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S.B. 178

             1     

STATEWIDE ONLINE EDUCATION PROGRAM AMENDMENTS

             2     
2012 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Howard A. Stephenson

             5     
House Sponsor: Bradley M. Daw

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies provisions related to the Statewide Online Education Program.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    requires the program name, "Statewide Online Education Program," to be used in
             13      the dissemination of information on the program;
             14          .    provides that the State Board of Education, including an employee of the State
             15      Board of Education, may not give preference to an online course or online course
             16      provider;
             17          .    modifies the fees paid to an online course provider for an online course;
             18          .    provides for a bonus to an online course provider for a student attaining a certain
             19      score on an advanced placement test, International Baccalaureate test, or
             20      end-of-course achievement test administered pursuant to the Utah Performance
             21      Assessment System for Students (U-PASS);
             22          .    modifies the date when an online course provider receives payment for an online
             23      course;
             24          .    prescribes when a student may withdraw from an online course;
             25          .    prescribes procedures for the completion of a course credit acknowledgement;
             26          .    prohibits a student who enrolls in an online course from being counted in
             27      membership for a released-time class, if counting the student in membership for a


             28      released-time class would result in the student being counted as more than one FTE;
             29          .    permits a student taking an online course to take more than a full course load if
             30      allowed under local school board or charter school governing board policy;
             31          .    modifies requirements for reports on the performance of an online course provider;
             32          .    provides for a declaration of intent to enroll in an online course and changes to a
             33      high school course schedule;
             34          .    provides for reporting of noncompliance, and enforcement of compliance, with
             35      requirements of the Statewide Online Education Program; and
             36          .    makes technical changes.
             37      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             38          None
             39      Other Special Clauses:
             40          None
             41      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             42      AMENDS:
             43          53A-15-1202, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 419
             44          53A-15-1204, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 419
             45          53A-15-1206, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 419
             46          53A-15-1207, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 419
             47          53A-15-1208, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 419
             48          53A-15-1209, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 419
             49          53A-15-1211, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 419
             50          53A-15-1212, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 419
             51      ENACTS:
             52          53A-15-1201.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             53          53A-15-1206.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             54          53A-15-1212.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             55          53A-15-1216, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             56     
             57      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             58          Section 1. Section 53A-15-1201.5 is enacted to read:


             59          53A-15-1201.5. Program name.
             60          (1) The program created under this part shall be known as the "Statewide Online
             61      Education Program."
             62          (2) The program name, "Statewide Online Education Program," shall be used in the
             63      dissemination of information on the program.
             64          Section 2. Section 53A-15-1202 is amended to read:
             65           53A-15-1202. Definitions.
             66          As used in this part:
             67          [(1) "Adjusted per pupil revenues" means an amount equal to average charter high
             68      school per pupil revenues times 0.77.]
             69          [(2) "Average charter high school per pupil revenues" means an amount equal to
             70      charter high school revenues divided by the average daily membership of charter high schools
             71      statewide.]
             72          [(3) "Charter high school" means a charter school in which only students in grades 9,
             73      10, 11, or 12 are enrolled.]
             74          [(4) "Charter high school revenues" means an amount equal to total general fund
             75      revenues of charter high schools statewide as reported in the most recently published annual
             76      financial report.]
             77          [(5)] (1) "District school" means a public school under the control of a local school
             78      board elected pursuant to Title 20A, Chapter 14, Nomination and Election of State and Local
             79      School Boards.
             80          [(6)] (2) "Eligible student" means:
             81          (a) a student enrolled in a district school or charter school in Utah; or
             82          (b) beginning on July 1, 2013, a student:
             83          (i) who attends a private school or home school; and
             84          (ii) whose custodial parent or legal guardian is a resident of Utah.
             85          [(7)] (3) "LEA" means a local education agency in Utah that has administrative control
             86      and direction for public education.
             87          [(8)] (4) "Online course" means a course of instruction offered by the Statewide Online
             88      Education Program through the use of digital technology.
             89          [(9)] (5) "Primary LEA of enrollment" means the LEA in which an eligible student is


