§ 115C-218.123.  Remote charter academy approval process.

(a) A nonprofit seeking to provide a remote charter academy shall submit to the Review Board as part of the application for approval or modification of a charter a plan that provides for the following:

(1) Whether the enrollment area of the remote charter academy will be statewide or regional.

(2) The range of grades for which the remote charter academy will offer courses.

(3) The method by which the remote charter academy will monitor calendar compliance, enrollment, daily attendance, course credit accrual, progress toward graduation, and course completion.

(4) Hardware, software, and learning management platforms that support online learning.

(5) The measures used to ensure that both synchronous and asynchronous remote instruction time, practice, and application components support learning growth that continues toward mastery of student achievement goals for the charter's educational program.

(6) The professional development that will be provided to those teaching in the remote charter academy related to the pedagogy of providing remote instruction.

(7) The identified characteristics for successful remote learning and criteria for admission to the remote charter academy. The board of directors shall identify the means by which information will be communicated to the parents and legal guardians of prospective applicants and current enrollees about the remote charter academy and those characteristics and criteria to allow for informed decisions about enrollment.

(8) Any school nutrition services or transportation services that will be provided to students.

(b) The Review Board shall review and approve a charter or charter modification for the creation of a remote charter academy that meets the requirements established in this Part for a term of five years. The Review Board shall approve a minimum of two statewide remote charter academies that meet the qualifications of this Part for operation beginning with the 2026-2027 school year and thereafter.

(c) If a school is operating under a charter that allows for a remote academy as part of the charter, and the school enrolls or intends to enroll 250 or more students in the remote academy, the school may request that the Review Board grant the remote academy portion of the school a separate charter by submitting the information listed under subsection (a) of this section with the request. Requests submitted pursuant to this section shall be reviewed through an expedited process to be established by the Review Board. The Review Board shall not require a planning year for remote academies granted a charter pursuant to this subsection.  (2023-134, s. 7.26(a); 2025-80, s. 9.)