James W. Lanham, the state’s director of teacher licensure and school leadership, said his team will bring evaluation models to the Board in January or February. He said his goals are better professional development, lower teacher turnover and more equitable staffing.

The department is also moving forward on new guidelines and accountability procedures for virtual schools serving multiple districts. The issue of how the contractors will be paid is being left up to the General Assembly.

“We need to make sure, ultimately, that what is provided is good for the kids and is going to improve their learning and test scores,” said Lan Neugent, assistant superintendent for technology.

For the rest of the article, go to Virginia plans to weigh student growth in teacher evaluations

There are several platforms for online programs. The simplest platform is an example like Verizon Foundaton’s Thinkfinity – recently named a “Best in Tech” website by Scholastic Administrator magazine. It offers lesson plans and supplemental aids for classroom teachers, students and home-school parents that will soon be linked to Virginia’s Standards of Learning by grade level and subject.

The oldest example is a state virtual school. Virtual Virginia, operated by the state Department of Education, offers more than 60 middle and high school courses ranging from Latin and AP Art History to Spanish and AP Statistics. But enrollment in Virtual Virginia is capped and has significant restrictions – one reason why, in 2008-09, fewer than 5,000 students were enrolled. In fact, Virginia’s enrollment ranks only midway among states with state virtual schools and is far outpaced by states like Florida, South Carolina and Alabama.

For the rest of the article, go to Delivering Education Direct to the Desktop

Courses in Spanish and Latin, above year three and in Advanced Placement, will be offered online through Virtual Virginia. This is a new tactic in teaching a foreign language to students — especially a “dead language” such as Latin — but it’s not without concern from parents.

“I was really surprised,” said Vandeveer, whose daughters take Latin and Spanish at Smithfield High School. “It messed up their plans in progressing through the classes.”

Virtual Virginia, a program of the Virginia Department of Education, offers online courses in AP studies, foreign language, core academics and elective classes to students across the nation.

For the rest of the article, go to Views differ on online classes

Virginia has passed new legislation that will expand charter schools throughout the state. The bills are part of the Governor’s “Opportunity to Learn” agenda, focused on education reform.

The laws aim to improve the application and review process for public charter school applicants, as well as establishing uniform statewide input standards for the application process. Children will also be allowed to choose schools that fall outside their zip codes, expand college laboratory schools and improve and promote virtual learning.

For the rest of the article, go to Virginia passes new legislation expanding charter schools

Welcome to yet another state-specific website for online high schools. Brought to you by Best Online High Schools, this gives you information on all that is going on in your state with online high schools.