Ballot Initiative Offers Online Route into UC

With a formal title and a favorable fiscal analysis in hand,backers of an initiative to broaden access to online college preparatoryclasses will begin gathering signatures today to qualify for the Novemberballot.
The proposed initiative would give students the right to go elsewherefor a course required for admission to a UC or CSU campus if their schooldoesn’t offer it. While they could drive to a nearby district, they alsocould take the course online. It would establish a California Diploma, which would be awarded when a student completedthe 15 required courses, known as A-G…

(The sponsoring) group has oral commitments for $500,000 ofthe $2 million needed to collect 504,000 verified voter signatures, (aspokesperson) said. Donors will start identifying themselves in coming weeks;many of the backers are expected to be from Silicon Valley…

Full story at http://toped.svefoundation.org/2012/01/04/next-step-for-online-ed-initiative/

The official summary of the initiative reads:

Online K-12 Education.College Preparatory Courses. Initiative Statute.

Summary Date: 01/03/12| Circulation Deadline: 06/01/12 | Signatures Required: 504,760

Proponent: Phillip D.Kohn (714) 641-3415

Authorizes schooldistricts, county offices of education, and charter schools to claim averagedaily attendance funding for student participation in approved online courses.Authorizes school districts to contract with public and private providers todeliver online courses taught by credentialed teachers. Allows students to takeonline courses offered by any school district, regardless of student'sresidence. Provides students access to courses required for admission to stateuniversities, and establishes the California Diploma, which demonstratescompletion of courses required for University of California and CaliforniaState University admission. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst andDirector of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: In the longterm, local school district savings potentially in the hundreds of millions ofdollars annually if schools experience efficiencies and widespreadparticipation in the use of online courses. These savings would be offset insmall part by administrative costs to implement the measure, including localcosts for developing online curriculum, contracting with online providers, andensuring students access to online courses as well as state costs for changingthe existing school payment system and issuing California Diplomas toqualifying students.

Initiative at http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/initiatives/pdfs/i1005_11-0062_(student_rights).pdf