             90      enrolled for courses other than online courses offered through the Statewide Online Education
             91      Program.
             92          (6) "Released-time" means a period of time during the regular school day a student is
             93      excused from school at the request of the student's parent or guardian pursuant to rules of the
             94      State Board of Education.
             95          Section 3. Section 53A-15-1204 is amended to read:
             96           53A-15-1204. Option to enroll in online courses offered through the Statewide
             97      Online Education Program.
             98          (1) Subject to the course limitations provided in Subsection (2), an eligible student may
             99      enroll in an online course offered through the Statewide Online Education Program if:
             100          (a) the student meets the course prerequisites; and
             101          (b) the course is open for enrollment.
             102          (2) An eligible student may enroll in online courses for no more than the following
             103      number of credits:
             104          (a) in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years, two credits;
             105          (b) in the 2013-14 school year, three credits;
             106          (c) in the 2014-15 school year, four credits;
             107          (d) in the 2015-16 school year, five credits; and
             108          (e) beginning with the 2016-17 school year, six credits.
             109          (3) Notwithstanding Subsection (2):
             110          (a) a student's primary LEA of enrollment may allow an eligible student to enroll in
             111      online courses for more than the number of credits specified in Subsection (2); or
             112          (b) upon the request of an eligible student, the State Board of Education may allow the
             113      student to enroll in online courses for more than the number of credits specified in Subsection
             114      (2), if the online courses better meet the academic goals of the student.
             115          (4) An eligible student's primary LEA of enrollment:
             116          (a) in conjunction with the student and the student's parent or legal guardian, is
             117      responsible for preparing and implementing a student education/occupation plan (SEOP) for
             118      the eligible student, as provided in Section 53A-1a-106 ; and
             119          (b) shall assist an eligible student in scheduling courses in accordance with the
             120      student's SEOP, graduation requirements, and the student's post-secondary plans.


             121          (5) An eligible student's primary LEA of enrollment may not:
             122          (a) impose restrictions on a student's selection of an online course that fulfills
             123      graduation requirements and is consistent with the student's SEOP or post-secondary plans; or
             124          (b) give preference to an online course or online course provider.
             125          (6) The State Board of Education, including an employee of the State Board of
             126      Education, may not give preference to an online course or online course provider.
             127          Section 4. Section 53A-15-1206 is amended to read:
             128           53A-15-1206. Payment for an online course.
             129          [(1) The fee for an online course is an amount equal to the product of:]
             130          [(a) adjusted per pupil revenues; and]
             131          [(b) one-eighth the number of credits a student may earn for the online course.]
             132          (1) For the 2012-13 school year, the fee for a .5 credit online course or .5 credit of a 1
             133      credit online course is:
             134          (a) $200 for the following core curriculum courses, except a concurrent enrollment
             135      course:
             136          (i) financial literacy;
             137          (ii) health;
             138          (iii) fitness for life; and
             139          (iv) computer literacy;
             140          (b) $200 for driver education;
             141          (c) $250 for a course that meets core curriculum requirements in fine arts or career and
             142      technical education, except a concurrent enrollment course;
             143          (d) $300 for the following courses:
             144          (i) a course that meets core curriculum requirements in social studies, except a
             145      concurrent enrollment course; and
             146          (ii) a world language course, except a concurrent enrollment course;
             147          (e) $350 for the following courses:
             148          (i) a course that meets core curriculum requirements for language arts, mathematics, or
             149      science; and
             150          (ii) a concurrent enrollment course; and
             151          (f) $250 for a course not described in Subsections (1)(a) through (e).


             152          (2) If a course meets the requirements of more than one course fee category described
             153      in Subsection (1), the course fee shall be the lowest of the applicable course fee categories.
             154          (3) Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, the online course fees described in
             155      Subsection (1) shall be adjusted each school year in accordance with the percentage change in
             156      value of the weighted pupil unit from the previous school year.
             157          [(2)] (4) An online learning provider shall receive payment for an online course as
             158      follows:
             159          (a) for a [one semester] .5 credit online course, 50% of the online course fee [upon the
             160      student enrolling in the online course] after the withdrawal period described in Section
             161      53A-15-1206.5 ;
             162          (b) for a [full-year] 1 credit online course, 25% of the online course fee [upon the
             163      student enrolling in the online course] after the withdrawal period described in Section
             164      53A-15-1206.5 and 25% of the online course fee upon the beginning of the second [semester]
             165      .5 credit of the online course; and
             166          (c) if a student completes a [full-year] 1 credit online course within 12 months or a
             167      [one-semester] .5 credit course within nine weeks following the end of [the] a traditional
             168      semester, 50% of the online course fee.
             169          [(3)] (5) (a) If a student fails to complete a [one-year] 1 credit course within 12 months
             170      or a [one-semester] .5 credit course within nine weeks following the end of [the] a traditional
             171      semester, the student may continue to be enrolled in the course until the student graduates from
             172      high school.
             173          (b) To encourage an online course provider to provide remediation to a student who
             174      remains enrolled in an online course pursuant to Subsection [(3)] (5)(a) and avoid the need for
             175      credit recovery, an online course provider shall receive a payment equal to 30% of the online
             176      course fee if the student completes the online course before the student graduates from high
             177      school.
             178          (6) An online course provider shall receive a bonus in the amount of:
             179          (a) $100 for each student who receives a score of 3 or higher on an advanced
             180      placement end-of-course exam;
             181          (b) $100 for each student who receives a score of 4 or higher on an International
             182      Baccalaureate end-of-course exam; and


             183          (c) $50 for each student who receives a score within the highest level of proficiency on
             184      an end-of-course achievement test administered under the Utah Performance Assessment
             185      System for Students (U-PASS).
             186          Section 5. Section 53A-15-1206.5 is enacted to read:
             187          53A-15-1206.5. Withdrawal from an online course.
             188          (1) An online course provider shall establish a start date for an online course, including
             189      a start date for the second .5 credit of a 1 credit online course.
             190          (2) Except as provided in Subsection (3), a student may withdraw from an online
             191      course:
             192          (a) within 10 school calendar days of the start date, if the student enrolls in an online
             193      course on or before the start date established pursuant to Subsection (1); or
             194          (b) within 10 school calendar days of enrolling in the online course, if the student
             195      enrolls in an online course after the start date established pursuant to Subsection (1).
             196          (3) (a) A student may withdraw from a 1 credit online course within 10 school calendar
             197      days of the start date of the second .5 credit of the online course.
             198          (b) An online course provider shall refund a payment received for the second .5 credit
             199      of an online course if a student withdraws from the online course pursuant to Subsection (3)(a).
             200          (c) If a student withdraws from a 1 credit online course as provided in Subsection
             201      (3)(a), the online course provider shall receive payment for the student's completion of .5 credit
             202      of the 1 credit course in the same manner as an online course provider receives payment for a
             203      student's completion of a .5 online course as described in Subsection 53A-15-1206 (4).
             204          Section 6. Section 53A-15-1207 is amended to read:
             205           53A-15-1207. State Board of Education to deduct funds and make payments --
             206      Remaining balance to lapse into Uniform School Fund -- Plan for the payment of online
             207      courses taken by private and home school students.
             208          (1) (a) Upon the receipt of a course credit acknowledgment described in Section
             209      53A-15-1208 , the State Board of Education shall deduct an amount equal to the online course
             210      fee described in Section 53A-15-1206 from funds allocated to the student's primary LEA of
             211      enrollment under Chapter 17a, Minimum School Program Act.
             212          (b) Upon receiving verification that an online course provider qualifies for a bonus as
             213      provided in Subsection 53A-15-1206 (6), the State Board of Education shall deduct an amount


             214      equal to the bonus described in Subsection 53A-15-1206 (6) from funds allocated to the
             215      student's primary LEA of enrollment under Chapter 17a, Minimum School Program Act.
             216          (2) From money deducted under Subsection (1), the State Board of Education shall
             217      make payments to the student's online course provider as provided in Section 53A-15-1206 .
             218          (3) A balance remaining at the time a student graduates shall lapse into the Uniform
             219      School Fund.
             220          (4) The Legislature shall establish a plan, which shall take effect beginning on July 1,
             221      2013, for the payment of online courses taken by a private school or home school student.
             222          Section 7. Section 53A-15-1208 is amended to read:
             223           53A-15-1208. Course credit acknowledgement.
             224          (1) A student's primary LEA of enrollment and the student's online course provider
             225      shall enter into a course credit acknowledgement in which the primary LEA of enrollment and
             226      the online course provider acknowledge that the online course provider is responsible for the
             227      instruction of the student in a specified online course.
             228          (2) The terms of the course credit acknowledgement shall provide that:
             229          (a) the online course provider shall receive a payment in the amount provided under
             230      Section 53A-15-1207 ; and
             231          [(b) the online course provider shall refund a payment received for a student who
             232      enrolls in an online course if the student withdraws from the online course within 10 days; and]
             233          [(c)] (b) the student's primary LEA of enrollment acknowledges that the State Board of
             234      Education will deduct an amount equal to the online course fee from funds allocated to the
             235      LEA under Chapter 17a, Minimum School Program Act.
             236          [(3) A primary LEA of enrollment and an online course provider shall submit a copy of
             237      a course credit acknowledgement to the State Board of Education in accordance with
             238      procedures established by the State Board of Education.]
             239          (3) (a) A course credit acknowledgement may originate with either an online course
             240      provider or LEA of enrollment.
             241          (b) The originating entity shall submit the course credit acknowledgement to the State
             242      Board of Education who shall forward it to the LEA of enrollment for course selection
             243      verification or the online course provider for acceptance.
             244          (c) (i) An LEA of enrollment may only reject a course credit acknowledgement if:


