PILOT PROGRAM ON EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM.

SEC. 589D. [10 U.S.C. 2164 note] PILOT PROGRAM ON EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM. (a) Pilot Program Required.— (1) In general.—The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a pilot program on permitting dependents of members of the Armed Forces on active duty to enroll in the Department of Defense Education Activity Virtual High School program (in this section referred to as the “DVHS program”). (2) Purposes.—The purposes of the pilot program shall be as follows: (A) To evaluate the feasibility and scalability of the DVHS program. (B) To assess the impact of expanded enrollment in the DVHS program under the pilot program on military and family readiness. (3) Duration.—The duration of the pilot program shall be four academic years. (b) Participants.— (1) In general.—Participants in the pilot program shall be selected by the Secretary from among dependents of members of the Armed Forces on active duty who— (A) are in a grade 9 through 12; (B) are currently ineligible to enroll in the DVHS program; and (C) either— (i) require supplementary courses to meet graduation requirements in the current State of residence; or (ii) otherwise demonstrate to the Secretary a clear need to participate in the DVHS program. (2) Preference in selection.—In selecting participants in the pilot program, the Secretary shall afford a preference to the following: (A) Dependents who reside in a rural area. (B) Dependents who are home-schooled students. (3) Limitations.—The total number of course enrollments per academic year authorized under the pilot program may not exceed 400 course enrollments. No single dependent participating in the pilot program may take more than two courses per academic year under the pilot program. (c) Reports.— (1) Interim report.—Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives an interim report on the pilot program. (2) Final report.—Not later than 180 days after the completion of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to the committees of Congress referred to in paragraph (1) a final report on the pilot programs. (3) Elements.—Each report under this subsection shall include the following: (A) A description of the demographics of the dependents participating in the pilot program through the date of such report. (B) Data on, and an assessment of, student performance in virtual coursework by dependents participating in the pilot program over the duration of the pilot program. (C) Such recommendation as the Secretary considers appropriate on whether to make the pilot program permanent. (d) Definitions.—In this section: (1) The term “rural area” has the meaning given the term in section 520 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490). (2) The term “home-schooled student” means a student in a grade equivalent to grade 9 through 12 who receives educational instruction at home or by other non-traditional means outside of a public or private school system, either all or most of the time.