Adopted: MSBA/MASA Model
Policy 624
Revised: Rev. 2008
624 ONLINE LEARNING OPTIONS
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy
is to recognize and govern online learning options of students enrolled in the
school district for purposes of compulsory attendance.
II. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY
A. The school district
shall not prohibit an enrolled student from applying to enroll in online
learning.
B. The school district
shall grant academic credit for completing the requirements of an online
learning course or program.
C. The school district
shall allow an online learning student to have the same access to the computer
hardware and education software available in the school district as all other
students in the school district.
D. The school district
shall continue to provide non-academic services to online learning students.
E. Online learning
students may participate in the extracurricular activities of the school
district on the same basis as other enrolled students.
F. To the extent the
school district provides curriculum to resident students that has both physical
and electronic components, the school district must make the electronic
component accessible to a resident student in a home school at the request of
the student or the student’s parent or guardian, provided that the school
district does not incur more than an incidental cost as a result of providing
access electronically.
III. DEFINITIONS
A. “Full-time online
provider” means an enrolling school authorized by the Minnesota Department of
Education (MDE) to deliver comprehensive public education at any or all of the
elementary, middle, or high school levels.
B. “Online learning”
is an interactive course or program that delivers instruction from a teacher to
a student by computer, is combined with other traditional delivery methods that
include frequent student assessment and may include actual teacher contact
time, and meets or exceeds state academic standards.
C. “Online learning
student” is a student enrolled in the school district for purposes of
compulsory attendance and enrolled in an online learning course or program
delivered by an authorized provider.
D. “Online learning
provider” is another school district, an intermediate school district, or an
organization of two or more school districts operating under a joint powers
agreement, or a charter school located in Minnesota that provides online
learning to students.
E. “Supplemental
online learning” means an online course taken in place of a course period
during the regular school day at a local district school.
IV. PROCEDURES
A. Dissemination
and Receipt of Information
1. The school
district shall make available information about online learning to all
interested people. The school district
may utilize the list of approved online learning providers and online learning
courses and programs developed, published, and maintained by MDE.
2. The school
district will receive and maintain information provided to it by online
learning providers.
B. Students
1. A student may
apply for full-time enrollment in an approved online learning program or for
supplemental online learning. The
student must have the written consent of a parent or guardian to do so if the
student is under eighteen (18) years of age.
2. The student and
the student’s parents must submit an application to the online learning
provider and identify the reason for enrolling in online learning. The online learning provider that accepts a
student under this section must within ten days notify the student and the
school district in writing if the school district is not the online learning
provider. The student and family must
notify the online learning provider of their intent to enroll in online
learning within ten days of acceptance, at which time the student and parent
must sign a statement of assurance that they have reviewed the online course or
program and understand the expectations of online learning enrollment. The online learning provider must notify the
school district of the student’s enrollment in online learning in writing on a
form provided by MDE.
3. Supplemental
online learning notification to the school district upon student enrollment in
the online learning program will include the courses or program, credits to be
awarded, the start date of online enrollment, and confirmation that the courses
will meet the student’s graduation plan.
A student may enroll in supplemental online learning courses up to the
midpoint of the school district’s term.
The school district may waive this requirement for special circumstances
and upon acceptance by the online learning provider.
4. An online learning
student may enroll in supplemental online learning courses during a single
school year to a maximum of 50 percent of the student’s full schedule of
courses per term. A student may exceed
the supplemental online learning registration limit if the school district grants
permission for supplemental online learning enrollment above the limit, or if
an agreement is made between the school district and the online learning
provider for instructional services. To
enroll in more than 50 percent of the student’s full schedule or courses per
term in online learning, the student must qualify to exceed the supplemental
online learning registration limit or apply for enrollment to an approved
full-time online learning program following appropriate procedures in Paragraph
IV.B.2. above. Full-time online learning
students may enroll in classes at a local school per contract for instructional
services between the online learning provider and the school district.
5. An online learning
student may complete course work at a grade level that is different from the
student’s current grade level.
6. An online learning
student may enroll in additional courses with the online learning provider
under a separate agreement that includes terms for payment of any tuition or
course fees.
C. Classroom
Membership and Teacher Contact Time
1. The school
district may reduce an online learning student’s regular classroom
instructional membership in proportion to the student’s membership in online
learning courses.
2. The school
district may reduce the course schedule of an online learning student in
proportion to the number of online learning courses the student takes from an
online learning provider other than the school district.
3. A teacher with a
Minnesota license must assemble and deliver instruction to enrolled students
receiving online learning from an enrolling district. The delivery of instruction occurs when the
student interacts with the computer or the teacher and receives ongoing
assistance and assessment of learning.
The instruction may include curriculum developed by persons other than a
teacher with a Minnesota license.
D. Academic Credit;
Graduation Standards or Requirements
1. The school
district shall apply the same graduation requirements to all students,
including online learning students.
2. The school
district shall use the same criteria for accepting online learning credits or
courses as it does for accepting credits or courses for nonresident transfer
students under Minnesota law.
3. An online learning
provider must make available to the school district the course syllabus,
standard alignment, content outline, assessment requirements, and contact
information for supplemental online courses taken by school district students.
4. The school
district may challenge the validity of a course offered by an online learning
provider. Such a challenge will be filed
with MDE.
5. The school
district shall count secondary credits granted to an online learning student
toward its graduation and credit requirements.
6. If a student
completes an online learning course or program that meets or exceeds a
graduation standard or grade progression requirement at the school district,
that standard or requirement will be met.
Legal References: Minn. Stat. § 123B.42, Subd. 1
(Curriculum; Electronic Components)
Minn. Stat. § 124D.03
(Enrollment Options Program)
Minn. Stat. § 124D.09
(Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Act)
Minn. Stat. § 124D.095 (Online
Learning Option Act)
Cross References: MSBA/MASA Model Policy 509 (Enrollment of
Nonresident Students)
MSBA/MASA Model Policy 605
(Alternative Programs)
MSBA/MASA Model Policy 608
(Instructional Services – Special Education)
MSBA/MASA Model Policy 613
(Graduation Requirements)
MSBA/MASA
Model Policy 620 (Credit for Learning)