Signed by Governor Eric Holcomb

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends the definition of what constitutes "virtual instruction" and ensures schools receive full funding for all students, regardless of whether they are receiving instruction virtually or in the classroom due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Highlights:

• Defines "virtual instruction" as instruction that is provided in an interactive learning environment created through technology in which the student is separated from a teacher by time or space, or both (Sec. 1.b).

• Requires each school corporation to provide the following to parents and guardians regarding virtual instruction (Sec. 1.c-1):

• Whether the school corporation or charter school provided virtual instruction to students of the school corporation or charter school; and

• If a school corporation or charter school provided virtual instruction under clause (A), the following information:

• The grade levels for which virtual instruction was provided;

• The total number and percentage of students who received full-time virtual instruction and the number and percentage of students who received hybrid instruction in which instructional time included virtual instruction part of the time and in-person instruction part of the time;

• The numbers and percentages described in item (ii) disaggregated by grade level;

• The number of days that the school corporation or charter school provided only full-time virtual instruction to students, disaggregated by grade level;

• The number of days that the school corporation or charter school provided only hybrid instruction to students, disaggregated by grade level;

• Whether virtual instruction was provided through synchronous learning or asynchronous learning;

• The status of student home Internet access; and

• Student access to electronic devices, including device to student ratio.

• Requires the Department of Education to, in collaboration with the state board, conduct a learning loss study regarding students in kindergarten through grade 10 for the 2020-2021 school year and the 2021-2022 school year. The study will include, but is not limited to, the following (Sec. 1.d):

• Which specific domains have significant learning loss for students in kindergarten through grade 10;

• What differences exist in domain:

• Performance;

• Growth; or

• Both, performance and growth; for specific subgroups, including students with disabilities and English language learners.

• Specifies the duties and options Department of Education has as follows (Sec. 1.f):

• The department will research the study described in subsection (d) after a review of the research methodology by the Indiana technical advisory committee;

• May include the use of summative and formative data sets in conducting the study; and

• May use a third-party vendor in conducting the study.

• Alleges the legislative council is urged to assign to an appropriate study committee for the 2022 interim and the 2023 interim the task of studying the information in the reports submitted by the department (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text