Concern if the school is required to provide internet Public schools, including Commonwealth of Mass. Virtual 52.05(15) Educational access and the student lives in an area without Schools, must provide, at public expense, textbooks and adequate internet or requires a significant upfront fee instructional materials and supplies intended for use to get internet service. Can the regulations include a and re-use over a period of years. G.L. c. 71, § 48. This provision to require a student to have transportation requirement exists irrespective of family income. The to a facility with computer access? A virtual school Department will provide further guidance. will need a higher funding rate to accommodate this. Recommend that the virtual school shall provide such technology and materials free of charge to students who are eligible for free and reduced-price lunch and do not have computer equipment. 52.06: Board of Trustees and Staff 52.06(1) Recommend adding language to identify similarity to Boards of trustees are different from school committees Responsibilities of public school committees and explicitly mentioning and are governed by G.L. c. 71, § 94. Board of Trustees they are considered a government body or We have revised the regulation by adding language to instrumentality. differentiate how members are appointed for statewide Recommend adding language about boards of virtual schools versus one serving a specific group of trustees fulfilling their fiduciary responsibilities. school districts. We have also revised the regulation to address the fiduciary responsibilities of boards of trustees.
52.05(15) Educational Concern if the school is required to provide internet access and the student lives in an area without adequate internet or requires a significant upfront fee to get internet service. Can the regulations include a provision to require a student to have transportation to a facility with computer access? A virtual school will need a higher funding rate to accommodate this. Recommend that the virtual school shall provide such technology and materials free of charge to students who are eligible for free and reduced-price lunch and do not have computer equipment. Public schools, including Commonwealth of Mass. Virtual Schools, must provide, at public expense, textbooks and instructional materials and supplies intended for use and re-use over a period of years. G.L. c. 71, § 48. This requirement exists irrespective of family income. The Department will provide further guidance. 52.06: Board of Trustees and Staff 52.06(1) Responsibilities of Board of Trustees Recommend adding language to identify similarity to public school committees and explicitly mentioning they are considered a government body or instrumentality. Recommend adding language about boards of trustees fulfilling their fiduciary responsibilities. Boards of trustees are different from school committees and are governed by G.L. c. 71, § 94. We have revised the regulation by adding language to differentiate how members are appointed for statewide virtual schools versus one serving a specific group of school districts. We have also revised the regulation to address the fiduciary responsibilities of boards of trustees.
Item7-Analysis.docx