You are here: Home / Archives for Virtual Schools

Editorial: Midweek Briefing

December 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Flexible schools: Discussion about educating our children sometimes focuses on specific methods of evaluation (e.g., standardized tests), or on types of classrooms or class setups (as in charter or virtual schools).

But Del. Steve Landes was right when he mentioned a broader concept one week ago: allowing individual school districts greater flexibility in general.

The Republican from Weyers Cave not only has represented the Valley for a long time, he’s also a member of the House Education and Appropriations committees. That means he has a bead on education regulations and on Virginia’s budget. He spoke as part of a panel discussion at AP Day at the Capitol, an annual event held in December for journalists as a preview of the following January’s General Assembly session.

For the rest of the article, go to Editorial: Midweek Briefing

Filed Under: Home Page, Online High Schools Tagged With:

Education entrepreneurs: Virtual schools seek national presence

November 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

K12 Inc. of Herndon has become the country’s largest provider of full-time public virtual schools, upending the traditional American notion that learning occurs in a schoolhouse where students share the experience. In K12′s virtual schools, learning is largely solitary, with lessons delivered online to a child who progresses at his or her own pace.

Conceived as a way to teach a small segment of the home-schooled and others who need flexible schooling, virtual education has evolved into an option to traditional public schools for an increasingly wide range of students – high achievers, strugglers, teenage parents and victims of bullying among them.

“For many kids, the local school doesn’t work,” said Ronald Packard, chief executive and founder of K12. “And now, technology allows us to give that child a choice. It’s about educational liberty.”]

For the rest of the article, go to Education entrepreneurs: Virtual schools seek national presence

Filed Under: BestOnlineHighSchools.com, Home Page Tagged With:

Virtual schools are multiplying, but some question their educational value

November 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

K12 Inc. of Herndon has become the country’s largest provider of full-time public virtual schools, upending the traditional American notion that learning occurs in a schoolhouse where students share the experience. In K12’s virtual schools, learning is largely solitary, with lessons delivered online to a child who progresses at her own pace.

By selecting a “host” school district in a poor, rural area receiving more state aid per pupil to provide on-line classes, K12 Inc. draws students from wealthier areas with lower per-pupil subsidies.

Conceived as a way to teach a small segment of the home-schooled and others who need flexible schooling, virtual education has evolved into an alternative to traditional public schools for an increasingly wide range of students — high achievers, strugglers, dropouts, teenage parents and victims of bullying among them.

“For many kids, the local school doesn’t work,” said Ronald J. Packard, chief executive and founder of K12. “And now, technology allows us to give that child a choice. It’s about educational liberty.”

For  the rest of the article,  go to Virtual schools are multiplying, but some question their educational value

Filed Under: Home Page, Online High Schools Tagged With: , ,

Virtual schools in Virginia seek a funding formula

November 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

While the state provides about $4,000 per student for virtual schools, the key question is how much a locality would contribute in costs to the school district educating the child.

For instance, how much would Waynesboro pay for a student living in the city but being virtually educated in Fairfax.

Under the state law, a school district contracts with one of the state’s 13 approved virtual school providers.

The McDonnell administration is currently working on a virtual schools funding model and hopes to have that model ready for consideration by the Virginia General Assembly in January, said Tucker Martin, McDonnell’s communications director.

While only 300 Virginia students now use virtual education, Martin said McDonnell continues to be a strong proponent.

“He believes that virtual education programs, with oversight from the state superintendent to ensure quality, accountability and alignment with state standards, can help broaden the opportunities our public education system provides,’’ Martin said. “They use technology to bring new educational opportunities based on their interest and aptitude, not their zip code or school district. Put simply, virtual education breaks down educational barriers.”

Bell said the legislation is all about opportunity, such as students in the most rural part of his district – Highland County – being able to take advanced placement classes online their tiny school district can’t provide.

For the rest of the article, go to Virtual schools in Virginia seek a funding formula

Filed Under: Home Page, Online High Schools Tagged With:

Virtual schools in Virginia seek a funding formula

November 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When House District 20 Del. Dickie Bell successfully sponsored state legislation nearly two years ago that allowed virtual schools in Virginia, it was hailed as an online option that would offer courses for students in the commonwealth’s most rural outposts.

After all, virtual schools for students in grades K-12 were already offered in 27 other states and Gov. Robert F. McDonnell embraced the idea in 2009 as part of his education plan.

But the devil has been in the details. Since McDonnell signed the virtual schools law in April 2010, Virginia has grappled with a way to fund online schools.

While the state provides about $4,000 per student for virtual schools, the key question is how much a locality would contribute in costs to the school district educating the child.

