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| To enact section 3353.20 of the Revised Code to | 1 |
| establish an interactive distance learning pilot | 2 |
| project. | 3 |
| Section 1. That section 3353.20 of the Revised Code be | 4 |
| enacted to read as follows: | 5 |
| Sec. 3353.20. (A) The eTech Ohio commission shall develop | 6 |
| and implement an interactive distance learning pilot project to | 7 |
| provide, beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, access to at | 8 |
| least three interactive distance learning courses in each school | 9 |
| year free of charge for all high schools operated by school | 10 |
| districts. The courses offered shall include two advanced | 11 |
| placement courses and one foreign language course. | 12 |
| The commission shall do all of the following: | 13 |
| (1) Contract with and pay the compensation for teachers to | 14 |
| develop and teach the interactive distance learning courses | 15 |
| offered by the pilot project; | 16 |
| (2) Produce and broadcast the courses offered by the pilot | 17 |
| project; | 18 |
| (3) Provide the funds for schools to purchase video | 19 |
| conferencing telecommunications equipment and connectivity | 20 |
| devices, if necessary, so that the schools may participate in the | 21 |
| pilot project; | 22 |
| (4) Assist schools in arranging for the purchase and | 23 |
| installation of telecommunications equipment and connectivity | 24 |
| devices, if necessary, so that the schools may participate in the | 25 |
| pilot project; | 26 |
| (5) Pay, for up to one school year, the cost of upgrading | 27 |
| internet service for schools that currently have a connection not | 28 |
| faster than 1.544 megabits per second; | 29 |
| (6) Offer training in the use of the telecommunications | 30 |
| equipment necessary to participate in the pilot project; | 31 |
| (7) Administer and oversee the operation of the pilot | 32 |
| project. | 33 |
| (B) The department of education, in consultation with the | 34 |
| chancellor of the Ohio board of regents, shall select courses to | 35 |
| be offered by the pilot project and shall develop the standards | 36 |
| for the curriculum of each course selected. | 37 |
| (C) The commission and the department jointly, and in | 38 |
| consultation with the chancellor, shall select the teachers to | 39 |
| develop and teach the courses offered by the pilot project. | 40 |
| (D) The commission, the department, and the chancellor | 41 |
| jointly shall notify schools of and promote participation in the | 42 |
| pilot project. | 43 |
| (E) Each high school shall determine the manner in which and | 44 |
| facilities at which students may participate in courses consistent | 45 |
| with specifications for technology and connectivity required by | 46 |
| the commission. | 47 |
| (F) The grade for a student enrolled in a course offered | 48 |
| through the pilot project shall be assigned by the course teacher | 49 |
| and shall be transmitted to the student's high school. | 50 |
| (G) Not later than December 31, 2010, the superintendent of | 51 |
| public instruction, the chancellor, and the commission shall | 52 |
| submit to the governor and the general assembly, in accordance | 53 |
| with section 101.68 of the Revised Code, a formative evaluation of | 54 |
| the implementation and results of and legislative recommendations | 55 |
| for changes in the pilot project. | 56 |