(a) A student who is eligible for enrollment in a public school in the State is eligible to enroll in a virtual school. (b) In addition to the criteria established by the Department or a county board, an application for enrollment in a virtual school shall require an applicant to describe why instruction in a virtual learning environment will lead to successful academic outcomes for the applicant. (c) (1) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, not more than 10% of the students who would otherwise attend a single public school in the county in any school year may enroll in a virtual school established by a county board. (ii) A sudden decrease in enrollment in a single public school that results in 10% or more of the students who would otherwise attend that public school attending a virtual school established by a county board is not a violation of this paragraph. (2) The Department may authorize a county board to exceed the cap under paragraph (1) of this subsection on a showing of just cause. (d) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, if a county board receives more applications than there are available spaces in a virtual school, the county board shall admit all students on a lottery basis. (2) A county board shall give greater weight to a student's lottery status as a part of a lottery held under paragraph (1) of this subsection based on demographic diversity under subsection (e) of this section and any other criteria established by the county board. (e) To the extent practicable, the student body of a virtual school shall reflect the socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, cultural, and gender diversity of the students enrolled in the public school system in the county. (f) (1) The county board shall develop an outreach campaign to provide information to the public on the availability of the virtual school option. (2) The outreach campaign shall be designed to encourage applications from students who meet the intent of subsection (e) of this section, including the production of materials and communications in languages spoken by more than the percentage of the student population in the local school system determined appropriate by the county board.
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