1 / 19

SSB 5410: An Act Relating to Online Learning

Martin Mueller, OSPI Martin.mueller@k12.wa.us 360-725-6175 Purpose, Requirements, Timeline. SSB 5410: An Act Relating to Online Learning. SSB 5410: New Section 1: Findings and Intent. FINDINGS: “Online learning provides tremendous opportunities for students...”

israel
Download Presentation

SSB 5410: An Act Relating to Online Learning

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Martin Mueller, OSPI Martin.mueller@k12.wa.us 360-725-6175 Purpose, Requirements, Timeline SSB 5410: An Act Relating to Online Learning

  2. SSB 5410: New Section 1: Findings and Intent FINDINGS: • “Online learning provides tremendous opportunities for students...” • “The Legislature supports and encourages online learning opportunities.” • “However…there is also a need to assure quality in online learning, both for the programs and the administration of those programs.” • “The Legislature is the steward of public funds that support students enrolled in online learning and must ensure an appropriate accountability system…” OSPI, 8/18/09

  3. SSB 5410: New Section 1, cont. INTENT: • Take the first step in improving oversight and quality assurance of online learning programs. • Examine possible additional steps that may need to be taken to improve financial accountability. OSPI, 8/18/09

  4. SSB 5410: New Section 1, cont THE FIRST STEP: • Provide objective information to students, parents, and educators regarding available online learning opportunities, including: • Program and course content; • How to register for programs and courses; • Teacher qualifications; • Student-to-teacher ratios; • Prior course completion rates; • And other valuable information. • Create an approval process for multidistrict online providers; OSPI, 8/18/09

  5. SSB 5410: New Section 1, cont. MORE FIRST STEPS: • Enhance statewide equity of student access to high quality online learning opportunities; and • Require school district boards of directors to develop policies and procedures for student access to online learning opportunities. OSPI, 8/18/09

  6. SSB 5410: New Section 2 DEFINITIONS: • Multidistrict online provider • Private entities contracting with districts; • Districts serving students living outside the district • Exceptions to multidistrict online provider definition: • Districts serving fewer than 10% of non-resident students; • Jointly developed regional online programs run by districts or ESDs where districts agree to share students. • Online course • Online school program • Bill includes online programs delivered under ALE law/rules. OSPI, 8/18/09

  7. SSB 5410: New Section 3 • OSPI shall develop an approval, monitoring, and appeal process for multi-district online providers. The Criteria and processes shall be adopted by rule by December, 1, 2009. • Initial approval will be for 4 years. • Grandfathering: Multidistrict online providers either already approved by the DLC or accredited by NAAS are exempt from approval process for 1 year. OSPI, 8/18/09

  8. SSB 5410: New Section 3, cont. • OSPI shall make first round of approval decisions by April, 1, 2010; thereafter, decisions must be made by November 1 of each year. • OSPI shall establish Online Learning Advisory Committee, which will advise the SPI regarding approval criteria, components of the website, model district policies, model agreements, etc. • Committee has broad representation across the public education spectrum. It does NOT include legislators. OSPI, 8/18/09

  9. SSB 5410: New Section 4 • OSPI shall create an Office of Online Learning • Hire staffed of the DLC, to the extent legal and funded. • $700,000 annual appropriation • Tasks of the Office of Online Learning • Develop and maintain a website that provides objective information regarding online learning opportunities offered by approved (or grandfathered) multidistrict online providers; • Website to include extensive information, including how to register for online programs and courses; OSPI, 8/18/09

  10. SSB 5410: New Section 4, cont. • Tasks of the Office of Online Learning, continued • Develop model agreements with approved multidistrict online providers that provide a template for districts interested in contracting with these entities; • In collaboration with ESDs: • Provide TA and support to districts; • Provide online tools for students, teachers, others. OSPI, 8/18/09

