Virtual Schooling In The News

Beginning with the eSchool News.

Budget cuts threaten Missouri virtual school
	Budget cuts could force Missouri’s statewide virtual school to close midway through the academic year, leaving students with half-earned credits scrambling to complete their education. Key words: Missouri virtual school, online learning, distance learning, virtual school, virtual education, iNACOL, educational technology | Read More

Next Tech & Learning eNews.

Additional Resources
• Online Education: It’s Not Just for Students

Then, the ASCD SmartBrief.

Budget cuts could close Missouri virtual school at midyear
The Missouri Virtual Instruction Program, which offers courses to 1,600 students from kindergarten through high school, is in danger of closing midway through the academic year because of state budget cuts. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said the school could remain operational if parents or local districts pay the cost for students to attend. For about half of the school’s students, the virtual program is their only school. Columbia Missourian/The Associated Press (11/2)

Back to the regular Yahoo! News Alert for virtual school.

School goes virtual with online public schools
Lexington Clipper-Herald Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:24 PM PDT
(ARA) – More children are logging on instead of getting on the bus this season.

State budget cuts hit some students, virtually
KY3 Springfield Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:02 PM PDT
The Missouri Virtual Instruction Program is designed primarily for home-school students as well as those who can’t go to traditional school.

Analysis: Budget cuts could unplug virtual school
KOAM-TV Pittsburg Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:04 AM PST
Associated Press – November 1, 2009 1:04 PM ET JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Budget cuts could force Missouri’s online school to unplug halfway through the academic year.

Advocates of MoVIP decry cuts to online school
Jefferson City News Tribune Sun, 01 Nov 2009 05:16 AM PST
Students in the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program have been delayed in starting the online school program this fall. They are given a list of ideas to stay busy while the problems are fixed.

Analysis: Missouri cuts could unplug virtual school
St. Louis Post-Dispatch Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:56 AM PST
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Budget cuts could force a Missouri school to close midway through the academic year, leaving students with half-earned credits scrambling to complete their education. Some students, just a few credits shy of graduation, could wind up as high school dropouts.

School goes virtual with online public schools
Lexington Clipper-Herald Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:21 AM PST
(ARA) – More children are logging on instead of getting on the bus this season. <

Advocates of MoVIP decry cuts to online school
Jefferson City News Tribune Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:04 AM PST
Students in the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program have been delayed in starting the online school program this fall. They are given a list of ideas to stay busy while the problems are fixed.

Virtual high school a good fit for some
Seattle Times Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:12 AM PST
Yakima Online!, in its third year, offers an alternative to the district’s traditional, brick-and-mortar high schools and its other, more conventional, alternative programs.

Analysis: Budget cuts could unplug virtual school
Columbia Missourian Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:12 PM PST
JEFFERSON CITY — Budget cuts could force a Missouri school to close midway through the academic year, leaving students with half-earned credits scrambling to complete their education. Some students, just a few credits shy of graduation, could wind up as high school dropouts. Others, struggling with cancer, could miss their only chance to earn a degree. The school in question is the Missouri …

Budget cuts could unplug virtual school
KMOV St. Louis Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:15 PM PST
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Budget cuts could force a Missouri school to close midway through the academic year, leaving students with half-earned credits scrambling to complete their education.

Advocates of MoVIP decry cuts to online school
Jefferson City News Tribune Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:04 AM PST
Students and families affected by state budget cuts made to MoVIP, the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program. (Stephen Brooks/News Tribune photo) State budget cuts are gutting MoVIP, the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program, which pays for close to 1,600 Missouri students to attend the online school.

Virtual school targets Plumas County
Plumas County News Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:19 AM PST
Charter School Development Systems out of Newport Beach presented its petition to Plumas Unified School District Tuesday, Oct. 13, to implement an “online e-charter school†in the district.

Advocates of MoVIP decry cuts to online school
Jefferson City News Tribune Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:21 AM PST
State budget cuts are gutting MoVIP, the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program, which pays for close to 1,600 Missouri students to attend the online school.

Missouri virtual school may be unplugged because of budget cuts
KFVS 12 Cape Girardeau Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:20 PM PST
Govenor Jay Nixon says he is halting state funding for an online school as part of the $204 million budget cuts.

Pearson Introduces New Middle School “Interactive Science” Curriculum
PRWeb Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:09 AM PST
Students Dig Deep into Science with Virtual Learning, Personalized “Write-in” Texts, Hands-on Labs, and Blogging (PRWeb Nov 6, 2009) Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/11/prweb3170074.htm

CUSD board hears charter proposal
Calaveras Enterprise Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:59 AM PST
The proposal would create an online virtual public school, which Salazar said would target students who are not performing well in traditional classes or are having attendance problems.

School goes virtual with online public schools
Lexington Clipper-Herald Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:24 PM PST
(ARA) – More children are logging on instead of getting on the bus this season.

New director named for virtual school
Chambersburg Public Opinion Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:19 PM PST
NORRISTOWN — The Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School has named Joseph A. Bradley director of special education. He is a former high school principal of North Star School District, Somerset County, and assistant high school principal at South Fayette School District, Allegheny County.

Families react to virtual school loss
Columbia Daily Tribune Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:06 PM PST
At the computer lab at The Greens at Columbia apartment complex off Clark Lane, school is in session.

Military to Debut Virtual School
US News & World Report Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:36 PM PST
A new online curriculum is in the works to ease school transitions for itinerant members’ children.

Nothing from the Yahoo! News Alert for cyber school this week.

Moving on to the Google News Alert for virtual school.

