Online Student Protections

If a school district, board of cooperative services, or charter school (local education provider) provides educational programming via online instruction to a student (online student), the act prohibits the local education provider from:

• Prohibiting the online student's parent from being in the same room while the student participates in online instruction, but the person leading the instruction may require a disruptive parent to leave the area of online instruction;
• Requiring an online student to use a camera while participating in online instruction if the student's technology does not allow for use of a camera; and
• Suspending or expelling an online student based on an item observed in the student's physical environment or the student's behavior while participating in online instruction, unless the behavior constitutes one of the statutory grounds for suspension or expulsion.

The act specifies that the limitation on suspending or expelling an online student applies to suspensions and expulsions that occur on or after March 23, 2020.

The act specifies that the premises, facilities, and buildings of an educational institution do not include an online student's private residence for purposes of the crime of interference with staff, faculty, or students of educational institutions.

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