Approval Eligibility

Prior to the 2013-14 school year, OSPI approval eligibility is determined by a provider's multidistrict status. Multidistrict providers are subject to approval, while single-district providers are not. Use this form to determine if your organization or school district qualifies as a "Multidistrict Online Provider" in Washington.

Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, online courses or programs must be offered by an approved online provider in order for school districts to claim state funding to the extent otherwise allowed by state law. An online provider is any provider of an online course or program, including multidistrict online providers, all school district online learning programs, and all regional online learning programs. Use the questions below to determine if your organization is subject to approval.

Please contact us with any questions about approval eligibility.

OSPI Approval Eligibility Beginning 2013-14

Providers should answer this series of questions to determine whether they are subject to the approval requirements that go into effect in the 2013-14 school year.

Question 1: Are you offering "online courses?"

Only organizations that offer online courses are subject to OSPI online provider approval.

An online course is one where:

  • More than half of the course content is delivered electronically using the internet or other computer-based methods.
  • More than half of the teaching is conducted from a remote location through an online course learning management system or other online or electronic tools.

Additionally:

  • A course can be taught synchronously, asynchronously, or both.
  • The role of the teacher is to ensure student learning and success. This role may be accomplished through a variety of teaching methods, including but not limited to: direct instruction; review of assignments; assessment, testing and other progress monitoring; and educational facilitation.
  • A remote location is any location where there is no "face-to-face" student-teacher interaction.

If you are not offering courses that meet the definition, your program is not subject to approval. For example, products that feature only online content, and no online instruction from a remote teacher, are not considered online courses.

If your courses are "online," please continue to Question 2.

Question 2: Does your program meet the definition of an "online school program?"

An "online school program" is a school or a program that offers:

  1. Online courses (or grade-level coursework) that meet the definition of an "online course."
  2. A sequential program, a set of courses or coursework that is part-time or full-time, that may be taken in a single school term or throughout the school year in a manner that could provide a full-time basic education program if so desired by the student.

If your organization meets this definition, then it is subject to approval. Learn more about the approval process.

The Affiliate Program Approval Option

School district online school programs that are providing courses offered by approved online providers may choose to seek approval using the abbreviated "affiliate" approval process. Learn more about the affiliate approval process.

If your organization does not meet this definition, please continue to question Question 3.

Organizations that are considered "online course providers" and "online school program providers" should continue to question Question 3.

Question 3: Is it your organization offering the online courses?

The organization that "offers" the course is the one that provides all of the following:

  • Course teacher for the purpose of instruction
  • Course content
  • Online learning management system

If your organization "offers" online courses, then it is subject to approval. Learn more about the approval process.

A program that purchases online content from a provider and pairs it with its own online teacher in a manner that meets the definition of an online course is subject to approval. Learn more about the approval process.

If you are using online courses from an approved provider, and the approved provider offers the online teacher, content, and learning management system, then your program is not subject to approval. Organizations that only offer online content, without instruction, are not subject to approval.

Who does not need to be approved?

The following are examples of programs that are not subject to approval:

  • A school that purchases individual online courses from an approved course provider is not subject to approval, unless the school meets the "online school program" definition.
  • It is possible for a school to offer access to a full array of online courses but to maintain policies which prohibit students from enrolling full time, in a manner which would qualify the school's offering as an "online school program." In other words, a school can allow students to choose from a full array of online courses while still limiting the enrollment of students in these courses so as to not qualify as an online school program.
  • An ALE program that purchases individual online courses from an approved course provider is not subject to approval, unless the program meets the "online school program" definition.

Citations

RCW 28A.250.060:

Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, school districts may claim state funding under RCW 8A.150.260, to the extent otherwise allowed by state law, for students enrolled in online courses or programs only if the online courses or programs are offered by an online provider approved under RCW 28A.250.020 by the superintendent of public instruction.

RCW 28A.250.010:

"Online provider" means any provider of an online course or program, including multidistrict online providers, all school district online learning programs, and all regional online learning programs.

RCW 28A.150.262:

Beginning in the 2013-14 school year, alternative learning experience online programs must be offered by an online provider approved by the superintendent of public instruction under RCW 28A.250.020 to meet the definition in this section.
(and)
As used in this section and section 2 of this act, an "alternative learning experience online program" is a set of online courses or an online school program as defined in RCW 28A.250.010 that is delivered to students in whole or in part independently from a regular classroom schedule.