OAR 581-026-0300: Virtual Public Charter Schools

(1) All statutes and rules that apply to public charter schools also apply to virtual public charter schools. In addition, virtual public charter schools must also meet additional statutory requirements found in ORS Chapter 338. (2) As used in ORS Chapter 338 and the rules of the State Board of Education, “virtual charter school” means a public charter school that provides online courses. An online course is a course in which: (a) Instruction and content are delivered primarily on a computer using the internet other electronic network or other technology such as CDs or DVDs; (b) The student and teacher are in different physical locations for a majority of the student’s instructional period while participating in the course; (c) The online instructional activities are integral to the academic program of the school as described in its charter; and (d) The student is not required to be located at the physical location of a school while participating in the course. (3) Notwithstanding subsection (2) of this rule, “virtual public charter school” does not include a public charter school that primarily serves students in a physical location. A charter school is not a virtual public charter school if the schools meet all of the following requirements: (a) More than 50 percent of the core courses offered by the school are offered at a physical location and are not online courses: (b) More than 50 percent of the total number of students attending the school are receiving instructional services at a physical location and not in an online course; and (c) More than 50 percent of the minimum number of instructional hours required to be provided to students by the school under OAR 581-022-0102 and OAR 581-022-2320 during a school year are provided at a physical location and not through an online course. (4) As used in this rule: (a) “Core course” means: (A) Language arts including reading and writing; (B) Mathematics; (C) Science: (D) Social sciences including history, civics, geography and economics (E) Physical education; (F) Health (G) The arts; (H) World languages and (I) Career and technical education (b) “Physical location” means a facility that is owned, leased or otherwise used by a school to deliver educational services. “Physical location” includes, but is not limited to, a school, library, public building or other physical space utilized by the school. “Physical location” does not include a student’s home. (c) “Public charter school” has the meaning given that term in ORS 338.005. (5) This rule does not apply to programs or courses offered by school districts, education service districts, alternative education programs or the Oregon Virtual School District.