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Updated bill on e-schools introduced
ELISSA COLLOPY
Special to the Legal News
Published: February 21, 2017
Ohio Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni, D-Boardman, introduced Senate Bill 39, a new version of his online charter school reform bill, which includes a new provision that would affirm that e-schools must "provide" rather than "offer" 920 hours of learning opportunities to students each academic year.
The new provisions are based on input from educators and lawmakers on both Republican and Democratic sides, and the bill is similar to Sen. Schiavoni's widely supported Senate Bill 298.
"Quality education should not be a partisan issue. SB 39 includes suggestions from my Republican colleagues, as well as parents and educators," said Schiavoni. "Hopefully this year we can work together to make sure Ohio's online students have a fair shot at graduation."
The Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow argued in a lawsuit against the Ohio Department of Education that the law does not require e-schools to actively educate students as long as class materials are made available online to them.
Last year, an audit determined that ECOT owed taxpayers $60 million for exaggerating student attendance.
"The governor's budget plan leaves many districts without proper funding. As Ohio prepares for a painfully tight budget, it's no longer acceptable for e-schools to simply place classes online and expect funding from the state," said Schiavoni.
Other new provisions include one specifying that if the auditor issues a finding for recovery from an audit of a community school, money is returned to the district; one that would limit blended learning schools to schools sponsored by exemplary rated sponsors only; one that would exempt district sponsored e-schools from bill requirements; and one that removes the provision eliminating career tech funding for e-schools.
The original bill required e-schools to keep an accurate record of hours each student actively participated in coursework daily; e-schools to notify ODE if a student fails to log in for 10 consecutive days; e-school governing board meetings be live-streamed so parents and the public could watch the meetings; and that for every advertisement used by an e-school paid for by public funds, they must include a disclaimer showing their most recent state report card grades.
SB 298 received several hearings in the 131st General Assembly, but no vote.
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