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.

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