Senate Bill No. 276 Summary

• School districts and charter schools may offer virtual courses and full-time virtual programs using technology and internet methods for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade, with state funding provided under existing school funding statutes.

• Virtual course completion equals 94 percent of attendance hours for equivalent non-virtual courses, distributed in two increments (47 percent at 50 percent completion and 47 percent at 100 percent completion).

• Any Missouri resident student may enroll in a school district or charter school outside their district of residence to attend virtual courses or programs, with admission based on application submission time until capacity is reached and preference given to siblings of enrolled students.

• The student's district of residence must pay the providing district or charter school 72.5 percent of the previous year's statewide average current expenditure per average daily attendance, not to exceed the district's current expenditure per average daily attendance.

• Virtual courses and programs must meet 12 specified standards including appropriate software, orientation training, privacy policies, academic integrity guidelines, technical support, and alignment with different learning styles.

• Institutions of higher education with primary Missouri campuses and approved teacher education programs may sponsor virtual charter schools, which may only offer instruction in virtual settings.