A. Subject to the requirements of the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act, the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board shall:

1. Provide oversight of the operations of statewide virtual charter schools in this state;

2. Establish a procedure for accepting, approving and disapproving statewide virtual charter school applications and a process for renewal or revocation of approved charter school contracts which minimally meet the procedures set forth in the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act;

3. Make publicly available a list of supplemental online courses which have been reviewed and certified by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board to ensure that the courses are high quality options and are aligned with the subject matter standards adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 11-103.6 of this title. The Statewide Virtual Charter School Board shall give special emphasis on listing supplemental online courses in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), foreign language and advanced placement courses. School districts shall not be limited to selecting supplemental online courses that have been reviewed and certified by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board and listed as provided for in this paragraph; and

4. In conjunction with the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, negotiate and enter into contracts with supplemental online course providers to offer a state rate price to school districts for supplemental online courses that have been reviewed and certified by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board and listed as provided for in paragraph 3 of this subsection.

B. Each statewide virtual charter school which has been approved and sponsored by the Board or any virtual charter school for which the Board has assumed sponsorship of as provided for in Section 3-145.5 of this title shall be considered a statewide virtual charter school and the geographic boundaries of each statewide virtual charter school shall be the borders of the state.

C. Each statewide virtual charter school approved by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board shall be eligible to receive federal funds generated by students enrolled in the charter school for the applicable year. Each statewide virtual charter school shall be considered a separate local education agency for purposes of reporting and accountability.

D. As calculated as provided for in Section 3-142 of this title, a statewide virtual charter school shall receive the State Aid allocation and any other state-appropriated revenue generated by students enrolled in the virtual charter school for the applicable year, less up to five percent (5%) of the State Aid allocation, which may be retained by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board for administrative expenses and to support the mission of the Board. A statewide virtual charter school shall be eligible for any other funding any other charter school is eligible for as provided for in Section 3-142 of this title. Each statewide virtual charter school shall be considered a separate local education agency for purposes of reporting and accountability.

E. A virtual charter school shall be subject to the same reporting requirements, financial audits, audit procedures and audit requirements as a school district. The State Department of Education or State Auditor and Inspector may conduct financial, program or compliance audits. A virtual charter school shall use the Oklahoma Cost Accounting System (OCAS) to report financial transactions to the State Department of Education.

F. A virtual charter school governing body shall be responsible for the policies that govern the operational decisions of the virtual charter school. The governing body of a virtual charter school shall be subject to the same conflict of interest requirements as a member of a local school board including, but not limited to, Sections 5-113 and 5-124 of this title. Members appointed to the governing body of a virtual charter school after July 1, 2019, shall be subject to the same instruction and continuing education requirements as a member of a local school board and pursuant to Section 5-110 of this title, complete twelve (12) hours of instruction within fifteen (15) months of appointment to the governing body, and pursuant to Section 5-110.1 of this title, attend continuing education.

G. Students enrolled full-time in a statewide virtual charter school sponsored by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board shall not be authorized to participate in any activities administered by the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association. However, the students may participate in intramural activities sponsored by a statewide virtual charter school, an online provider for the charter school or any other outside organization.

H. The decision of the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board to deny, nonrenew or terminate the charter contract of a statewide virtual charter school may be appealed to the State Board of Education within thirty (30) days of the decision by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board. The State Board of Education shall act on the appeal within sixty (60) days of receipt of the request from the statewide virtual charter school applicant. The State Board of Education may reverse the decision of the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board or may remand the matter back to the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board for further proceeding as directed.

Added by Laws 2012, c. 367, § 5, eff. July 1, 2012. Amended by Laws 2013, c. 212, § 5, eff. Sept. 1, 2013; Laws 2015, c. 293, § 1; Laws 2019, c. 272, § 1, emerg. eff. May 2, 2019.