Sec. 31. (a) This section applies to a public school, including a charter school.

     (b) As used in this section, “virtual course” refers to a high school course offered at a public high school in which more than fifty percent (50%) of the course instruction was provided to students in an interactive learning environment created through technology in which the student is separated from the teacher by time, space, or both.

     (c) The state board, in collaboration with the department, shall create a process to allow a student who is presently enrolled in grade 9 through grade 12 at a public high school to retake a virtual course that the student previously completed in grade 9 through grade 12 at the same public high school if the following conditions are met:

(1) The student was enrolled in grade 9 through grade 12 during the 2019 through 2022 school years at the time the student completed the virtual course.

(2) The student completed the virtual course as a result of a state or federal executive order concerning the public health emergency caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

(3) The student has not yet graduated or completed high school.

     (d) If a student elects to retake a virtual course under subsection (c), the:

(1) retaken course must provide instruction regarding the same subject matter and content as the previously completed virtual course;

(2) retaken course must not be a virtual course;

(3) student must receive full credit for the retaken course upon completion; and

(4) grade received by the student upon completion of the retaken course must replace the grade received by the student in the previously completed virtual course.

     (e) If a student:

(1) retook and completed a course under the conditions described in subsection (c) prior to July 1, 2023; and

(2) makes a request to the superintendent to receive full credit and a replacement grade for the retaken course;

the student must receive full credit for the retaken course, and the grade received by the student upon completion of the retaken course must replace the grade received by the student in the previously completed virtual course.

     (f) The state board and the department may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to implement this section.

As added by P.L.250-2023, SEC.6.