Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 281 - Education Department › Title II - Accredited Schools and School Districts › Chapter 15 - Online and Virtual Learning › Rule 281-15.12 - Department General Supervision of Telecommunications and Online Learning

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
(1)
Nature
				of general supervision.
The department shall exercise general
				supervision over compliance with this chapter and shall offer advice and
				technical assistance to foster compliance and improved outcomes. This shall be
				accomplished by department staff, the state board of education, and the
				education telecommunications council.
(2)
Data collection and
				reporting.
a. Each school district
				and accredited nonpublic school shall include in its comprehensive school
				improvement plan a list and description of the online coursework offered by the
				school district or accredited nonpublic school to which the student is
				enrolled.
b. Online schools. A
				school district providing educational instruction and course content delivered
				primarily over the Internet that is required to seek approval under subrule
				15.7(4) shall annually submit to the department, in the manner prescribed by
				the department, data that includes but is not limited to the following:
(1) Student achievement and demographic
				characteristics.
(2) Retention
				rates.
(3) The percentage of
				enrolled students' active participation in extracurricular
				activities.
(4) Academic
				proficiency levels, consistent with requirements applicable to all school
				districts and accredited nonpublic schools in this state.
(5) Academic growth measures, which shall
				include either of the following:
1. Entry and
				exit assessments in, at a minimum, math and English for elementary and middle
				school students, and additional subjects, including science, for high school
				students.
2. State-required
				assessments that track year-over-year improvements in academic
				proficiency.
(6)
				Academic mobility. To facilitate the tracking of academic mobility, school
				districts shall request the following information from the parent or guardian
				of a student enrolled in educational instruction and course content that are
				delivered primarily over the Internet:
1. For
				a student newly enrolling, the reasons for choosing such enrollment.
2. For a student terminating enrollment, the
				reasons for terminating such enrollment.
(7) Student progress toward graduation.
				Measurement of such progress shall account for specific characteristics of each
				enrolled student, including but not limited to age and course credit accrued
				prior to enrollment in educational instruction and course content that are
				delivered primarily over the Internet, and shall be consistent with
				evidence-based best practices.
c. Department responsibilities. The
				department shall compile and review the data collected pursuant to this subrule
				and shall submit its findings and recommendations for the continued delivery by
				school districts of educational instruction and course content delivered
				primarily over the Internet in a report to the general assembly by January 15
				annually.