§ 49-18-106 — Course review and approval process

(a) The department shall establish guidelines for the design and implementation of course access program courses. (b) Host LEAs seeking to offer a course access program course shall establish a local course review and approval process. (c) Host LEAs shall ensure each course approved: (1) Is offered by an approved course provider included in the listing of providers in the course access catalog; (2) Meets the instructional and academic rigor of a course that is provided in a traditional classroom setting; (3) Is aligned to the applicable state academic standards of the state board; (4) Is designed and implemented consistently with guidelines established by the department; and (5) Is taught by a teacher who is properly licensed and endorsed in accordance with the rules of the state board. (d) Host LEAs shall submit locally approved courses to the department with an assurance that the course has been reviewed in compliance with this section and with guidelines established by the department. The department shall submit locally approved courses to the state board for approval and inclusion in the course access catalog. (e) A course included in the course access catalog shall be available to eligible students in any home LEA. The approving host LEA is responsible for establishing a partnership with the approved provider in order to offer the course to students. (f) (1) The state board may exclude a course from the course access catalog at any time if a home LEA, the host LEA, or the department: (A) Submits evidence to the state board that: (i) The course is no longer adequately aligned with the approved state academic standards; (ii) The course fails to meet the minimum requirements of the state board; or (iii) The course no longer complies with the requirements of subdivisions (c)(1)-(5); and (B) Requests, in writing, that the state board exclude the course. (2) Before excluding a course under subdivision (f)(1), the state board shall make a finding that at least one (1) of subdivisions (f)(1)(A)(i)-(iii) has been met. (3) The state board shall exclude a course from the course access catalog at any time that the course provider is excluded from the course access catalog under § 49-18-105(b) . (4) The state board may establish additional reasons and requirements for the exclusion of courses from the course access catalog, including if the course is offered by a host school that was issued a "D" or "F" letter grade by the department on the most recent state report card issued pursuant to § 49-1-228 .

Legislative History

Amended by 2022 Tenn. Acts, ch. 929, s 6, eff. 7/1/2022. Amended by 2018 Tenn. Acts, ch. 784, s 9, eff. 4/20/2018. Added by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 889, s 7, eff. 4/27/2016.