             245          (A) the online course is not aligned with the student's SEOP; or
             246          (B) the number of online course credits exceeds the maximum allowed for the year as
             247      provided in Section 53A-15-1204 .
             248          (ii) Verification of alignment of an online course with a student's SEOP does not
             249      require a meeting with the student.
             250          (d) An online course provider may only reject a course credit acknowledgement if:
             251          (i) the student does not meet course prerequisites; or
             252          (ii) the course is not open for enrollment.
             253          (e) An LEA of enrollment or online course provider shall submit an acceptance or
             254      rejection of a course credit acknowledgement to the State Board of Education within 72
             255      business hours of the receipt of a course credit acknowledgement from the State Board of
             256      Education pursuant to Subsection (3)(b).
             257          (f) If an online course provider accepts a course credit acknowledgement, the online
             258      course provider shall forward to the LEA of enrollment the online course start date as
             259      established under Section 53A-15-1206.5 .
             260          (g) If an online course provider rejects a course credit acknowledgement, the online
             261      course provider shall include an explanation which the State Board of Education shall forward
             262      to the LEA of enrollment for the purpose of assisting a student with future online course
             263      selection.
             264          (h) If an LEA of enrollment does not submit an acceptance or rejection of a course
             265      credit acknowledgement to the State Board of Education within 72 business hours of the
             266      receipt of a course credit acknowledgement from the State Board of Education pursuant to
             267      Subsection (3)(b), the State Board of Education shall consider the course credit
             268      acknowledgement accepted.
             269          (i) (i) Upon acceptance of a course credit acknowledgement, the LEA of enrollment
             270      shall notify the student of the acceptance and the start date for the online course as established
             271      under Section 53A-15-1206.5 .
             272          (ii) Upon rejection of a course credit acknowledgement, the LEA of enrollment shall
             273      notify the student of the rejection and provide an explanation of the rejection.
             274          (j) If the online course student has an individual education plan (IEP) or 504
             275      accommodations, the LEA of enrollment shall forward the IEP or description of 504


             276      accommodations to the online course provider within 72 business hours after the LEA of
             277      enrollment receives notice that the online course provider accepted the course credit
             278      acknowledgement.
             279          Section 8. Section 53A-15-1209 is amended to read:
             280           53A-15-1209. Online course credit hours included in daily membership --
             281      Limitation.
             282          (1) Subject to Subsection (2), a student's primary LEA of enrollment shall include
             283      online course credit hours in calculating daily membership.
             284          (2) A student may not count as more than one FTE, unless the student intends to
             285      complete high school graduation requirements, and exit high school, early, in accordance with
             286      the student's education/occupation plan (SEOP).
             287          (3) A student who enrolls in an online course may not be counted in membership for a
             288      released-time class, if counting the student in membership for a released-time class would
             289      result in the student being counted as more than one FTE.
             290          [(3)] (4) Except as provided in Subsection [(4)] (5), a student enrolled in an online
             291      course may earn no more credits in a [semester] year than the number of credits a student may
             292      earn in a year by taking a full course load during the regular school day in [a high school
             293      classroom] the student's primary LEA of enrollment.
             294          [(4)] (5) A student enrolled in an online course may earn more credits in a [semester]
             295      year than the number of credits a student may earn in a year by taking a full course load during
             296      the regular school day in [a high school classroom] the student's primary LEA of enrollment:
             297          (a) if the student intends to complete high school graduation requirements, and exit
             298      high school, early, in accordance with the student's education/occupation plan (SEOP)[.]; or
             299          (b) if allowed under local school board or charter school governing board policy.
             300          Section 9. Section 53A-15-1211 is amended to read:
             301           53A-15-1211. Report on performance of online course providers.
             302          (1) The State Board of Education, in collaboration with online course providers, shall
             303      develop a report on the performance of online course providers, which may be used to evaluate
             304      the Statewide Online Education Program and assess the quality of an online course provider.
             305          (2) A report on the performance of an online course provider shall include:
             306          [(a) data on the performance of the online course provider's students on statewide


