Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

0819.01000
     Sixty-sixth
     Legislative Assembly                   SENATE BILL NO. 2216
     of North Dakota
     Introduced by
       Senator Schaible
       Representative Owens
  A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact sections 15-19-01, 15-19-02, 15-19-02.1, 15-19-04,
  15-19-06, and 15-19-08 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to distance education; and
  to repeal section 15-19-03 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to authorization of
  enrollments to the center for distance education by a superintendent of a school.
  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
      SECTION 1. AMENDMENT. Section 15-19-01 of the North Dakota Century Code is
  amended and reenacted as follows:
      15-19-01. Distance education courses - Establishment - Enrollment of students -
  Courses of instruction.
     The state shall provide distance educationkindergarten through grade twelve courses,
 comprehensive educational support, and high school diplomas through the center for distance
 education under the following provisions:
     1.   A complete curriculum by distance education which has been specifically determined
          byprescribed by state-mandated education accreditation entities which meets the
          requirements for digital education the superintendent of public instruction as proper
          and suitable for instruction under distance education methods, such determination and
          approval to be made not less than once in each school year, must be maintained upon
          the campus of one of the state institutions of higher educationhas deemed appropriate
          and proper.
     2.   Unless specifically excused in writing upon the course application forms by theA
          superintendent or an administrator of thea school approvingmay deny the enrollment
          application, orof a student in that district at the center for distance education except as
          provided in subsection 5, all students under the age of sixteen taking advantage of the
          provisions of this chapter must be required to attend their local district schools and to
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           study their distance education lessons under the supervision of a local supervisor. If
           not required to attend their local schools, their work may be done at a place
           designated by the state director. If in attendance at a local school, students must be
           supplied with desk space in their respective school without charge and shall attend
           school regularly and be under the same disciplinary supervision of the teachers as the
           other school students.
      3.   The center for distance education may provide services to persons who are not North
           Dakota residents.
      4.   DistanceCenter for distance education students shall pay for books and materials
          used by them, postage required to mail reports to the center, and other fees as may
          be prescribed by the state director.
     5.   Students exempt from the compulsory school attendance laws pursuant to
          subdivision e of subsection 1 of section 15.1-20-02 may enroll in distance education
          courses offered through the center for distance education. These students may study
          their center for distance education lessons in their learning environment under the
          supervision of a parent. The tests for the distance education study must be
          administered by an individual who is licensed to teach by the education standards and
          practices board or approved to teach by the education standards and practices board
          and employed either by the public school district in which the parent resides or a
          state-approved private or nonpublic school.
     SECTION 2. AMENDMENT. Section 15-19-02 of the North Dakota Century Code is
 amended and reenacted as follows:
     15-19-02. Administration - Director of center for distance education - Appointment
 and duties.
     The program of and all activities related to the center for distance education are the
 responsibility of the center for distance education and under the supervisionauthority of the
 educational technology councilstate board for career and technical education. The educational
 technology council shallexecutive director of the department of career and technical education
 may hire a state director ofadministration and staff for the center for distance education who
 must be classified under the state personnel merit system. The directoradministration shall carry
 out the director'sadministration's responsibilities in the administration ofadministering the center
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  for distance education in the manner approved by the educational technology councilstate
  board for career and technical education, under the supervision of the executive director of the
  department of career and technical education, and compliant with requirements established by
  the superintendent of public instruction and the education standards and practices board for
  public school administrators and teachers. The state board for career and technical education
  shall administer the responsibilities of the board of a school district relating to the center for
  distance education.
      SECTION 3. AMENDMENT. Section 15-19-02.1 of the North Dakota Century Code is
  amended and reenacted as follows:
     15-19-02.1. Distance education clearinghouse.
     The director of the center for distance education shall establish a clearinghouse for online
 courses delivered to North Dakota schools for the purpose of providing:
     1.    A list of the online courses and providers for all North Dakota schools to access.
     2.    Awareness of online courses available in new and emerging careers.
     3.    A list of comparative prices for online courses and other online services.
     4.    Awareness of the differences between technological innovation and learning
           innovation.
