Fast-growing online schools would see greater state and local control under a bill approved Thursday in the Senate Education Committee.

SB 215, by Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada, would establish a division of online learning in the Colorado Department of Education. It also would require online programs to get permission from local districts to open "learning centers," where students would follow an online curriculum under adult supervision.

But the bill would not shutter the 79 learning centers operated by the Hope Coop Online Learning Academy in 16 school districts, mostly along the Front Range.

Windels' bill was approved 5-2 in the Education Committee. It goes to the Appropriations Committee before receiving full Senate debate.

Testimony came from parents and community activists who fear the bill would close the Hope learning centers.

Former Sen. Polly Baca, who heads the Hispanic group Larasa, said the five learning centers her group operates as a Hope subcontractor serve some of the poorest families on Denver's west side.

"And we do it on a shoestring," Baca said.

Hope is headquartered in Centennial, but is chartered by the tiny Vilas school district in southeast Colorado.

Some lawmakers, including Windels, have questioned whether the district - with about 100 traditional students - can adequately supervise Hope, which enrolls more than 4,000 youngsters after two years of operation.

Under Windels' bill, districts could issue charters for online programs that operate beyond their boundaries only with approval of the new division of online learning in the state Department of Education.

Districts would have to demonstrate the ability to supervise the far-flung programs on 14 criteria.

That provision virtually assures Hope would have to seek a charter from a district other than Vilas, Windels said.

The new division would be financed by withholding 1 percent of state funding for online schools that offer programs across district boundaries.

morsonb@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5209