Established by the Ohio Revised Code (ORC), the Distance Learning (DL) Clearinghouse provides information and registration resources for distance learning courses offered by Ohio public school districts and community schools.

A provider is a public school district or community school in Ohio offering course(s) through the DL Clearinghouse.

A Purchaser is an Ohio school district or community school, career center/Joint Vocational School District (JVSD), nonpublic school, or student instructed at home as defined in ORC 3321.04 who procures a course listed in the DL Clearinghouse.

For the purposes of the DL Clearinghouse, a course can be, but is not limited to:

• Online courses or modules;
• Video distance learning courses or modules;
• Blended courses or modules (a combination of face to face and distance learning instruction); or
• Other courses or modules as approved by the eTech Ohio Commission.

A Section is a unique offering of a Course which includes information such as the instructor, the instructor's credentials and when it is offered.

A CMS is a software system that allows the development and delivery of educational courses using the Internet as a delivery system.

No, the DL Clearinghouse is not a virtual school.

No, it is not a CMS but a CMS may be required to access courses listed in the DL Clearinghouse.

The DL Clearinghouse's catalog will be available to the public through the eTech Ohio Commission's web site at: http://www.etech.ohio.gov/web_services/dlc/.

No, when a student is enrolled in a course listed in the DL Clearinghouse, the student's home district retains the student and ADM is not affected.

Yes, home-schooled students who qualify as such under ORC 3321.04 may use the catalog portion of the DL Clearinghouse to locate potential courses.

The DL Clearinghouse offers a central location for finding Ohio distance learning courses. Participation in the DL Clearinghouse is voluntary and provides:

• Students with more educational options and means of delivery than a single school can offer;
• A single resource to access a listing of online courses;
• Streamlined financial transactions associated with distance learning; and
• Information to students, parents and schools about distance learning options available to meet student needs.

No, one of the features of the DL Clearinghouse is a listing of course titles and additional information. The actual course material is not housed in the DL Clearinghouse but will remain with the Provider.

No, participation in the DL Clearinghouse is optional.

The application process for listing a course in the DL Clearinghouse includes questions asking how the course is aligned and to what Ohio Academic Content Standards is the course aligned. A Provider's answers to these questions will be part of the course listing in the DL Clearinghouse.

The DL Clearinghouse is set up to include modules, semester, and year long courses.

Some Providers may allow Purchasers to purchase a course and use their own teacher. The Provider of each course will make this determination.

The DL Clearinghouse will post course syllabus, content alignment, teacher information, as well as additional information regarding the courses. Districts will make their own determination whether the course meets their students' needs.

During the application process course providers will provide information about supplemental materials and who supplies them. This information will then be provided in the course information section of the Clearinghouse.

The course work load will vary from course to course depending on the material presented, method of presentation, instructor and the ability of the student taking the course. The DL Clearinghouse provides a summary of the course; further inquiries about a specific course may be made directly to the Provider.

The DL Clearinghouse provides a listing of distance learning courses with seats available for purchase. Where available, a link to the Provider will be given to enable a prospective Purchaser to view a sample course.

Specific information regarding proctoring requirements will be a part of the course description in the DL Clearinghouse.

Course descriptions available on the DL Clearinghouse will provide a summary of the course and required pre-requisites. A recommended reading level may not be available.

If contacted by a student or parent looking for a course, the Provider should ask the individual to have their home district make the arrangements for enrollment. The only exception would be if the student is home-schooled.

The existence of a waiting list may vary from Provider to Provider.

A Provider will notify the Purchaser when a student is registered. It is the Purchaser's responsibility to then notify the student of his or her enrollment.

The Provider will need to:

• Complete and submit an application to the DL Clearinghouse with information on the course and technology required to take the course; and
• Respond to inquiries from eTech Ohio during the application review process; the review process will be completed in accordance with Ohio law.

Once the review process is complete and the application is approved by eTech Ohio, the course will be listed in the DL Clearinghouse.

Ohio law requires that the purchasing school agrees to accept the grade awarded by the school providing the course. In cases where these schools use different grading scales, it is recommended that the schools determine how to address this issue before students are enrolled. Reporting grades as a percentage rather than letter grade may be a reasonable means of addressing this issue.

Once a course is listed in the DL Clearinghouse, the Provider will be contacted directly by schools interested in purchasing seats in the course.

After selling a course seat, a provider should at a minimum complete the following:

• Request student information from the student's home school;
• Deliver the course;
• Assign student's grade and transfer student's grade to student's home school; and
• Report required EMIS data.

The Purchaser will be expected to:

• Approve the student's enrollment in the course;
• Determine the manner and facilities (i.e.: outside or inside of school, computer lab) for student participation in the course;
• Set the course withdrawal policies;
• Provide credit for the grade awarded; and
• Report the required information into EMIS.

By Ohio law, the student's school district or community school is to decide the date and manner in which a student may withdraw from a course. Any questions regarding the status of a student's enrollment will need to be discussed between the Purchaser and the Provider.

Generally, the Provider is responsible to provide the teacher of record who monitors the student's work and provides the final grade. Districts may negotiate a different arrangement.

The application process for listing a course in the DL Clearinghouse requires a description of the qualifications of the instructor. The qualifications are included in the Section information.

Generally, the district in which a student resides is responsible for making any modifications required by a student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Yes, a student needs district approval to enroll in a course listed in the DL Clearinghouse. The only exception would be if the student is home-schooled.

Ohio law provides an optional process to allow the Ohio Department of Education to transfer funds between districts participating in the DL Clearinghouse. As part of this process, information regarding courses purchased through the DL Clearinghouse will be provided to the Ohio Department of Education through the Education Management Information System (EMIS). Once the Ohio Department of Education has this information, the Office of School Finance will transfer funds between districts to cover the costs of the course. Districts not wishing to use this optional process may enter into individual agreements to pay for courses.

State funding is not typically available to cover summer courses. Therefore, districts purchasing summer courses through the DL Clearinghouse may need to enter into an agreement with course providers to address payment issues.

A Purchaser may pay a Provider directly at any time.

If payment is handled through the Office of School Finance, funds will be transferred after the next EMIS reporting period. If payment is to be made by the Purchaser directly to the Provider, it may occur at any time.

Generally, the Provider is responsible for the CMS. However, courses may be offered with or without a CMS and this information will be available in the course description.

Providers will list the technical requirements needed for their courses.