             307      assessments administered under Chapter 1, Part 6, Achievement Tests;]
             308          (a) scores aggregated by test on statewide assessments administered under Chapter 1,
             309      Part 6, Achievement Tests, taken by students at the end of an online course offered through the
             310      Statewide Online Education Program;
             311          (b) the percentage of the online course provider's students who complete online courses
             312      within the applicable time period specified in Subsection 53A-15-1206 (4)(c); [and]
             313          (c) the percentage of the online course provider's students who complete online courses
             314      after the applicable time period specified in Subsection 53A-15-1206 (4)(c) and before the
             315      student graduates from high school; and
             316          [(c)] (d) the pupil-teacher ratio for the combined online courses of the online course
             317      provider.
             318          (3) The State Board of Education shall post a report on the performance of an online
             319      course provider on the Statewide Online Education Program's website.
             320          Section 10. Section 53A-15-1212 is amended to read:
             321           53A-15-1212. Dissemination of information on the Statewide Online Education
             322      Program.
             323          (1) The State Board of Education shall develop a website for the Statewide Online
             324      Education Program which shall include:
             325          (a) a description of the Statewide Online Education Program, including its purposes;
             326          (b) information on who is eligible to enroll, and how an eligible student may enroll, in
             327      an online course;
             328          (c) a directory of online course providers;
             329          (d) a link to a course catalog for each online course provider; and
             330          (e) a report on the performance of online course providers as required by Section
             331      53A-15-1211 .
             332          (2) An online course provider shall provide the following information on the online
             333      course provider's website:
             334          (a) a description of the Statewide Online Education Program, including its purposes;
             335          (b) information on who is eligible to enroll, and how an eligible student may enroll, in
             336      an online course;
             337          (c) a course [catalogue] catalog;


             338          [(d) data on the performance of the online course provider's students on statewide
             339      assessments administered under Chapter 1, Part 6, Achievement Tests;]
             340          (d) scores aggregated by test on statewide assessments administered under Chapter 1,
             341      Part 6, Achievement Tests, taken by students at the end of an online course offered through the
             342      Statewide Online Education Program;
             343          (e) the percentage of an online course provider's students who complete online courses
             344      within the applicable time period specified in Subsection 53A-15-1206 (4)(c); [and]
             345          (f) the percentage of an online course provider's students who complete online courses
             346      after the applicable time period specified in Subsection 53A-15-1206 (4)(c) and before the
             347      student graduates from high school; and
             348          [(f)] (g) the online learning provider's pupil-teacher ratio for the online courses
             349      combined.
             350          (3) An LEA shall provide information both written and online on the Statewide Online
             351      Education Program, including:
             352          (a) a description of the Statewide Online Education Program, including its purposes;
             353          (b) information on who is eligible to enroll, and how an eligible student may enroll, in
             354      an online course; and
             355          (c) information on how to access the Statewide Online Education Program website.
             356          (4) An LEA shall include the written information described in Subsection (3) in high
             357      school course registration materials.
             358          Section 11. Section 53A-15-1212.5 is enacted to read:
             359          53A-15-1212.5. Declaration of intent to enroll in an online course -- Adding or
             360      dropping an online course.
             361          (1) To provide an LEA and online course providers with estimates of online course
             362      enrollment, a declaration of intent to enroll in online courses pursuant to Section 53A-15-1204
             363      may take place during the high school course registration period designated by the LEA.
             364          (2) Notwithstanding Subsection (1), a student may enroll in an online course at any
             365      time during a calendar year if:
             366          (a) the online course is open for enrollment;
             367          (b) the student meets the course prerequisites;
             368          (c) the online course is aligned with the student's SEOP;


             369          (d) the student is enrolled in online courses for no more than the total number of credits
             370      as provided in Section 53A-15-1205 ; and
             371          (e) the student does not take more than a full course load for the year as provided in
             372      Section 53A-15-1209 .
             373          (3) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(b), a student may drop a traditional
             374      classroom course within 10 school calendar days of the start of the traditional classroom
             375      course.
             376          (b) If a student's high school counselor is not able to process a request to enroll in an
             377      online course within 10 school calendar days of the start of the traditional classroom course,
             378      the deadline for dropping the course and enrolling in an online course shall be extended to the
             379      earliest possible date the counselor can accommodate the schedule change.
             380          Section 12. Section 53A-15-1216 is enacted to read:
             381          53A-15-1216. Report of noncompliance -- Action to ensure compliance.
             382          (1) The state superintendent shall report to the State Board of Education any report of
             383      noncompliance of this part made to a member of the staff of the State Board of Education.
             384          (2) The State Board of Education shall take appropriate action to ensure compliance
             385      with this part.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-10-12 8:40 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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