use virtual courses for K-12 students. The guidelines shall

3-23

include:

3-24

     (1) Objective, standard criteria and procedures that ensure that virtual courses for K-12

3-25

students are aligned with state content standards, meet or exceed the requirements of the state’s

3-26

basic education program, fulfill high school graduation requirements, and provide seamless

3-27

articulation with public higher education institutions in the state;

3-28

     (2) Objective, standard criteria for school districts to use to select providers of virtual

3-29

courses, which may include local school districts, not-for-profit and for-profit postsecondary

3-30

institutions, and other organizations;

3-31

     (3) Objective, standard criteria for school districts to use to compare the quality of

3-32

providers and of different versions of the same virtual course;

3-33

     (4) Objective, standard criteria that ensure that teachers of virtual courses are certified;

4-34

     (5) Objective, standard criteria that school districts can use to prioritize student

4-35

enrollment in virtual courses for core curricular areas, supplemental curricular areas, accelerated

4-36

learning opportunities, credit recovery, and other areas;

4-37

     (6) Objective, standard criteria that school districts can use to determine student

4-38

eligibility to participate in virtual courses, in terms of student age, student residency, student

4-39

performance, limitations on the number of virtual courses that can be taken at once or

4-40

cumulatively, and other considerations;

4-41

     (7) Objective, standard criteria that school districts can use to ensure access to virtual

4-42

courses for students with disabilities;

4-43

     (8) Objective, standard procedures that school districts shall use to report and verify the

4-44

attendance and participation of a student enrolled in a virtual course;

4-45

     (9) Standard accountability provisions that ensure that school districts assess students

4-46

enrolled in virtual courses on their progress and performance using grade-appropriate and

4-47

content-appropriate state assessments;

4-48

     (10) Standard reporting provisions that ensure that school districts report the academic

4-49

progress and performance of students enrolled in virtual courses using grade-appropriate and

4-50

content-appropriate state assessments;

4-51

     (11) Standard procedures for school districts to designate appropriate school district staff

4-52

to assume administrative responsibility for the virtual courses.

4-53

     (12) Standard cost parameters and mechanisms that schools and school districts can use

4-54

to finance student participation in virtual courses.

4-55

     (13) Standard procedures to address intellectual property rights and ownership in the case

4-56

where teachers in Rhode Island develop and offer their own virtual courses whose development

4-57

costs are covered through public funds.

4-58

     (14) Any other requirements or limitations for virtual courses in Rhode Island.

4-59

     16-16-22.1-6. Diploma granting entity for virtual courses. -- The commissioner shall

4-60

designate the diploma granting entity for high school students enrolled in virtual courses that

4-61

partially or wholly fulfill high school graduation requirements.

4-62

     16-16-22.1-7. Oversight, quality assurance, reporting, and evaluation of virtual

4-63

courses. - (a) The commissioner shall identify procedures that the Rhode Island department of

4-64

elementary and secondary education will use to ensure oversight, assure quality, ensure the

4-65

collection and reporting of accurate cost data, and report student participation, progress, and

4-66

performance in virtual courses.

4-67

     (b) The commissioner shall identify procedures that the Rhode Island department of

4-68

elementary and secondary education will use to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual courses on a

5-1

regular basis.

5-2

     16-16-22.2-8. Standard contract for virtual courses. --The commissioner shall develop

5-3

a standard contract form for public school districts to use with organizations that produce and

5-4

offer virtual courses.

5-5

     The purposes of the standard contract are:

5-6

     (1) To ensure that public school districts rely on consistent, comprehensive, educationally

5-7

focused, and publicly accountable information for their procurement of virtual courses for

5-8

students; and

5-9

     (2) To ensure that school districts will include monitoring and evaluation of the

5-10

effectiveness of the virtual courses and programs as a condition of their decision making.

5-11

     16-16-22.2-9. Cooperation with public institutions of higher education. - In

5-12

partnership with the commissioner of higher education, the commissioner of elementary and

5-13

secondary education shall develop guidelines for a K-20 venture and shared platform that would

5-14

allow seamless access to high quality virtual courses by public elementary, secondary, and

5-15

postsecondary students.

5-16

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

=======

LC01026

========

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - STATEWIDE VIRTUAL EDUCATION

***

6-1

     This act would establish the Rhode Island statewide virtual education act, to promote the

6-2

use of quality virtual courses as part of public education in Rhode Island.

6-3

     This act would take effect upon passage.

=======

LC01026

=======