Directs the commissioner of education to establish an online learning committee to make recommendations for establishment of a statewide online and blended learning program.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7846--A
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
June 6, 2013
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GABRYSZAK -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to direct the commissioner of education to establish an online
learning advisory committee to make recommendations on establishing a
statewide online and blended learning program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature recognizes that there
2 is a demonstrated need to reevaluate the delivery of education in New
3 York state in light of educational advancements and a more technolog-
4 ically driven economy. In light of academic discrepancies for those in
5 the most rural and underrepresented areas within the state as well as
6 the unstable economic times, we believe that there is a need to advance
7 emerging technologies and the potential for implementation of a state-
8 wide online and blended learning program. This will provide an opportu-
9 nity to highlight the state's most successful programs and make them
10 universally accessible. A statewide online and blended learning program
11 will not only have the potential to provide equal educational opportu-
12 nities to the most remote areas of the state, but help all students as
13 they transition into a competitive marketplace.
14 § 2. The commissioner of education, in consultation with the New York
15 state broadband program office of the empire state development corpo-
16 ration, the New York state energy research and development authority and
17 the public service commission, shall establish an online learning advi-
18 sory committee which shall develop recommendations for establishment of
19 a statewide online and blended learning program. Such advisory committee
20 shall be composed of 12 members appointed by the commissioner of educa-
21 tion. Provided that of such 12 members: three members shall be
22 appointed upon the recommendation of the governor, three members shall
23 be appointed upon the recommendation of the temporary president of the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10800-05-3
A. 7846--A 2
1 senate, three members shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the
2 speaker of the assembly, and the remaining members shall be appointed in
3 the sole discretion of the commissioner of education. The members of the
4 committee shall have demonstrated experience with or expertise in one of
5 the following areas: private or public online providers, accreditation
6 of programming, boards of cooperative educational services, school
7 administration, educational delivery in a rural setting, existing online
8 and blended learning program development, institutions of higher educa-
9 tion, or as a teacher certified pursuant to article 61 of the education
10 law. The recommendations of the advisory committee shall include, but
11 not be limited to:
12 (a) definitions of online and blended learning;
13 (b) connecting modules throughout the state in order to create a
14 statewide online and blended learning system including, but not limited
15 to, remote and rural school districts;
16 (c) model school district policies, as well as model agreements to be
17 used by school districts in implementation of an online and blended
18 learning program including, but not limited to, agreements that address
19 billing, fees, responsibilities of online course providers and school
20 districts;
21 (d) best practices from throughout the state that can be modeled and
22 replicated;
23 (e) implementation guidelines and policies for schools without online
24 and blended learning programs;
25 (f) state and federal funding opportunities for online and blended
26 learning programs, as well as a review of state aid to online and blend-
27 ed learning programs;
28 (g) regulatory review and development of new regulations pertaining to
29 online and blended learning programs;
30 (h) content and course evaluation;
31 (i) identifiable academic programming suited for online and blended
32 learning that have been eliminated from course offerings within the past
33 five years including, but not limited to, foreign language courses,
34 technology classes, art and music, and career and college ready
35 programs;
36 (j) partnerships with institutions of higher education for workforce
37 opportunities using online and blended learning;
38 (k) teaching and professional development requirements including
39 recommendations regarding licensure, and compliance with current state
40 laws;
41 (l) technology support, including but not limited to, technological
42 delivery and broadband access to remote and underrepresented geographic
43 areas;
44 (m) quality assessment and licensing of online providers;
45 (n) operational and administrative support guidelines;
46 (o) addressing barriers to the implementation of online and blended
47 learning programs; and
48 (p) local school district flexibility including recommendations for
49 compliance with seat-time and graduation requirements.
50 § 3. The members of the advisory committee shall receive no compen-
51 sation for their services, but shall be allowed their actual and neces-
52 sary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to
53 this act.
54 § 4. The advisory committee shall convene on or before August 1, 2013
55 to develop its recommendations. On or before January 1, 2014, the
56 committee shall submit a preliminary report of its recommendations for
A. 7846--A 3
1 consideration in the executive budget for the 2014-2015 state fiscal
2 year, and, on or before October 1, 2014, shall submit a final report of
3 its recommendations to the governor, the temporary president of the
4 senate, the speaker of the assembly and the chairs of the legislative
5 commission on the development of rural resources.
6 § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
