Chapter 268
2012 -- S 2276 SUBSTITUTE A AS
AMENDED
Enacted 06/18/12
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
It is enacted by the
General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled
"EDUCATION" is hereby amended
by adding thereto the following chapter:
CHAPTER
22.1
THE
STATEWIDE VIRTUAL EDUCATION ACT
16-22.1-1.
Short title. – This chapter shall be known as
and may be cited as “The Rhode
16-22.1-2.
Legislative findings. – The legislature hereby
finds and declares the
following:
(1) A well-educated
population benefits
enhances the standard of living for all of its citizens,
increases its capacity for success, and lays
the foundation for shared prosperity.
(2) Students in
and institutions should be able to take advantage of as
many opportunities as possible to support
and extend their learning. Their learning opportunities
should allow them to acquire the
knowledge and technology skills that will allow them to
contribute to and participate in a digital
world.
(3) The number and
type of virtual learning programs and courses have increased
considerably, and the prevalence of virtual learning continues to
grow. Virtual learning utilizes
the power and scalability of technology to remove the
constraints of traditional classroom
learning, which can allow
any place, and in ways that complement and extend
traditional school settings.
(4) Public schools,
school districts, and postsecondary institutions in
have the freedom to work with teachers, families, and
students to create customizable learning
opportunities that incorporate technology and reflect effective
practices.
(5) The freedom that
comes from technologically-supported opportunities to learn must
be accompanied by a clear responsibility to ensure that
such opportunities are of high quality,
consistent with state standards for teaching and instruction,
fulfill high school graduation
requirements, reflect the principles of equity and access, and
include accountability provisions
that assure citizens that any investment of public tax
dollars is well spent.
(6)
policies on virtual education that will create the optimal
conditions for effective learning and
instruction.
(7) The general
assembly therefore finds that it is in the best interests of the people of the
state of
comprehensive regulations that will result in high quality,
integrated virtual K-20 learning
experiences that will engage and challenge students through
structured, sustained study.
16-22.1-3.
Purpose. – The purpose of this chapter is to
provide access to high quality,
rigorous, and relevant online learning opportunities for all
of
students and to ensure promulgation of virtual learning
regulations supporting access to high
quality virtual instruction consistently throughout the
state.
16-22.1-4.
Definitions. – When used in this chapter, the
following terms shall have the
following meanings:
(1) “Board” means the
education.
(2) “Commissioner”
means the
education.
(3) “Course” means a
course of study consistent with subdivision 16-1-5(4) and that
meets the requirements of the basic education program.
(4) “School district”
means local education agencies in
municipalities and those entities established under sections
16-77.2-1, 16-77.3, and 16-77.4.
(5) “Teacher of
record” means the teacher responsible for content instruction and
determining student grades.
(6) “Virtual course”
means a course in which:
(i)
Instruction and content are delivered primarily through technology, including
over the
Internet, via television, and through multi-media;
(ii) A student and
teacher may be in physically different locations for a portion of the
student’s instructional period;
(iii) Most
instructional activities take place in a technology-supported environment;
(iv)
The technology-supported instructional activities are integral to
the students’
academic program;
(v) Extensive
communication between a student and a teacher and among students is
emphasized; and
(vi)
A student is not necessarily required to be located on the
physical premises of a
public school.
(7) “Virtual course
provider” means:
(i)
A public school district or school in
(A) Students enrolled
in that district or school; or
(B) Students enrolled
in another school district or school;
(ii) An accredited
public or private institution of higher education in
another state that provides virtual courses or programs to
students attending public schools in
(iii) A
not-for-profit or for-profit organization whose work includes offering virtual
courses or programs to students attending public schools in
16-22.1-5.
Regulations for virtual learning. – With the
direction and approval of the
board of regents for elementary and secondary education,
the commissioner for elementary and
secondary education shall develop and promulgate regulations
for
and other educational organizations that are using or
intend to use virtual courses and other online
learning opportunities with K-12 students and adult learners.
The regulations shall include:
(1) Objective,
standard criteria that ensures virtual courses and content for K-12 students
are aligned with state content standards, meet or exceed
the requirements of the state’s basic
education program, fulfill high school graduation requirements,
and promote articulation with
public higher education institutions in the state;
(2) Objective,
standard criteria for school districts to use to select quality providers of
virtual courses and online content, which may include local
school districts, not-for-profit and
for-profit postsecondary institutions, and other organizations;
(3) Objective,
standard criteria that ensures teachers of virtual courses and other online
learning activities are appropriately trained and qualified
and meet certification requirements set
forth by the commissioner of education;
(4) Objective,
standard criteria that ensures that local policies shall not limit student
access to quality online learning opportunities;
(5) Objective,
standard criteria that school districts can use to ensure that all learners in
Rhode Island have access to high quality, rigorous,
and relevant virtual courses and other online
learning activities;
(6) Objective,
standard procedures that school districts shall use to report and verify the
attendance and participation of a student enrolled in a virtual
course;
(7) Standard
accountability provisions that ensure school districts monitor students
enrolled in virtual courses and other online learning
activities and when appropriate, report on
student progress and performance using grade-appropriate and
content-appropriate assessments;
(8) Objective,
standard criteria that ensures that RIDE participates in statewide efforts to
support virtual learning education with a focus on student
access to quality online learning
opportunities and ensuring efficiencies gained by coordinating
resources;
(9) Any other
requirements or limitations for virtual courses in
16-22.1-6.
Oversight, quality assurance, reporting, and evaluation of virtual courses.
– (a)
The commissioner shall utilize existing evaluation
processes and protocols established
through regulations adopted by the board of regents to ensure
student access to quality and
effective online content and instruction.
(b) Quality assurance
reporting shall occur through the existing comprehensive data
collection, analysis and accountability procedures at both the
local and state level.
(c) The commissioner
shall prepare a report each fiscal year that documents the
conditions under which virtual education supports student
learning in
shall include:
(1) Virtual course
participation rates, with participation information disaggregated for
core content areas;
(2) Expenditures
related to virtual education, in aggregate and by district;
(3) The results of
student assessments for students participating in virtual education in
core content areas, disaggregated from overall district
data; and
(4) Any other
information the commissioner deems relevant.
(d) The
commissioner’s report shall be delivered to the speaker of the house of
representatives and to the president of the senate by January 31 of
each year, and the information
posted for public inspection on the
16-22.1-7.
Cooperation with public institutions of higher education.
– In partnership
with the commissioner of higher education, the
commissioner of elementary and secondary
education shall promote access to high quality virtual courses
for all public elementary,
secondary, and postsecondary students.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC01026/SUB A/3
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