HB1903--VIRTUALSCHOOLPROGRAM
SPONSOR: Christofanelli
Thisbillrequiresaschooldistrictorcharterschooltomakeany
paymentowedtoavirtualprogramproviderinfullwithin60days
ofreceivinganinvoice,ortheprovidermaynotifytheDepartment
ofElementaryandSecondaryEducation(DESE)anduponnoticeof
suchnonpayment,DESEshallimmediatelypaytheMissouriCourse
AccessandVirtualSchoolProgram(MCAVSP)thetotalamount
invoiced,andthesameamountshallbewithheldfromthenext
disbursementoffundingtothenon-payingschooldistrictor
charterschool.ByNovember1stannually,DESEshallprovidea
writtenreporttotheJointCommitteeonEducationdetailingeach
occasionduringthepriorschoolyearthatsuchanissueoccurred.
Afull-timeVirtualSchoolProgramservingfulltimeequivalent
studentsshallparticipateintheStatewideAssessmentSystem,with
theresultstobeattributedtotheVirtualSchoolProgramasan
attendancecenter,ratherthanthelocaleducationalauthority.
TheDepartmentofElementaryandSecondaryEducation,ratherthan
eachschooldistrictorcharterschool,shalladoptapolicythat
delineatestheprocessbywhichastudentnotenrolledinafull-
timeVirtualSchoolProgrammayenrollincoursesprovidedbythe
MCAVSP.
Currently,aschooldistrictorcharterschoolisrequiredtoallow
anyeligiblestudentwhoresidesinsuchdistricttoenrollin
MCAVSPcoursesif,priortoenrollinginanysuchcourse,astudent
hasreceivedapprovalfromhisorherschooldistrictorcharter
school.Thisbillrepealstheprovisionrequiringastudentto
receiveapprovalfromhisorherschooldistrict. Iftheschool
districtorcharterschoolbelievesastudent'srequesttoenroll
inavirtualprogramisnotinthebesteducationalinterestofthe
student,thereasonshallbeprovidedinwritingtothestudent's
parentorguardian,whoshallhavefinaldecision-makingauthority.
Thereasonshallnotbebasedonfinancialconsiderations orthe
virtualcourseofferingsoftheschooldistrict,charterschool,or
preferredprovider.
Currently,costsassociatedwithsuchvirtualcoursesaretobe
paidbytheschooldistrictorcharterschooldirectlyonapro
ratamonthlybasisbasedonastudent'scompletionofassignments
andassessments. Underthisbill,costsshallbepaidbythe
schooldistrict,charterschool,orbyDESEforfull-time
equivalentstudents,totheprovideroncepersemesterbasedona
student'scompletionofassignmentsandassessments. Thisbill
requiresthatadditionalstateandfederalfundsthatastudent
receives,whichareexcludedfromprovisionsofcurrentlaw
limitingthemaximumamountofsuchpayments,shallbeadditionally
includedinthepayments.
Thisbillrepealsaprovisionprovidingthatschoolsshallnotbe prohibitedfromnegotiatinglowercostsdirectlywithvirtual
schoolproviders.
Currently,DESEisrequiredtomonitorstudentsuccessand
engagementandreportsuchinformationtotheschooldistrictor
charterschool.Underthisbill,DESEshallreporttheaggregate
performanceofproviderstothepublicinanannualreportas
describedinthebill.
Thebillspecifiesthatvirtualschoolprovidersarerequired,to
monitorstudentprogressandsuccess,andmayremoveastudentfrom
theprogramiftheproviderbelievesittobeinthebest
educationalinterestofthestudent.
Thisbillspecifiesthatafull-timevirtualschoolshall,submita
notificationtoaparentorlegalguardianofastudentwhoisnot
consistentlyengagedininstructionalactivities,asdefinedinthe
bill.Suchschoolshallalsodevelopapolicysettingforththe
consequencesforastudent'sfailuretoattendschoolandcomplete
instructionalactivities,includingdisenrollmentfromthevirtual
school.
Currently,schooldistrictsorcharterschoolsarerequiredto
informparentsoftheirchild'srighttoparticipateintheVirtual
SchoolsProgram. Thisbillspecifiesthat,suchnotificationshall
bemadeannually,separately,andinanimpartialmanner.Any
schooldistrictorcharterschoolthatfailstonotifyparentsof
theirchild'srighttoparticipateintheprogramshallbesubject
tocivilpenaltiesinanamountequalto$100foreachdaysuch
schooldistrictorcharterschoolisinviolationofthis
requirement,includingreasonableattorney'sfees.
ThebillrequiresDESEtoprovideawrittenexplanationofits
denialofvirtualprogramauthorizationwithin10days,ratherthan
30days.
InitsannualreportontheProgram,DESEshallincludestudent
outcomedata,includingcomparativedatafromstudents'prior
educationalsettings,fourandfiveyeargraduationrates,credit
statusuponenrollment,andprogresstowardgraduation.
ThisbillissimilartoSCSSB95(2021).