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S1149..........................................................by EDUCATION
IDAHO DIGITAL LEARNING ACADEMY - Amends existing law relating to the Idaho
Digital Learning Academy to revise terminology from "high" school to
"secondary" school to include grades seven through twelve; and to provide
that the academy board of directors shall employ a curriculum and
instruction coordinator and obtain housing for the fiscal operations of the
academy.
02/14 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/15 Rpt prt - to Educ
02/18 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
02/21 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
02/23 3rd rdg - PASSED - 29-0-6
AYES -- Andreason, Broadsword, Bunderson, Burtenshaw, Cameron,
Coiner, Compton, Corder, Darrington, Davis, Geddes, Goedde, Hill,
Jorgenson, Kelly, Keough, Little, Lodge, Malepeai, Marley, McGee,
McKenzie, Pearce, Richardson, Schroeder, Stegner, Stennett, Werk,
Williams
NAYS -- None
Absent and excused -- Brandt, Burkett, Gannon, Langhorst, Noble,
Sweet
Floor Sponsor - Cameron
Title apvd - to House
02/24 House intro - 1st rdg - to Educ
03/07 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/08 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/15 3rd rdg - PASSED - 67-0-3
AYES -- Anderson, Andrus, Barraclough, Barrett, Bastian, Bayer,
Bedke, Bell, Bilbao, Black, Block, Boe, Bolz, Bradford, Cannon,
Chadderdon, Clark, Collins, Crow, Deal, Denney, Edmunson, Ellsworth,
Field(18), Field(23), Garrett, Hart(Jacobson), Harwood, Henbest,
Henderson, Jaquet, Jones, Kemp, Lake, LeFavour, Loertscher, Martinez,
Mathews, McGeachin, McKague, Miller, Mitchell, Moyle, Nielsen,
Nonini, Pasley-Stuart, Pence, Ring, Ringo, Rusche, Rydalch, Sali,
Sayler, Schaefer, Shepherd(2), Shepherd(8), Shirley, Skippen,
Smith(30), Smith(24), Smylie, Snodgrass, Stevenson, Trail, Wills,
Wood, Mr. Speaker
NAYS -- None
Absent and excused -- Eskridge, Raybould, Roberts
Floor Sponsors - Nielsen & Boe
Title apvd - to Senate
03/16 To enrol
03/17 Rpt enrol - Pres signed
03/18 Sp signed
03/21 To Governor
03/23 Governor signed
Session Law Chapter 132
Effective: 07/01/05
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]]
Fifty-eighth Legislature First Regular Session - 2005
IN THE SENATE
SENATE BILL NO. 1149
BY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
1 AN ACT
2 RELATING TO THE IDAHO DIGITAL LEARNING ACADEMY; AMENDING SECTION 33-5502,
3 IDAHO CODE, TO REVISE TERMINOLOGY; AMENDING SECTION 33-5504, IDAHO CODE,
4 TO PROVIDE THAT THE ACADEMY BOARD OF DIRECTORS SHALL EMPLOY A CURRICULUM
5 AND INSTRUCTION COORDINATOR AND SHALL OBTAIN HOUSING FOR OPERATIONS OF THE
6 ACADEMY; AMENDING SECTION 33-5505, IDAHO CODE, TO REVISE THE DEFINITIONS
7 OF "HOST DISTRICT" AND "IDAHO DIGITAL LEARNING ACADEMY"; AND AMENDING SEC-
8 TION 33-5507, IDAHO CODE, TO REVISE TERMINOLOGY AND TO MAKE A TECHNICAL
9 CORRECTION.
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
11 SECTION 1. That Section 33-5502, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
12 amended to read as follows:
13 33-5502. CREATION -- LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS -- GOAL. (1) There is hereby
14 created within the state department of education the Idaho digital learning
15 academy, a school-choice learning environment which joins the best technology
16 with the best instructional practices.
17 (2) The legislature finds that it is in the best public interest to cre-
18 ate the Idaho digital learning academy based on findings that indicate:
19 (a) Technology continues to impact all facets of life, including the edu-
20 cation of students of school age and adult learners;
21 (b) Systems for delivery of education are as diverse as the learners;
22 (c) Public school systems are seeking high quality educational choices
23 within the public system, and are aligning curriculum and assessment with
24 state achievement standards; and
25 (d) The development of a comprehensive digital learning environment is
26 cost prohibitive for individual school districts.
27 (3) The goal of the digital learning academy is to provide choice, acces-
28 sibility, flexibility, quality and equity in curricular offerings for high
29 school-aged secondary students in this state.
30 SECTION 2. That Section 33-5504, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
31 amended to read as follows:
32 33-5504. DUTIES OF THE ACADEMY BOARD OF DIRECTORS. The board shall be
33 responsible for ensuring that academy procedures and courses are in compliance
34 with the rules of the state board of education and applicable statutes of the
35 state of Idaho. In addition, the board shall:
36 (1) Recommend policies to be established by rule of the state board for
37 effecting the purposes of this chapter.
38 (2) Employ staff as follows:
39 (a) A director who shall be responsible for staff development, staff
40 evaluation, program development and oversight, and quality assurance;
41 (b) A professional development curriculum and instruction coordinator who
2
1 shall be responsible for training faculty in online course design, devel-
2 opment and delivery, and shall assist the director in quality assurance;
3 (c) Clerical staff as necessary to manage student information, maintain
4 student records, manage academy correspondence, and oversee basic finan-
5 cial accounting as directed;
6 (d) Appropriate technology staff who shall support faculty in understand-
7 ing and applying the technical aspects of online course development and
8 delivery;
9 (e) Faculty and teaching staff who are fully certificated Idaho teachers,
10 to design and deliver planned curriculum content. Such staff shall be pro-
11 vided appropriate and sufficient training as necessary. The number of such
12 staff shall largely be dictated by the number of courses under develop-
13 ment, the number of courses offered, and the number of students partici-
14 pating in academy programs.
