§ 20-24-7-13 — Virtual charter schools; funding; reporting

(a) A virtual charter school may only apply
for authorization with any statewide authorizer in accordance with the
authorizer's guidelines. A virtual charter school 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).

Legislative History

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; P.L.214-2025, SEC.61.