Signed by Governor Brad Little

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the teaching of an alternative curriculum for K-12 schools.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a school district to enter into an innovation classroom agreement with a requesting party if the requesting party represents a group of students equal or greater than the average class size in the school (Sec. 1).

• Requires an innovation classroom agreement to include the following (Sec. 1):

• The name of any teacher who will be working in the innovation classroom;

• The names of the participating students;

• A description of how and where the innovation classroom’s instruction will take place and whether it will include in-person, hybrid, or virtual components;

• Growth criteria or other measures of student learning;

• The alternative curriculum and instructional materials to be used in the innovation classroom; and

• The date when the innovation classroom will start.

• Authorizes students in an innovation classroom to use transportation services offered by the school district if the schedules match up (Sec. 1).

• Defines any teacher or other certificated staff member working in an innovation classroom to be an employee of the school district for purposes of compensation, retirement, federal social security, unemployment insurance, health insurance, and other benefits (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that students enrolled in an innovation classroom will be enrolled in the school district to calculate educational support program funds (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that students enrolled in an innovation classroom will not be included in the public school accountability results for the school district unless specified (Sec. 1).

• Requires students in an innovation classroom to take any required state testing (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the teaching of an alternative curriculum for K-12 schools.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a school district to enter into an innovation classroom agreement with a requesting party if the requesting party represents a group of students equal or greater than the average class size in the school (Sec. 1).

• Requires an innovation classroom agreement to include the following (Sec. 1):

• The name of any teacher who will be working in the innovation classroom;

• The names of the participating students;

• A description of how and where the innovation classroom’s instruction will take place and whether it will include in-person, hybrid, or virtual components;

• Growth criteria or other measures of student learning;

• The alternative curriculum and instructional materials to be used in the innovation classroom; and

• The date when the innovation classroom will start.

• Authorizes students in an innovation classroom to use transportation services offered by the school district if the schedules match up (Sec. 1).

• Defines any teacher or other certificated staff member working in an innovation classroom to be an employee of the school district for purposes of compensation, retirement, federal social security, unemployment insurance, health insurance, and other benefits (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that students enrolled in an innovation classroom will be enrolled in the school district to calculate educational support program funds (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that students enrolled in an innovation classroom will not be included in the public school accountability results for the school district unless specified (Sec. 1).

• Requires students in an innovation classroom to take any required state testing (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text