HB1638: Education matters.

Legislative Summary

Education matters. Requires the department of education (department) to report to the legislative council findings and recommendations for reducing the amount of redundant data that schools are required to submit to state agencies. Provides that a student presently enrolled in a public high school may retake a virtual course that was previously completed by the student at the same public high school under certain conditions. Provides that if a student elects to retake a virtual course, the retaken course must meet certain criteria. Provides that a student who has retaken a course before July 1, 2023, must receive full credit and a replacement grade for the course under certain conditions. Provides that the department shall require publication of a corrected graduation rate as prescribed by the department (instead of in the next school year's report). Provides that before July 1, 2024, the department may establish or license for use an online platform to provide certain required training programs. Moves up deadlines for recommending and approving streamlined academic standards in order to implement the new standards in the 2023-2024 school year. Provides that the department shall: (1) consider the skills, knowledge, and practices that are necessary to understand and utilize emerging technologies and that may be rendered obsolete by emerging technologies; (2) consider for removal any academic standards that may be obsolete as a result of emerging technologies; and (3) provide support to school corporations regarding the implementation of revised academic standards that have an emerging technologies component. Provides that individuals appointed to an academic standards committee must be racially and geographically diverse. Requires employers to report the employment of students enrolled in work based learning courses to the department of workforce development. Requires a secondary or postsecondary educational institution to ensure that a student's completion of a work based learning course is indicated on the student's transcript. Establishes a science of reading grant. Repeals: (1) the school corporation annual performance report law; (2) the charter school obligation to publish an annual performance report; (3) the performance based awards law; and (4) annual financial reports by school corporations.