Relating to the minimum school calendar requirements and the use of online learning by school districts and accredited nonpublic schools

This bill relates to the minimum school calendar requirements and the use of online learning by school districts and accredited nonpublic schools. The bill authorizes the board of directors of a school district and the authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school to provide online learning to students enrolled in the school district or the accredited nonpublic school for no more than consecutive school days in a school year or for no more than total school days in a school year, without prior approval from the department of education. The bill provides that the board of directors and the authorities must apply to the department of education for authorization to provide online learning to students enrolled in the school district or the accredited nonpublic school for more than consecutive school days in a school year or for more than total school days in a school year. Current law requires the school calendar for school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to include at least 180 days of instruction or 1,080 hours of instruction. The bill provides that any school days of online learning that the department authorizes the board of directors or the authorities to provide in excess of the 10-day limitation shall not be considered days of instruction or hours of instruction that count toward the 180-day or 1,080-hour requirement and requires the board of directors or the authorities to extend the school calendar to make up for those school days. The bill defines “online learning”.