Sec. 13. (a) After June 30, 2019, a virtual charter school may only apply for authorization with any statewide authorizer in accordance with the authorizer’s guidelines. After June 30, 2019, a virtual charter school that has a charter on June 30, 2019, may renew a charter only with a statewide authorizer. An authorizer described in IC 20-24-1-2.5(1) and IC 20-24-1-2.5(3) is not considered a statewide authorizer.

     (b) For each state fiscal year, a virtual charter school is entitled to receive funding in a month from the state in an amount equal to:

(1) the quotient of:

(A) the school’s basic tuition support determined under IC 20-43-6-3; divided by

(B) twelve (12); plus

(2) the total of any:

(A) special education grants under IC 20-43-7;

(B) career and technical education grants under IC 20-43-8;

(C) non-English speaking program grants under IC 20-43-10-4; and

(D) academic performance grants under IC 20-43-10.5;

to which the virtual charter school is entitled for the month.

For each state fiscal year, a virtual charter school’s special education grants under IC 20-43-7 shall be calculated in the same manner as special education grants are calculated for other school corporations.

     (c) The state board shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to govern the operation of virtual charter schools.

     (d) Each authorizer of a virtual charter school shall establish requirements or guidelines for virtual charter schools authorized by the authorizer that include the following:

(1) Minimum requirements for the mandatory annual onboarding process and orientation required under IC 20-24-5-4.5, which shall include a requirement that a virtual charter school must provide to a parent of a student:

(A) the student engagement and attendance requirements or policies of the virtual charter school; and

(B) notice that a person who knowingly or intentionally deprives a dependent of education commits a violation under IC 35-46-1-4.

(2) Requirements relating to tracking and monitoring student participation and attendance.

(3) Ongoing student engagement and counseling policy requirements.

(4) Employee policy requirements, including professional development requirements.

     (e) The department, with the approval of the state board, shall before December 1 of each year submit an annual report to the budget committee concerning the program under this section.

     (f) Each school year, at least sixty percent (60%) of the students who are enrolled in virtual charter schools under this section for the first time must have been included in the state’s fall count of ADM conducted in the previous school year.

     (g) Each virtual charter school shall report annually to the department concerning the following, on a schedule determined by the department:

(1) Classroom size.

(2) The ratio of teachers per classroom.

(3) The number of student-teacher meetings conducted in person or by video conference.

(4) Any other information determined by the department.

The department shall provide this information annually to the state board and the legislative council in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6.

     (h) A virtual charter school shall adopt a student engagement policy. A student who regularly fails to participate in courses may be withdrawn from enrollment under policies adopted by the virtual charter school. The policies adopted by the virtual charter school must ensure that:

(1) adequate notice of the withdrawal is provided to the parent and the student; and

(2) an opportunity is provided, before the withdrawal of the student by the virtual charter school, for the student or the parent to demonstrate that failure to participate in the course is due to an event that would be considered an excused absence under IC 20-33-2.

     (i) A student who is withdrawn from enrollment for failure to participate in courses pursuant to the school’s student engagement policy may not reenroll in that same virtual charter school for the school year in which the student is withdrawn.

     (j) An authorizer shall review and monitor whether a virtual charter school that is authorized by the authorizer complies with the requirements described in subsections (h) and (i).

As added by P.L.182-2009(ss), SEC.315. Amended by P.L.1-2010, SEC.78; P.L.91-2011, SEC.20; P.L.229-2011, SEC.171; P.L.205-2013, SEC.234; P.L.5-2015, SEC.44; P.L.213-2015, SEC.160; P.L.217-2017, SEC.97; P.L.250-2017, SEC.21; P.L.191-2018, SEC.8; P.L.108-2019, SEC.209; P.L.159-2019, SEC.10; P.L.165-2021, SEC.150; P.L.201-2023, SEC.154.