Statewide+System+Operating+Principles

=Statewide System Operating Principles=

Below are the operating principles guiding the statewide system for online instruction:

1. All AEAs agree on one AEA, determined by RFP process, as the host for the statewide system. All AEAs will send would-be instructors and students to the host AEA for online courses (including listings in each AEA's professional development catalog).

2. Courses will be listed, advertised, and reported as courses offered by the AEA statewide system, as opposed to being offered by the host AEA.

3. The host AEA will be responsible for:
 * Server space for LMS
 * Bandwidth
 * Network/database management of the LMS
 * Registrar management of the LMS
 * Tech support
 * Registration for courses
 * Payment of instructors
 * Maintenance of instructor vita
 * Transcripts
 * Relaying communication with associated graduate-credit institutions
 * Collecting payment from participants
 * Retention of records

4. The above listing of responsibilities might be, in part, shared with the statewide team (including the project manager) if determined by the online council

5. The online council will determine guiding policies for courses (e.g. minimum number of participants, deadline for payment, refund procedures, etc.) If issues arise regarding policy governance during the year, the host AEA will make a temporary decision. Those decisions will be shared and discussed at online council meetings.

6. The online council & license renewal coordinators determine the guidelines for course proposals and evaluations. The online council reserves the right to approve or evaluate courses, but may delegate those responsibilities to the host AEA or statewide team (including the project manager).

7. The online council will set prices for the courses with consideration covering the costs required for #3 above.

8. Any money gathered after covering the operating/personnel costs for the host AEA and for the statewide system (including the staffing of statewide positions) will be distributed back to the AEAs in accordance with the formula from the unified budget.

9. Any AEA supporting the statewide system (including the Host AEA and the AEA staffing statewide positions) will not make or lose money in the process of operating.

10. There will be a startup time for the statewide system to get running. During this time, the statewide system's costs will be funded by moneys from the IEC. The length of that startup time must be determined by the chief administrators. After that startup time is completed, the online council will re-visit the costs and adjusts fees in order to assure that the system is self-sufficient (that is, that it can pay for the statewide positions and other operational costs).