IGCD: Virtual Courses

This policy governs part-time enrollment with a hosted Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program (MOCAP) provider, full- and part-time enrollment with other MOCAP providers, and enrollment in other virtual course options provided through the district. Students who seek full-time enrollment with a hosted MOCAP provider must enroll pursuant to policy IGCDA. Definitions

Full-Time Virtual Course Enrollment – The instructional equivalent of six credits per regular term.

Hosted MOCAP Provider – A public school district, charter school or higher education institution that is registered through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to provide virtual education through the MOCAP program to Missouri students. A host district may provide the courses directly or contract with a course provider to provide the courses.

MOCAP Provider – An entity listed by DESE as part of the virtual course program under § 161.670, RSMo, that provides virtual courses for elementary and/or secondary students.

Virtual Course – A single class that is designed to deliver all or most of the curriculum electronically. Students may be separated from their instructor or teacher of record by time, location or both. General

The district may offer virtual courses to students through district staff or by contracting for those services as part of the district-sponsored curriculum. Students may also enroll in virtual courses offered through MOCAP providers. This could result in entire course loads that are provided through virtual courses from the district, district-selected and/or MOCAP providers while the student remains enrolled in the district.

Students may also take virtual courses from other sources at their own expense. Before a student independently enrolls in and pays for virtual courses not otherwise accessible through the district, the district recommends that the student meet with district staff to ensure that the course aligns with the student's education goals and that the district will accept the course credit. Virtual Course Enrollment

A student or parent/guardian must receive district approval before the student may enroll in virtual courses provided by or paid for by the district or through MOCAP.

Enrollment in courses offered through MOCAP may be denied only if the principal or designee, in consultation with the student's parents/guardians and relevant staff, determines that it is not in the student's best educational interest to enroll in the course. The principal or designee will consider available opportunities for in-person instruction and the student's prior participation in virtual courses when making this decision. As required by law, the district allows for continuous enrollment in MOCAP courses throughout the year. The principal or designee will approve or deny requests to enroll in a MOCAP course within the timeframe required by law. Enrollment Decision Review

The principal or designee will notify the student and the parents/guardians in writing when declining student enrollment in a virtual course and provide an explanation for the decision. The student or parent/guardian may request that the superintendent review the decision, but the superintendent’s decision is final. Students with Disabilities

A student's individualized education program (IEP) team or Section 504 team will make the virtual course enrollment decisions for students with IEPs or Section 504 plans. If enrollment is appropriate, the IEP or Section 504 team will determine the services, aids, supports and accommodations required. Any review of a decision made by an IEP or Section 504 team must go through the process provided under federal law. Attendance and Completion

Students who enroll in district-sponsored virtual courses or MOCAP courses through the district are expected to actively participate in those courses with the goal of completing the course. If a student does not actively participate in a course or is not progressing in the course, the district may remove the student from the virtual course and consider the student’s performance when making decisions regarding future virtual course enrollments.

Students enrolled in a district-sponsored course or MOCAP course through the district will be considered in attendance for state aid purposes in accordance with law. A completed virtual course or MOCAP course shall be counted as no less than 95 percent attendance for purposes of A+ Scholarship Program eligibility. Eligibility for Extracurricular Activities

Students enrolled in virtual courses offered through the district or through MOCAP under this policy are considered district students and are eligible to participate in extracurricular activities unless restricted by the Missouri State High School Activities Association. State Assessments

Students are required to take the state assessments, including district-administered EOC examinations, regardless of whether the course for which the examination is required was taken virtually or in person. Credit

The district will accept all grades and credits earned through district-sponsored virtual instruction and MOCAP providers. Credits obtained from other sources will be recognized in accordance with policy JECC. Notice

District-provided and district-sponsored virtual courses will be advertised in the district’s course catalog.

The district will inform students and parents/guardians of MOCAP program availability in parent/guardian handbooks and registration documents and feature the program on the homepage of the district's website, as required by law. The district will provide every student enrolled in the district and parents/guardians with a copy of DESE's MOCAP guidance document at the beginning of the school year or upon enrollment. In addition, the district will provide a readily viewable link to the guidance document on the main page of its website. Payment

The district will pay the tuition for MOCAP courses when required by law to do so but is not otherwise required to pay the tuition for a student to attend a virtual course unless the course is approved by the district as part of the district's course offerings. Virtual Course Behavior and Expectations

Students taking courses virtually are subject to district policies, procedures and rules applicable to students enrolled in traditional courses including, but not limited to, the district's code of conduct and prohibitions on academic dishonesty, discrimination, harassment, bullying and cyberbullying.

When students are participating in virtual courses, what can be seen and heard electronically from the student's location becomes part of the district's education environment. Students are responsible for ensuring that what is seen, heard or otherwise communicated is appropriate for the learning environment and not disruptive. The district's code of conduct applies to virtual in-class behavior. Student speech that is prohibited on campus is also prohibited in the virtual classroom.

Students may electronically display everyday items that they would be prohibited from possessing at school (such as pets, toys or objects forming typical room décor) as long as the display does not disrupt learning.

Version IGCD-C.1C (01/23)

Federal

20 U.S.C. § 1400-1417 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 29 U.S.C. § 794 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 34 C.F.R Part 104 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 34 C.F.R Part 300 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101-12213 Americans with Disabilities Act

AC PROHIBITION AGAINST ILLEGAL DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT AND RETALIATION BDC CLOSED MEETINGS, RECORDS AND VOTES BDDH-1

JEA: Compulsory and Part-time Attendance

JECC-1 ASSIGNMENT OF STUDENTS TO GRADE LEVELS/CLASSES JFCF: Bullying

JHD: Student Counseling Program