Virtual charter school bill nears the finish line

A bill lawmakers say will bring greater transparency to virtual charter schools now awaits the governor's signature.

On Monday, the state Senate unanimously passed House Bill 2905, called the Virtual Charter School Transparency and Reform Act, and sent the measure to Gov. Kevin Stitt's desk.

Lawmakers wrote the bill in collaboration with virtual charter schools and organizations representing traditional school districts.

Epic Charter Schools, the state's largest virtual school system, participated in negotiations, said Shelly Hickman, assistant superintendent of communications.

“Epic came to the table with fellow educators working on this bill with lawmakers to find common ground,” Hickman said. “We made the majority of compromise sin the spirit of being a good teammate. If this pandemic has demonstrated anything, it' s that we all must work together to serve all Oklahoma students.”

HB 2905 would bring widespread changes to virtual charter schools, from student transfers to truancy rules. Rep. Sheila Dills, R-Tulsa, and Sen. Dewayne Pe mberton, R-Muskogee, were the principal authors of the bill.

State schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister urged Stitt to sign the bill, saying state laws have struggled to keep pace with the rapid development of virtual education.

“Today' s vote was a step forward for transparency and accountability for virtual charter schools ,” H of meister said .“We are grateful to Rep. Dills and Sen. Pemberton for involving the Oklahoma State Department of Education in helping draft a bill that strengthens requirements for virtual charter schools while protecting student and parent choice. Our thanks also extend to House and Senate leadership for ensuring this important bill was heard in a Legislative session truncated by the COVID19 pandemic.”

Under HB 2905, each virtual charter school student would have to complete 72 instructional activities each quarter, a significant increase from the current minimum of 40.

Instructional activities will be classified as meetings with a teacher, tests, school-sanctioned field trips, orientation and completed assignments that factor into a student's class grade.

Students would be withdrawn for truancy after 15 days without completing instructional activities. Those who are withdrawn for truancy twice in one school year would be prohibited from re-enrolling in the virtual charter school.

Students who enroll in a virtual charter would be considered a transfer student from their resident public school district. After receiving notice of a transfer, the school district must send the student's records to the virtual school within three school days.

A public school student would be allowed one transfer per a cademic year to a virtual charter school.

The bill would require a virtual charter school to give an orientation to all new enrollees before they complete any instructional activities.

Current virtual charter school students would have to complete an orientation before continuing with instructional activities.

Sen. Gary Stanislawski, chairman of the Senate education committee, said this was his favorite section of the bill.

“The best part for me that I like about it was simply the introductory period to help students ... understand the rigor of that school and will they have the discipline and support system in their home to make it through,” Stanislawski said on the Senate floor.