High School Innovative Learning Pilot

High school innovative learning pilot program - appropriation. The act creates the high school innovative learning pilot program (pilot program) to support school districts, boards of cooperative services, and charter schools (local education providers) in providing innovative learning opportunities to students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 (high school students). Each local education provider that is selected to participate in the pilot program is allowed, for purposes of school finance, to count high school students who participate in innovative learning opportunities as full-time pupils regardless of whether they meet the required number of teacher-pupil instruction and contact hours for full-time enrollment.

A local education provider may apply to participate in the pilot program by submitting an application that, among other things, describes the local education provider's innovative learning plan (plan). The act specifies other requirements for the application and requirements for the plan. The department of education (department) implements the pilot program by reviewing the applications and recommending to the state board of education (state board) the applicants that should participate in the pilot program, and the state board selects the participants. The recommendations and selections must be based on criteria specified in the act. The act limits the number of pilot program participants in the first year but states it is the intent of the general assembly to increase participation to 100% by the 2025-26 budget year.

The act directs the department to contract with a statewide nonprofit entity to assist the department and local education providers in applying to participate, participating, and evaluating the pilot program and in preparing a report concerning implementation of the pilot program. The act specifies information that each participating local education provider must submit to the department concerning its participation in the pilot program and requires the department to prepare an annual report summarizing the information and evaluating the success of the pilot program in increasing high school student participation in innovative learning opportunities. The pilot program is repealed, effective July 1, 2025.

For the 2019-20 fiscal year, the act appropriates $129,563 from the general fund to the department of education to implement the pilot program.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)