  11. SSB 5410: New Section 5 • OSPI Shall Develop model policies and procedures for districts; • By Dec 1, 2009, OSPI must modify the standards for course reporting to include designation of online courses in CEDARS; new standards are required beginning with the 2010-11 SY; • Beginning Jan, 15, 2011, OSPI shall submit an annual report to SBE, the Legislature, and the Governor; to include: • Demographics; • Course enrollment data; • Course completion data and passing rates; and • Outcomes of course/provider approval reviews OSPI, 8/18/09

  12. SSB 5410: New Section 6 • By August 31, 2010, districts must adopt policies and procedures regarding student access to online courses and online learning programs; • Policy must cover broad range of online learning issues; • Policies must be submitted to OSPI by September 15, 2010; • OSPI must submit summarizing report on polices to the Legislature by December 1, 2010. • Districts must provide students with information regarding online courses that are available through the school district. • Districts developing local or regional online learning programs must incorporate into the program design the approval criteria developed by OSPI. OSPI, 8/18/09

  13. SSB 5410: New Section 7 • Beginning with the 2011-12 school year, school districts may claim BEA for students enrolled in online courses or programs only if the online courses or programs are: • Offered by an OSPI-approved multidistrict online provider, • Offered by the district itself to its own students and fewer than 10% of out-of-district students enrolling in the program under the ‘choice’ law; • Offered by a regional provider operating under and inter-district cooperative agreement. • OSPI shall develop criteria to allow online courses that have not been approved to be eligible for state funding if the course is in a subject matter in which no courses have been approved and if the course meets HS graduation requirements. OSPI, 8/18/09

  14. SSB 5410: New Section 8 • Nothing in bill diminishes rights of students to attend nonresident districts under choice law. OSPI, 8/18/09

  15. SSB 5410: Section 9 This section modifies the current online learning law in 2 ways: • Makes existing law consistent with new definitions of online learning established by 5410; • Better defines the existing accreditation requirement for public school programs that are primarily digital or online. • NAAS, or • A national, regional, or state accreditation entity listed by OSPI . OSPI, 8/18/09

  16. SSB 5410: New Section 10 • OSPI shall conduct a review of online courses and programs offered to students during the 08-09 school year to create baseline information on the provision of online learning: • Part-time, full-time, and inter-district enrollment; • How courses are offered and overseen; • Contract terms and funding agreements; • Fiscal impact on levy bases and levy equalization from inter-district enrollment; • Student:teacher ratios, course completion rates, and student retention and dropout rates; • Other issues: special education, assessment, teacher certification. OSPI, 8/18/09

  17. SSB 5410: New Section 10, cont. • OSPI shall assess funding levels for online courses relative to basic education general allocation. • Comparison of staffing ratios and costs; • NERC • Facility requirements; • An analysis of the appropriate share of per-student allocations between resident districts and serving districts. • OSPI shall submit a report to the education and fiscal committees of the Legislature by December 1, 2009. OSPI, 8/18/09

  18. SSB 5410: Implications for the Digital Learning Commons • Loss of state funding for 2009-11 biennium. • Resulting modification of mission and services. • Most DLC staff began working for OSPI effective July 1, 2009. • Certain DLC services will now be offered via OSPI’s Digital Learning Department. NO MEMBERSHIP FEE. • Access to single courses, including registration and billing services. Course fees vary; about $300 per semester course. • Library Package. Approximately $5.50 per student. OSPI, 8/18/09

  19. SSB 5410: Implications for School Districts • Must adopt policy on online learning by September 1, 2010. Model policy will be available spring, 2010. Policies must be provided to OSPI in fall, 2010. • Beginning with the 2011-12 school year, online learning claimed for state basic education funding must be provided by either: • An OSPI—approved multidistrict online provider, or • A local or multidistrict cooperative program operating according to approval requirements. • Better tools and information for districts implementing online learning programs. • Model agreements with approved providers • Outcome and other program quality data on existing programs. OSPI, 8/18/09

More Related