For instance, how much would Waynesboro pay for a student living in the city but being virtually educated in Fairfax.

For the rest of the article, go to Virtual schools in Virginia seek a funding formula

Filed Under: Home Page, News Tagged With: ,

K12 Inc. to Present at JP Morgan Investor Conference

November 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Founded in 2000, K(12) has provided over 2 million courses — core subjects, AP(R), world languages, credit recovery, and electives — to more than 200,000 students worldwide. Over 90 percent of parents surveyed are satisfied with the K(12) program and agree that their children have benefited academically with K(12). Students graduating from K(12(R)) virtual schools have been accepted to hundreds of higher education institutions including many of the nation’s top-ranked colleges and universities.

K(12) has also made a number of recent acquisitions including: (i) KC Distance Learning, Inc., a nationally recognized leader in online learning with brands that provide high quality education products and online school solutions: Aventa Learning(TM), The Keystone(TM) School and iQ Academies(R); (ii) The American Education Corporation, a leading provider of instructional and assessment software for kindergarten through adult learners; and (iii) certain assets of Kaplan Virtual Education, which manages online public and private schools for students in grades 6-12. K(12) has also made a strategic investment in Web International English, a leader in English language training for thousands of students in China, and formed Middlebury Interactive Languages, a joint venture with Middlebury College, create and distribute innovative online language courses for pre-college students.

For the rest of the article, go to K12 Inc. to Present at JP Morgan Investor Conference

Filed Under: Home Page, News, Online High Schools Tagged With: ,

A tale of two hopefuls

November 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The starkest contrast in this year’s area elections is in the House District 20 race where incumbent Republican Dickie Bell seeks a second term against Democrat Laura Kleiner.

Both want to create jobs in Virginia, but differ sharply on some of their views on K-12 education.

The two candidates are at different points in their lives. Kleiner, 22, graduated with a degree in political science last May from Mary Baldwin College. She is a dance and theater instructor.

As a former teacher, Bell has an interest in K-12 education. He was the House sponsor of virtual schools legislation that was signed into law in 2010.

Funding is an issue for virtual schools, which allows school districts to contract with vendors for online courses for students.

McDonnell touted virtual education as part of his education reform package when he ran for governor two years ago.

Kleiner is not a proponent of virtual schools, saying they encourage a social isolation that does not prepare students for the workplace.

“There are very few jobs after K-12 where you can just interact through the computer and e-mail,’’ she said. She also worries about funding being diverted from traditional K-12 to virtual schools.

For the rest of the article, go to A tale of two hopefuls

Filed Under: BestOnlineHighSchools.com, Home Page, Online High Schools Tagged With: ,

Brochure points out education opportunities at virtual schools

August 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A new brochure from the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy has released a new brochure that describes the opportunities at virtual schools throughout the state of Virginia, according to the Smith Mountain Eagle.

“While virtual schools may not be for everyone,” noted Chris Braunlich, vice president of the Thomas Jefferson Institute, “they offer real opportunities for a variety of students – including military families who move frequently, students on medical homebound instruction, special education students, gifted and talented students, and students seeking credit recovery to graduate.”

For the rest of the article, go to Brochure points out education opportunities at virtual schools

Filed Under: Home Page, News, Online High Schools Tagged With:

Brochure points out education opportunities at virtual schools

August 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A new brochure from the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy has released a new brochure that describes the opportunities at virtual schools throughout the state of Virginia, according to the Smith Mountain Eagle.

“While virtual schools may not be for everyone,” noted Chris Braunlich, vice president of the Thomas Jefferson Institute, “they offer real opportunities for a variety of students – including military families who move frequently, students on medical homebound instruction, special education students, gifted and talented students, and students seeking credit recovery to graduate.”

For the rest of the article, go to Brochure points out education opportunities at virtual schools

Filed Under: Home Page, News, Online High Schools Tagged With:

The Rise of Virtual Schools

August 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

One of Gov. Bob McDonnell’s signature educational initiatives has been to promote “virtual schools.” In June the state Department of education approved 13 virtual school programs aligned with the commonwealth’s Standards of Learning (SOL) and delivered by licensed teachers.

Approved online providers include full-time virtual schools, programs offering supplemental instruction, and blended-instruction programs in which students have a trained, on-site mentor in addition to an online teacher. “School divisions now can broaden the array of courses they offer – and reach out to more non-traditional students — by contracting with virtual schools or online providers that meet criteria and standards set by the Board of Education,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright in making the announcement.

For the rest of the article, go to The Rise of Virtual Schools

Filed Under: Home Page, News, Online High Schools Tagged With:
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »