AL HB245

Each local board of education must adopt a virtual school policy for eligible students in grades 9-12 before the 2016-2017 school year, providing an online pathway to earn a high school diploma.

Virtual school policies must include scope and delivery of options, student eligibility criteria, performance monitoring and testing requirements, and attendance requirements.

Full-time virtual students count toward average daily membership, participate in state testing, receive diplomas from the local school system, and may participate in extracurricular activities on the same basis as traditional students.

Local boards are exempt from traditional delivery requirements including physical presence, staffing, transportation, facility, space, time, and physical education requirements as they conflict with virtual program delivery.

A legislative task force representing superintendents, board members, administrators, teachers, and technology practitioners is established to review and recommend changes to the ACCESS virtual platform before the 2016 Regular Session.