(a) The State Board of Education is authorized to establish the Georgia Virtual School whereby students may enroll in courses via the Internet or in any other manner not involving on-site interaction with a teacher. Any Georgia student who is age 21 or younger shall be eligible to enroll in the Georgia Virtual School. The State Board of Education is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations pertaining to the Georgia Virtual School. Such rules and regulations, if established, shall include, at a minimum, a process for students to enroll in Georgia Virtual School courses and a process whereby a student's grade in the course is reported on the student's transcript. All teachers who provide instruction through the Georgia Virtual School shall be certified by the Professional Standards Commission. A local school system shall not prohibit any student from taking a course through the Georgia Virtual School, regardless of whether the school in which the student is enrolled offers the same course.

(b)

(1) The department is authorized to establish a Georgia Virtual School grant account with funds appropriated by the General Assembly. The department shall use funds from such grant account to pay for costs associated with the Georgia Virtual School incurred by the department, including, but not limited to, actual costs associated with the maintenance of the Georgia Virtual School, such as new course development, credit recovery, blended learning training, and operating a clearing-house, and costs for tuition, materials, and fees for courses taken through the Georgia Virtual School by students in home study programs or private schools in this state.

(2) The local school system shall pay to the department costs for tuition, materials, and fees directly related to the approved course taken by a student in its school system through the Georgia Virtual School; provided, however, that in no event shall the amount of tuition charged to and paid by the local school system on behalf of such student exceed $250.00 per student per semester course; and provided, further, that if a student participates in courses through the Georgia Virtual School that are in excess of the maximum number of courses a student may be enrolled in during a school day, such student shall be subject to the cost of tuition not to exceed $250.00 per student per semester course.

(3) Students in home study programs and private schools in this state may enroll in courses through the Georgia Virtual School at no cost, if appropriations are provided for such purpose in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection. If appropriations are not provided or if appropriations are provided but have been expended for such purpose, students in home study programs and private schools in this state may enroll in courses through the Georgia Virtual School based on availability of slots; provided, however, that such students shall be subject to the cost of tuition not to exceed $250.00 per student per semester course.

(c) The Georgia Virtual School shall not be considered a school for purposes of Article 2 of Chapter 14 of this title.