This bill modifies the provisions of law governing standards for participation in public school by students who are enrolled in equivalent instruction programs. Equivalent instruction programs include home instruction programs, private schools or other alternative arrangements approved by the Commissioner of Education. Current law provides different standards for participation in public school for students enrolled in home instruction programs as opposed to students enrolled in certain recognized private schools. The bill amends the law to provide one set of standards to apply to all types of equivalent instruction programs. The bill makes changes related to the approval process that a student enrolled in an equivalent instruction program must follow to participate in regular classes in a public school. These changes include eliminating the requirement that a student receive written approval from the superintendent or the superintendent's designee to enroll in or audit a course and modifying the terms used to describe the academic achievement a student must demonstrate in order to participate. The bill allows an equivalent instruction program to use facilities on property owned or leased by a library, community service organization, museum, performing arts venue, theater, cinema or church facility if the property is being used solely for the purpose of operating a type of facility described in the bill, the facility is or was actively used for one of those purposes within 5 years of any executed agreement for the equivalent instruction program to use that facility and the facility follows the state and local health, safety and welfare laws, codes and rules applicable to that facility, including fire safety and building safety.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 482, HP 311: 20-A.5021