| 1 | Representative Bucher offered the following: |
| 2 |
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| 3 | Amendment (with title amendment) |
| 4 | Remove lines 108-184 and insert: |
| 5 | (a) Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, each school |
| 6 | district in the state may offer a K-8 Virtual School Program |
| 7 | that serves students residing within the district's attendance |
| 8 | area. The purpose of the program is to make academic instruction |
| 9 | available to full-time students in kindergarten through grade 8 |
| 10 | using online and distance learning technology. |
| 11 | (b) Each school district's program may consist of one or |
| 12 | more schools operated by the district or by contracted providers |
| 13 | approved by the department under subsection (2). School |
| 14 | districts may participate in multi-district contractual |
| 15 | arrangements, which may include contracts executed by a regional |
| 16 | consortium for its member districts, for provision of the |
| 17 | schools. |
| 18 | (c) Each K-8 virtual school operated or contracted under |
| 19 | this section must have a sufficient number of students enrolled |
| 20 | in each grade to permit a school grade to be assigned to the |
| 21 | school pursuant to s. 1008.34 and State Board of Education rule. |
| 22 | (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a |
| 23 | school district shall be in compliance with the requirements of |
| 24 | this section for students in grades 6 through 8 if it offers a |
| 25 | full-time, 180-day program of online academic instruction to |
| 26 | such students pursuant to a franchise agreement with the Florida |
| 27 | Virtual School under s. 1002.37. Such school district must still |
| 28 | comply with the requirements of this section for students in |
| 29 | kindergarten through grade 5. |
| 30 | (2) PROVIDER QUALIFICATIONS.--On or before March 1, 2009, |
| 31 | and annually thereafter, the department shall provide school |
| 32 | districts with a list of providers approved to contract with one |
| 33 | or more school districts or regional consortia for the operation |
| 34 | of one or more K-8 virtual schools. To be approved by the |
| 35 | department, each provider must annually document that it: |
| 36 | (a) Is nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, |
| 37 | employment practices, and operations. |
| 38 | (b) Complies with the antidiscrimination provisions of s. |
| 39 | 1000.05. |
| 40 | (c) Locates its administrative office in this state and |
| 41 | requires its administrative and instructional staff members to |
| 42 | be state residents. |
| 43 | (d) Possesses prior, successful experience offering online |
| 44 | courses to elementary, middle, or high school students. |
| 45 | (e) Is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the |
| 46 | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Middle States |
| 47 | Association of Colleges and Schools, the North Central |
| 48 | Association of Colleges and Schools, the New England Association |
| 49 | of Schools and Colleges, or the Commission on International and |
| 50 | Trans-Regional Accreditation. |
| 51 | (f) Is capable of complying with all requirements for a K- |
| 52 | 8 virtual school under this section. |
| 53 | (3) PROGRAM APPROVAL.--Each school district that chooses |
| 54 | to offer a K-8 Virtual School Program shall submit a description |
| 55 | of its proposed 2009-2010 K-8 Virtual School Program to the |
| 56 | department in a manner and by a deadline prescribed by the |
| 57 | department. Students may not be enrolled in the program until it |
| 58 | is approved by the department. |
| 59 | (4) K-8 VIRTUAL SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS.--Each K-8 virtual |
| 60 | school operated or contracted by a school district or regional |
| 61 | consortium must: |
| 62 | (a) Require all members of the school's instructional |
| 63 | staff to be certified professional educators under the |
| 64 | provisions of chapter 1012. |
| 65 | (b) Conduct background screening of all of the school's |
| 66 | employees as required by s. 1012.32. |
| 67 | (c) Align its curriculum and course content to the |
| 68 | Sunshine State Standards under s. 1003.41. |
| 69 | (d) Offer an online program of instruction that is full |
| 70 | time and of 180 days' duration. |
| 71 | (e) Provide each student enrolled in the virtual school |
| 72 | with: |
| 73 | 1. All necessary instructional materials. |
| 74 | 2. All equipment, including, but not limited to, a |
| 75 | computer, computer monitor, and printer for each household that |
| 76 | has a student enrolled in the virtual school. |
| 77 | 3. Access to or reimbursement for all Internet services |
| 78 | necessary for online delivery of instruction for each household |
| 79 | that has a student enrolled in the virtual school. |
| 80 | (f) Not require tuition or student registration fees. |
| 81 | (5) PROGRAM CAPACITY; ENROLLMENT.-- |
| 82 | (a) Each school district that chooses to offer a K-8 |
| 83 | Virtual School Program must |
| 84 |
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| 85 | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| 86 | T I T L E A M E N D M E N T |
| 87 | Remove lines 7-11 and insert: |
| 88 | school district K-8 Virtual School Program; authorizing school |
| 89 | districts to offer a K-8 Virtual School Program; authorizing the |
| 90 | provision of specified online |