Title 17. Education

Chapter 1. General School Law

Part III. Public Schools and School Children

Subpart C. School Attendance

17:236.3     Virtual school; definition; attendance policies

A. “Virtual school” means a public school, including a charter school, which has a unique site code assigned by the state Department of Education and which delivers all or a majority of the instruction provided through the internet or other electronic medium such that a student is not necessarily required to be at a specific location in order to receive instruction from a teacher. This does not preclude the ability of the school to include traditional classroom-based instruction or to host face-to-face meetings, including field trips, extracurricular activities, conferences between a student, parents, and teachers, or other related activities or events. However, a school that delivers all or a majority of the instruction provided through the internet or other electronic medium and requires students to be in daily attendance at a specified location to receive such instruction shall not be considered a virtual school. 

B. (1) Each city, parish, or other local public school board may adopt a policy that defines attendance at a virtual school for purposes of compliance with R.S. 17:233. 

(2) Each chartering authority may adopt in policy or include in charter agreements a definition of attendance at a virtual charter school which may include provisions for addressing excessive absences, such as parental notification, student engagement and withdrawal from the school for failure to engage, and referrals to child welfare and attendance officers and family and juvenile courts. 

Added by Acts 2018, No. 478, § 1, eff. May 23, 2018. Amended by Acts 2019, No. 398, § 1.