This bill revises present law provisions regarding course access program courses, as discussed below.
Under present law, the course access program allows students enrolled in Tennessee public school in grades 7-12 to enroll in certain courses provided by course providers who are authorized by the department of education to offer courses online or in person, including online education providers, public or private elementary or secondary education institutions, education service agencies, postsecondary education institutions, and vocational or technical course providers. This bill removes the authorization for students in grades 7 and 8 to enroll in course access program courses.
Under present law, an eligible student may enroll in courses provided through the course access program only if the student meets all prerequisites for the course and the student is unable to enroll in a comparable course at the student's school because either a comparable course is not offered or a legitimate situation exists that prevents the student from enrolling in a comparable course. Present law provides that the state board may approve and adopt additional enrollment requirements. This bill removes the state board's authority to approve and adopt additional enrollment requirements.
Present law specifies that the state board may exclude a course from the course catalog for certain reasons, as specified in present law, and authorizes the board to establish additional reasons and requirements for the exclusion of courses from the course access catalog. This bill specifies that the state board may exclude a course from the course access catalog, if the course is offered by a school that was issued a "D" or "F" letter grade by the department on the most recent state report card.
ON MARCH 28, 2022, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1850, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 retains the present law authorization for students in grades 7 and 8 to enroll in course access program courses (which the bill as introduced would have removed). This amendment also revises other various provisions of the Course Access Program Act, as follows:
(1) This amendment redefines "course provider," which, under present law, means a nonprofit entity, LEA, charter school or charter management organization, institution of higher education, or state agency, that has been approved by the state board to offer individual courses in person or online and that has been included in the listing of providers in the course access catalog. This amendment adds that a course provider may also be a business, industry, educator, for-profit entity, trade association, or branch of the U.S. armed forces.
(2) Under present law, if the student's home LEA approves a student to take more than two course access program courses in a school year, then the student must pay the host LEA any tuition and fees required for all additional courses. This amendment removes the reference to "host LEA" in regard to payment.
(3) Present law requires course providers to provide an assurance that all online information and resources for online or blended learning courses are fully accessible for students of all abilities. This amendment revises this provision to instead require course providers to provide an assurance that all information and resources for extended learning, in person, online, or blended learning courses are fully accessible for students of all abilities.
(4) Present law authorizes the state board to establish additional reasons and requirements for the exclusion of courses from the course access catalog. This amendment specifically includes as such a reason the fact that the course is offered by a host school that was issued a "D" or "F" letter grade by the department on the most recent state report card.
(5) This amendment requires the state board to adopt a policy regarding extended learning opportunities. This amendment defines "extended learning" as an out-of-classroom learning experience that provides a student with:
(A) Enrichment opportunities outside of a classroom;
(B) Career readiness or employability skills, including internships and apprenticeships; or
(C) An out-of-classroom educational opportunity approved by the state board or host LEA.

Statutes affected:
Current Version: 49-18-102(8), 49-18-102, 49-18-103(e), 49-18-103, 49-18-106(f)(4), 49-18-106
Amended with HA0794 -- 03/28/2022: 49-18-102(8), 49-18-102, 49-18-103(e), 49-18-103, 49-18-106(f)(4), 49-18-106, 49-18-102(6), 49-18-103(c)(1), 49-18-105(a)(4), 49-18-105