AL HB479

Establishes the Virtual Public Schools Act to allow the State Board of Education to create public virtual schools delivering instruction via the Internet in virtual or remote settings.

Virtual schools must provide students with sequential curriculum meeting state standards, the same number of instructional days or hourly equivalent as traditional schools, regular assessments in core subjects, instructional materials, and access to necessary technology.

Virtual school teachers must be qualified under existing state law, and the school must maintain an administrative office within the state; teachers and instructional materials are school-provided while Internet connection costs may be reimbursed to families.

Students eligible for public school enrollment may attend virtual schools on either a full-time or part-time basis, and local boards may charge tuition for out-of-district students in locally established virtual schools.

State Board of Education must evaluate virtual schools annually based on student achievement increases and demonstration of academic, fiscal, and operational viability; the State Department of Education must promulgate implementing rules.