     SECTION 4. AMENDMENT. Section 15-19-04 of the North Dakota Century Code is
 amended and reenacted as follows:
     15-19-04. Duty of superintendent - Advertising.
     The superintendent or an employee of the department of public instruction designated by
 the superintendent shall ensure that the courses offered by the center for distance education
 meet state content standards and shall monitor compliance with sections 15.1-18-02 and
 15.1-18-03. The center for distance education may advertise its distance education
 programprograms.
     SECTION 5. AMENDMENT. Section 15-19-06 of the North Dakota Century Code is
 amended and reenacted as follows:
     15-19-06. Special funds - Deposit of collections - Transfers from general fund
 appropriations.
     1.    A special operating fund for the center for distance education must be maintained
           within the state treasury and all income and fees collected by the center for distance
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           education from any source must be remitted monthly by the director to the state
           treasurer and credited to the special operating fund. All expenditures from the fund
           must be within the limits of legislative appropriations and must be made upon
           vouchers, signed and approved by the technology director appointed by the
           educational technology councilexecutive director for the department of career and
           technical education. Upon approval of the vouchers by the office of the budget,
           warrant-checks must be prepared by the office of management and budget. The state
           treasurer shall make periodic transfers upon order of the director of the office of
           management and budget from the center for distance education general fund
          appropriation to the special operating fund whenever its balance falls so low as to
          require supplementation.
     2.   The educational technology council may establish an administrative operational fund,
          of not to exceed ten thousand dollars, out of the special operating fund for the center
          for distance education. The administrative operational fund must be deposited in the
          Bank of North Dakota and may be drawn upon by the state director of the center for
          distance education for the payment of necessary expenses in the administration and
          operation of the center for distance education within the limits and rules prescribed by
          the educational technology council. The director shall submit a full, minute, and
          itemized statement of every expenditure made during the month to the council in
          accordance with the rules adopted by the council, and thereafter the council may
          periodically authorize additional transfers to the administrative operational fund, but
          the balance in the fund may never exceed ten thousand dollars, and any
          unencumbered balance at the end of any biennium must revert to the state treasury.
          The administrative operational fund may not be used to pay salaries or expenses of
          the director.
     3.   The educational technology councilstate board for career and technical education may
          establish a scholarship fund to provide financial grants to students enrolled in courses
          offered through the center for distance education. The scholarship fund may consist
          only of those funds specifically appropriated by the legislative assembly and property
          received by the council or the center for distance education as a gift, devise, or
          bequest. Any gift, devise, or bequest of property received by the council or center for
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           distance education which is designated by the councilstate board for career and
           technical education and donor for the scholarship fund must be deposited in the
           scholarship fund at the Bank of North Dakota. The state director of the center for
           distance education may draw only on the interest earned by the scholarship fund for
           the award of scholarships within the limits and rules adopted by the educational
           technology councilstate board for career and technical education. The interest earned
           by the scholarship fund is appropriated to the center for distance education.
      SECTION 6. AMENDMENT. Section 15-19-08 of the North Dakota Century Code is
  amended and reenacted as follows:
     15-19-08. Distance education work.
     The amount of money appropriated by the legislative assembly for distance education work
 for a biennium, or so much thereof as may be necessary, must be expended first for work by
 distance education as determined by the center for distance education and approved by the
 state board for career and technical education.
     SECTION 7. REPEAL. Section 15-19-03 of the North Dakota Century Code is repealed.
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Statutes affected: 
INTRODUCED: 15-19-01, 15-19-02, 15-19-02.1, 15-19-04, 15-19-06, 15-19-08, 15-19-03
FIRST ENGROSSMENT: 15-19-01, 15-19-02, 15-19-02.1, 15-19-04, 15-19-06, 15-19-08, 15-19-03
Prepared by the Legislative Council staff for Representative Schreiber-Beck: 15-20.1-03
Enrollment: 15-19-01, 15-19-02, 15-19-02.1, 15-19-06, 15-19-08, 15-20.1-03