SB396: Bill Text

SB396,6,17 118.51 (16) (b) 3. Notwithstanding subds. 1. and 2., if nonresident pupils attend a virtual charter school under this section, the multiplier under subds. 1. and 2. is an amount equal to 50 percent of the amount determined under par. (a) 3.

SB396, s. 13 Section 13. 118.51 (18) of the statutes is created to read:

SB396,6,21 118.51 (18) Location of virtual charter schools. For the purposes of this section, a virtual charter school is located in the school district specified in s. 118.40 (8) (a).

SB396, s. 14 Section 14. 118.57 of the statutes is created to read:

SB396,6,24 118.57 Online courses. (1) Department duties. The department shall do all of the following:

SB396,7,3 (a) Make online courses available for a reasonable fee, through a statewide web academy, to school districts, cooperative educational service agencies, and charter schools and private schools located in this state.

SB396,7,6 (b) Establish instructional standards for all online courses taken by pupils enrolled in public schools, including charter schools, including standards addressing all of the following:

SB396,7,7 1. The frequency, length, and type of pupil-teacher contact.

SB396,7,8 2. The assessment of pupil progress.

SB396,7,9 3. Methods to measure pupil participation.

SB396,7,12 (c) Make available to school boards an online survey designed to assess a pupil's readiness for online learning and instructional materials designed to improve a pupil's chance of success in online courses.

SB396,7,13 (d) Promulgate rules to implement and administer this section.

SB396,7,14 (2) School board duties. Each school board shall do all of the following:

SB396,7,18 (a) Determine which pupils may enroll in an online course, which online courses are available for enrollment, and the number of online courses a pupil may enroll in. The school board may not exclude a pupil from an online course solely because the pupil's parent or guardian will not participate in the online course.

SB396,7,20 (b) Provide a safe and secure online environment and ensure that coursework and records of pupils enrolled in online courses remain confidential.

SB396,7,22 (c) Except as provided under ss. 118.19 (1) and 121.02 (1) (a) 2., assign an appropriately licensed teacher for each online course.

SB396,7,23 (d) Verify the authenticity of pupil coursework in online courses.

SB396,7,24 (e) Determine the average equivalency hours for online courses.

SB396,7,25 (f) Ensure that all pupils enrolled in online courses reside in this state.

SB396,8,3 (g) 1. Ensure that a pupil in the elementary grades who is enrolled full-time in online courses has direct contact with a teacher for at least 2 hours each day that school is scheduled.

SB396,8,6 2. Ensure that a pupil in the high school grades who is enrolled full-time in online courses has direct contact with a teacher for at least 30 minutes each day that school is scheduled.

SB396,8,9 3. Ensure that a pupil who is enrolled part-time in one or more online courses has direct contact with a teacher, each week that school is scheduled, for at least 20 minutes for each online course in which the pupil is enrolled.

SB396,8,11 (h) Adopt a policy on acceptable use of the Internet and communicate it to pupils, parents, and teachers.

SB396,8,14 (3) Contracts for online courses. Any contract entered into by a school board that relates to providing online courses is open to public inspection and copying under s. 19.35.

SB396, s. 15 Section 15. 119.04 (1) of the statutes, as affected by 2007 Wisconsin Act 20, is amended to read:

SB396,8,25 119.04 (1) Subchapters IV, V and VII of ch. 115, ch. 121 and ss. 66.0235 (3) (c), 66.0603 (1m) to (3), 115.01 (1) and (2), 115.28, 115.31, 115.33, 115.34, 115.343, 115.345, 115.361, 115.38 (2), 115.445, 115.45, 118.001 to 118.04, 118.045, 118.06, 118.07, 118.10, 118.12, 118.125 to 118.14, 118.145 (4), 118.15, 118.153, 118.16, 118.162, 118.163, 118.164, 118.18, 118.19, 118.20, 118.24 (1), (2) (c) to (f), (6) and (8), 118.245, 118.255, 118.258, 118.291, 118.30 to 118.43, 118.51, 118.52, 118.55, 118.57, 120.12 (5) and (15) to (26), 120.125, 120.13 (1), (2) (b) to (g), (3), (14), (17) to (19), (26), (34), (35), (37), (37m), and (38), 120.14, and 120.25 are applicable to a 1st class city school district and board.

SB396, s. 16 Section 16. 121.02 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB396,9,8 121.02 (1) (a) 2. Ensure that all instructional staff of charter schools located in the school district, other than virtual charter schools, hold a license or permit to teach issued by the department; and beginning on July 1, 2009, ensure that all instructional staff of virtual charter schools located in the school district, as specified in s. 118.40 (8), hold a license or permit to teach issued by the department. The state superintendent shall promulgate rules defining "instructional staff" for purposes of this subdivision.

SB396, s. 17 Section 17. Nonstatutory provisions; virtual charter schools.

SB396,9,11 (1) (a) In this subsection, "virtual charter school" has the meaning given in section 115.001 (16) of the statutes, as created by this act.

SB396,9,14 (b) A school board or entity specified in section 118.40 (2r) (b) 1. of the statutes may not establish or contract for the establishment of a new virtual charter school that opens for the attendance of pupils before the 2009-10 school year.

SB396,9,21 (c) Notwithstanding section 118.51 (3) (a) 2. and (5) (a) 1. of the statutes, a school board that establishes or contracts for the establishment of a virtual charter school for the attendance of pupils during the 2008-09 school year may not allow more pupils to attend the school through the Open Enrollment Program under section 118.51 of the statutes during the 2008-09 school year than the number of such pupils who attended the school through that program during the 2007-08 school year.

SB396, s. 18 Section 18. Initial applicability.

SB396,10,3 (1) The treatment of section 118.51 (16) (b) 3. and (18) of the statutes first applies to state aid adjustments made under section 118.51 (16) of the statutes in the 2009-10 school year.

SB396,10,4 (End)