In accordance with state law, the district will pay the cost of student enrollment in MOCAP virtual courses as long as:
1. The student meets eligibility requirements;
2. The student has approval for enrollment in accordance with this policy; and
3. Taking the course does not cause the student to exceed full-time enrollment in the district.
In addition to the requirements listed above and in accordance with the law, a student is eligible to enroll in a MOCAP course through the district if:
1. The student resides in and is enrolled in the district on a full-time basis;
2. The student has attended a public school or charter school for at least one semester immediately prior to enrolling in a MOCAP course;* and
3. The enrollment is approved by the principal or designee.
*A student will be excused from this requirement if he or she has a documented medical or psychological diagnosis or condition that prevented the student from attending a school in the district during the previous semester.
The district is not obligated to provide students computers, equipment, or Internet access to take a MOCAP course unless otherwise required by law to accommodate a student with a disability.
District counselors or certificated staff will develop an individual career and academic plan (ICAP) for district students enrolled in three or more virtual courses. If a student already has an ICAP, the plan will be reviewed and modified as necessary. In accordance with the law, school counselors cannot be required to make the final decision regarding a student’s enrollment in a MOCAP course.
The superintendent or designee will establish open enrollment periods and registration deadlines for students to enroll in virtual courses offered by the district or through MOCAP. These enrollment periods and registration deadlines will be strictly enforced unless the superintendent or designee determines that an exception is warranted due to circumstances such as a change in a student’s health or the long-term suspension of a student. Enrollment periods and registration deadlines must align with the district’s academic calendar and assessment schedule to the extent practicable.
A student or parent/guardian must notify the student’s principal or designee before the student may enroll in a district-sponsored virtual course or a MOCAP virtual course through the district. The student will be enrolled unless the principal or designee, in consultation with the student’s parents/guardians and relevant staff, such as the school counselor or district special education director, determines that there is good cause to refuse the student enrollment in the course. For enrollment in a MOCAP course, good cause is limited to situations where it is not in the best educational interest of the student to enroll in the course.
Students or parents/guardians who disagree with the principal’s or designee’s determination about a MOCAP course can appeal the decision to the Board of Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) as detailed later in this policy. For all other virtual courses, students or parents/guardians may appeal the decision to the superintendent or designee, and the superintendent’s
or designee’s decision will be final. The superintendent or designee is authorized to consult the district’s attorney prior to making a decision.
Registration Deadline
The deadline for students to enroll in virtual courses through MOCAP is the fourth Monday in July for the fall semester and the second Monday in December for the spring semester. These registration deadlines will be strictly enforced unless the superintendent or designee determines that an exception is warranted due to circumstances such as a change in a student's health or the long-term suspension of a student.