15 (3) Obtain housing with a host school district where actual operations of
16 the academy are conducted by academy staff. Housing should be minimal and rea-
17 sonably portable so that it can be transferred from one (1) host district to
18 another without disruption of the program.
19 (4) Contract with a service provider for delivery of academy courses
20 online which shall be accessible twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days
21 a week.
22 (5) Ensure that the academy is accredited by the state of Idaho and the
23 northwest accreditation association.
24 (6) Develop policy for earning credit in courses based on mastery of the
25 subject, demonstrated competency, and meeting the standards set for each
26 course.
27 (7) Provide for articulating the content of certain high school courses
28 with college and university courses in order to award both high school and
29 undergraduate college credit.
30 (8) Develop policies and practices which provide strict application of
31 time limits for completion of courses.
32 (9) Develop policies and practices on accountability, both by the student
33 and the teacher, and in accordance with the provisions of section 33-5507,
34 Idaho Code.
35 (10) Manage the moneys disbursed to the academy board from the superin-
36 tendent.
37 (11) Set fees charged to school districts for student participation; fees
38 charged for summer school; and fees charged to students and adults for profes-
39 sional development offerings.
40 SECTION 3. That Section 33-5505, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
41 amended to read as follows:
42 33-5505. DEFINITIONS. As used in this chapter:
43 (1) "Academy board," also referred to in this chapter as "the board"
44 means the board of directors of the Idaho digital learning academy as such
45 board is created in section 33-5503, Idaho Code.
46 (2) "Host district" means an Idaho school district where the fiscal oper-
47 ations of the Idaho digital learning academy are housed. The host district
48 shall also act as the fiscal agent for the academy.
49 (3) "Idaho digital learning academy" means an online educational program
50 organized as a fully accredited high secondary school with statewide capabili-
51 ties for delivering accredited courses to Idaho resident students in grades
52 nine seven (97) through twelve (12) at no cost to the student unless the stu-
53 dent enrolls in additional courses beyond full-time enrollment. Participation
3
1 in the academy by public school students shall be in compliance with academy
2 and local school district policies. Adult learners and out-of-state students
3 shall pay tuition commensurate with rates established by the state board with
4 the advice of the superintendent, and such funds shall be included in the bud-
5 get and audit of the academy's fiscal records.
6 (4) "State board" means the Idaho state board of education. The board is
7 authorized and directed, with the advice and recommendation of the academy
8 board of directors, to promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this
9 chapter.
10 (5) "Superintendent" means the Idaho state superintendent of public
11 instruction.
12 SECTION 4. That Section 33-5507, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
13 amended to read as follows:
14 33-5507. REGISTRATION -- ACCOUNTABILITY. (1) A student may register with
15 the academy upon recommendation from a traditional school counselor or admin-
16 istrator, or may register directly with the academy if there is no current
17 public school affiliation. However, in order for course work coursework com-
18 pleted through the academy to be recorded on the student's transcript, the
19 student shall indicate which high secondary school is to receive and record
20 credits earned.
21 (2) Students who register for courses shall provide the name of a respon-
22 sible adult who shall be the contact person for the academy in situations
23 which require consultation regarding the student's conduct and performance. A
24 designated responsible adult for students with a school affiliation may be a
25 teacher, a counselor or a distance learning coordinator. For home schooled
26 students, a parent or guardian may be designated.
27 (3) Policies of accountability as established by rule of the state board
28 shall address the special conditions which exist in an environment where there
29 is reduced face-to-face contact between student and teacher; where students
30 access courses at any time of day, from any location and at the student's own
31 pace; where online etiquette and ethics should be clearly understood and
32 required of all participants; and where all students' participation is moni-
33 tored by online teachers and academy personnel.
34 (4) Policies shall be established by rule of the state board for student-
35 related issues including taking exams, proctored or unproctored; ensuring that
36 the work is being done by the student; and ensuring that ethical conduct and
37 proper etiquette are always observed by all participants.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 14891
The primary change is this proposed legislation is to
extend IDLA instruction from grades 9-12 to 7-12. Current
legislation authorized IDLA instruction as secondary
instruction, grades 9-12. Idaho school districts have requested
that instruction be offered for grades 7-12 so that middle
schools and junior high schools can offer a broader curriculum,
can overcome scheduling conflicts, can offer gifted and talented
courses, and so that remedial courses can be made more available
to low achieving students. Many of the current courses offered
to high school students are appropriate for seventh and eighth
grade students.
The other proposed changes are basically housekeeping
changes that will not change the operation of the IDLA program.
The current reference to a professional development coordinator
would more properly be referred to as a curriculum and
instruction coordinator. This position requires a person who
can serve as a curriculum and instruction coordinator who also
provides for faculty training. The actual operations of the
district do not occur at the host district and do not need to be
housed with the host district. The host district can and does
serve as housing for the fiscal operations of IDLA.
FISCAL IMPACT
This proposed legislation has no fiscal impact. The
changes allow IDLA to extend current and future course offerings
to 7th and 8th graders.
Contact
Name: Senator Dean Cameron
Phone: 334-4735
Name: Dr. Nick Hallett
1-208 436-4727
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE S 1149