(a) (1) A teacher assigned to a virtual school shall have a teacher’s certificate issued by the State Superintendent under Title 6 of this article or any other relevant professional certification authorized under COMAR 13A.12.01.
(2) Teachers or education support personnel assigned to work in a virtual school shall:
(i) Be an employee of the county, or a collaborating county, that established the virtual school;
(ii) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, be subject to the collective bargaining agreement of that jurisdiction; and
(iii) Have access to professional development.
(b) A collective bargaining agreement may include provisions specific to employees who work in a virtual school in consideration of the conditions and requirements relevant to that work environment.
(c) An employee assigned to a virtual school may not be required to provide virtual and in-person instruction or support to students simultaneously.
(d) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the county board shall determine the appropriate student-teacher ratio for the size of a class in a virtual school based on multiple factors, including grade level, subject matter, and teacher workload.
(2) The student-teacher ratio of a class in a virtual school shall be consistent with the median in-person class size by course and grade level.
(e) A virtual school shall provide to a teacher and any other employee assigned to teach or provide direct instruction in a virtual school:
(1) The technology and equipment required to perform the functions of the job; and
(2) If necessary, a physical space to conduct teaching or provide direct instruction in the virtual school.
(f) A virtual school shall have a planned staffing model, including provisions for staff recruitment, training, evaluation, and professional development.