Koehler's Bill to Hold E-Schools Accountable - Signed into Law

COLUMBUS – State Representative Kyle Koehler (R-Springfield) announced that Governor DeWine signed House Bill 409 into law. House Bill 409, sponsored by Koehler, will improve Ohio’s e-schools.

“I applaud Governor DeWine for working diligently to sign House Bill 409 into law. This legislation is straight-forward and will hold students and online schools accountable for their contribution to Ohio’s educational system through excellent attendance and participation,” said Koehler. “House Bill 409 is essential to providing Ohio’s students with several learning options and provides a wealth of possibilities when it comes to getting an education and keeping them on track to be successful in their futures.”

Under House Bill 409, Ohio law will be amended to ensure students enrolled in online schools are participating 90% of the hours specified or on track for on-time completion of any course. House Bill 409 will change the current law to allow for individualized student engagement policies regarding students who do not meet participation expectations and enforce the ability for e-schools and charter schools to withdraw a student who does not follow the criteria laid out in that plan.

The legislation does not apply to dropout recovery schools, as dropout recovery school are, in many cases, the last hope for many young adults in obtaining a high school diploma or GED and already provide their own set of strict attendance requirements and policies for students.