22.1-212.24 - Approval of multidivision online providers; contracts with local school boards. - Virginia Statutes

§ 22.1-212.24. Approval of multidivision online providers; contracts withlocal school boards.

A. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall develop, and the Board ofEducation shall approve, (i) the criteria and application process forapproving multidivision online providers; (ii) a process for monitoringapproved multidivision online providers; (iii) a process for revocation ofthe approval of a previously approved multidivision online provider; and (iv)an appeals process for a multidivision online provider whose approval wasrevoked or whose application was denied. The process developed under thissubsection shall require approvals and revocations to be determined by theSuperintendent of Public Instruction, and either the denial of an applicationor revocation of approval may be appealed to the Board of Education forreview. The approval of a multidivision online provider under this sectionshall be effective until the approval is revoked, for cause, pursuant to theterms of this section. Any notice of revocation of approval of amultidivision online provider or rejection of an application by amultidivision online provider shall state the grounds for such action withreasonable specificity and give reasonable notice to the multidivision onlineprovider to appeal. These criteria and processes shall be adopted by January31, 2011.

B. In developing the criteria for approval pursuant to subsection A, theSuperintendent of Public Instruction shall (i) require multidivision onlineproviders to be accredited by a national, regional, or state accreditationprogram approved by the Board; (ii) require such courses or programs, pupilperformance standards, and curriculum to meet or exceed any applicableStandards of Learning and Standards of Accreditation; (iii) require anyeducational objectives and assessments used to measure pupil progress towardachievement of the school's pupil performance standards to be in accordancewith the Board's Standards of Accreditation and all applicable state andfederal laws; and (iv) require such courses or programs to maintain minimumstaffing requirements appropriate for virtual school programs.

C. Local school boards may enter into contracts, consistent with the criteriaapproved by the Board pursuant to this section, with approved private ornonprofit organizations to provide multidivision online courses and virtualschool programs. Such contracts shall be exempt from the Virginia PublicProcurement Act (§ 2.2-4300 et seq.).

(2010, cc. 537, 817.)