Jun 21, 2016 1 min read

Legislation introduced by state Rep. Jason Ortitay, R-South Fayette, to increase online learning opportunities in the commonwealth gained bipartisan support Monday from the House of Representatives.

His legislation, House Bill 1915, would task the Department of Education with establishing a clearinghouse of online courses, for students in grades 6-12, to be accessible to public schools, nonpublic schools, home education programs and the general public. The bill would designate the online learning clearinghouse the “Supplemental Online Course Initiative.”

Specifically, the bill would establish a two-phase implementation schedule. In the first phase, which would begin with the 2017-18 school year, the clearinghouse would offer courses related to content being tested in the Keystone Exams at no cost. In the second phase, which would begin with the 2018-19 school year, the clearinghouse would also offer other online courses from providers, subject to purchase.

The online clearinghouse would provide access to only those courses approved by PDE. To ensure high-quality options for students, the bill would require PDE to construct the clearinghouse in a way that provides clear information on each course and offers users the ability to provide feedback and course ratings. The bill now goes to the Senate.