Senate Bill (SB) 229 – Blended Learning Model
Because the House approved SB 229 with changes, it returned to the Senate for a concurrence vote. At its Wednesday, December 8 session, the Senate approved SB 229. The bill includes an emergency clause, meaning it will become law upon the Governor’s signature. A summary of SB 229 can be found here. Click here for the full legislative text as approved by the House and Senate.
Main elements in SB 229 include:
- Extends the deadline for submission of a blended learning declaration to April 30, 2022
- Specifies that a district using blended learning is required to:
- Ensure that students have access to the internet and to devices students may use to participate in online learning. If a district or school determines that a student does not have appropriate access to the internet or a device, the district or school must provide it at no cost to the student
- Provide filtering software
- Monitor student achievement and progress and provide additional services if necessary
- Periodically communicate with parents or guardians regarding student progress
- Report quarterly to ODE the number of students participating in blended learning and the duration of their participation
- Revises the permanent law definition of blended learning to add “noncomputer-based learning opportunities”
- Current law defines it as “the delivery of instruction in a combination of time primarily in a supervised physical location away from home and online delivery whereby the student has some element of control over time, place, path, or pace of learning.”
- Permits a district to adopt a resolution to provide instruction using the school’s remote learning plan from the 2020-21 school year for the 2021-22 school year
- A district that adopts such a resolution must notify ODE by December 15, 2021
- Requires each public school district to complete and submit to ODE a remediation plan to address learning loss students experienced during the pandemic and post the plan on its website unless the district previously submitted an Extended Learning Plan (requested by the Governor earlier this year) or Local Use of Funds Plan (required as part of the ESSER III application)
- Adds two school district superintendents, a school principal, and a community school representative to the State Report Card Review Committee
- For the 2021-2022 school year only, exempts schools from retaining a student under the Third Grade Reading Guarantee
We will notify our members when the Governor signs SB 229.
House Bill (HB) 126 – Board of Revision Process
Thank you for contacting your legislators in the House and Senate regarding your concerns with HB 126 and its amendment. See details from prior e-Alerts here.
HB 126 did not move forward for a floor vote in the Senate as expected. This is a bit of a reprieve, which provides us with additional time to connect with House members. Click here for contact information.
Please continue your discussions and outreach with legislators.
If you have any questions about SB 229 or HB 126, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Important Resources
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