Bill > H7029

This bill requires the Department of Education (DOE) to create an online catalog of digital learning courses, including details on course descriptions, success rates, and user feedback mechanisms, and also mandates reporting requirements for Florida Virtual School Global, an international extension of the Florida Virtual School. Furthermore, the Auditor General will conduct an operational audit of the Florida Virtual School and its global counterpart, submitting a report to the Legislature by January 31, 2014, to assess their administration, finances, and performance. The bill also revises the definition of "core-curricula courses" for class size requirements, excluding certain online and blended learning courses offered by traditional public schools, charter schools, or district innovation schools, and removes restrictions that previously prevented students from taking online courses across district lines. A new "Florida Approved Course Initiative" is established to expand student choices in online learning, including massive open online courses (MOOCs) and blended learning models, with the DOE tasked with identifying quality measures based on student outcomes. Additionally, school districts are authorized to contract with qualified providers to administer statewide standardized tests or assessments related to these Florida-approved courses, and the bill clarifies that students with disabilities will have access to testing sites.