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Committee amends virtual‑school rules, approves House Bill 1105 as amended; companion bill 1172 receives do‑not‑pass and is placed on consent
Summary
The committee approved amendments to HB 1105 addressing virtual instruction (registration timing, prerequisites, minimum on‑site course requirements, and district discretion on payment for virtual courses) and passed the amended bill out of committee. A related bill, HB 1172, was not advanced and was placed on the consent calendar.
The House Education Committee considered reforms to virtual instruction through amendments to House Bill 11‑05 and a related bill, House Bill 11‑72. Representative Jonas presented an amendment to HB 11‑05 intended to tighten registration and course sequencing for virtual courses, allow districts to require prerequisites and minimum on‑site course loads, and permit school districts discretion to decide whether to fund virtual instruction for students.
Representative Jonas said the amendment was developed with input from superintendents, principals (including Principal Madler), and the superintendent’s office; he described the change as a compromise to reduce student churn in virtual classes and uncontrolled billing for virtual course enrollments. Representative Schreiberbeck and others explained a key change: striking language that would have required parents or legal guardians to pay for virtual instruction (lines 7–8 of the version the committee reviewed) so parents would not be required to pay for classes under the amended language.
The amendment carried on a roll call (committee recorded votes in support). The committee then considered a motion to give HB 11‑05 a due pass as amended; the due‑pass motion was seconded and passed on a roll call (committee result recorded as unanimous or near‑unanimous in the transcript). Representative Jonas was designated the bill carrier for the amended bill.
For the related bill HB 11‑72, committee members agreed the subject matter was rolled into HB 11‑05, and Representative Schriver Beck moved a do‑not‑pass on HB 11‑72; the committee approved the do‑not‑pass motion and then moved to place HB 11‑72 on the consent calendar.
Notes: Committee members emphasized the goal of reducing late drop‑ins to virtual courses, ensuring readiness through prerequisites and sequencing, and preserving district discretion on funding for virtual instruction. The superintendent’s office and CDE representatives participated in drafting amendments.