Turning around bad schools with blended restarts
Huffington Post (blog)
Add about 30 state virtual schools and dozens of virtual district, contract and charter schools and you get enough capacity to teach about 3 million kids …
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H1N1 flu shots available after school
ABC Action News
The centers are set up to provide the vaccine to elementary school students, charter school students, virtual school students and students from school …
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Penn Foster Launches Virtual Yearbook
Reuters
About Penn Foster Penn Foster College, Penn Foster Career School, and Penn Foster High School are part of Penn Foster, Inc., a global leader in distance …
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Growing Number of Institutions Continue to Choose Elluminate Solutions to Meet …
Reuters
These include Bowie State University, Camosun College, Chattanooga State Community College, King Faisal University, Mississippi Virtual Public School, …
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Finally, the Google News Alert for cyber school.

Pa. charter school overhaul legislation proposed
Philadelphia Inquirer
The proposed Office of Charter and Cyber Charter Schools in the Department of Edu cation would have the authority to investigate complaints of fraud and …
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School enrollment in Beaver County continues to drop
Beaver County Times
That total includes students enrolled in Beaver County’s three charters — Pennsylvania Cyber Charter, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter and Beaver Area …
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Pa committee proposes sweeping reforms of charters
Philadelphia Inquirer
Citing The Inquirer’s reporting on fiscal abuses at area charter schools, the legislative proposal calls for the creation of an Office of Charter and Cyber …
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News: Budget Cut Could Close Virtual School

This news item was posted to the iNACOL forums a few hours ago.

Budget Cuts Could Unplug Virtual School (Missouri)

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Budget cuts could force a Missouri school to close midway through the academic year, leaving students with half-earned credits scrambling to complete their education.

Some students, just a few credits shy of graduation, could wind up as high school dropouts. Others, struggling with cancer, could miss their only chance to earn a degree.

The school in question is the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program, which offers Internet-based courses for everyone from kindergartners to high school seniors. The online public school began just three years ago and already has served a couple thousand students.

See entire story: http://www.bnd.com/336/story/990450.html

News Article: Virtual Learning – Online Education Now An Option For Children And Teens

I saw this in my Facebook stream earlier today.

You can link to the article online at http://www.pageturnpro.com/MediaNews-Group/9139-Education_Enrichment_Guide/index.html#1 or just download the PDF version at http://www.pageturnpro.com/user/uploaded_books/129011442785000000_Education_Enrichment_Guide.pdf (and it is on pages 11-13).

Virtual Schooling In The News

Beginning with the eSchool News.

Online courses often pricier for students
	Fees imposed on college students who take online classes can be more than $1,300 at some schools, according to a new survey claiming that internet-based education is often more costly for students than attending classes on campus. Key words: online education degree, school technology, education technology, college tuition cost| Read More

Also the ASCD SmartBrief (given that these two appear in almost every update, I wonder when I am going to begin to consider them regular sources, anyway)…

Tennessee plans to enroll more students in online program
An additional 20,000 students in Tennessee will be able to take advantage of online classes over the next two years because of $6 million in stimulus funding that is being directed toward expanding the state’s popular virtual-learning program. According to program officials, enrollment in Tennessee’s online courses has increased by 900% since the program began in 2006. The Tennessean (Nashville) (10/25)

Back to the regular Yahoo! News Alert for virtual school.

Virtual academy sees changes
Dearborn Press & Guide Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:18 AM PDT
DEARBORN — A small program intended to help struggling Dearborn students complete high school was revamped this year after only one in four students graduated.

Virtual School
Abilene Reflector-Chronicle Sun, 25 Oct 2009 05:08 AM PDT
Brian Roth, virtual school director, and Kylie Engle, virtual school student were introduced at the Oct. 21 meeting by Lion Mike Robson. Mr. Roth gave an update on the virtual school program. They now have mentors from the community in place for each of the students. Mentors will make weekly contact with the student, help the student meet people in the community and will compile a log sheet of …

Virtual classrooms spark real deliberation
The News-Star Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:21 PM PDT
BATON ROUGE — A student rolls out of bed, fires up his computer, logs on to a Web site and begins his school day with a greeting from his teacher just before his Algebra lesson pops on the screen.

Not just virtual PE
AsiaOne Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:45 PM PDT
My school agrees with Ms Lee that we should let children develop love for an active lifestyle and passion for sports. In fact, our school’s physical education (PE) curriculum is fun-filled, rigorous and conducted mainly outdoors.

Virtual charter schools spark debates
Opelousas Daily World Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:05 AM PDT
BATON ROUGE — A student rolls out of bed, fires up his computer, logs on to a Web site and begins his school day with a greeting from his teacher just before his algebra lesson pops on the screen.

Two Kaplan Virtual Education Schools Receive Accreditation
Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:30 AM PDT
HOLLYWOOD, Fla.—-Kaplan Virtual Education , a leading provider of online 6th through 12th grade education, today announced that the Kaplan Academy of Colorado and the Kaplan Academy of Kansas have been granted accreditation from the North Central Association-Commission on Accreditation and School Improvements .

Portage schools officials discuss where students go when they opt out
Portage Daily Register Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:58 PM PDT
A loss of students to virtual schools and the Poynette School District helped determine how large the Portage School District’s deficit will be next year.

School goes virtual with online public schools
Lexington Clipper-Herald Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:06 AM PDT
(ARA) – More children are logging on instead of getting on the bus this season.

No items in the Yahoo! News Alert for cyber school this week.

Moving on to the Google News Alert for virtual school.

Virtual charter schools spark real debate
Monroe News Star
While it might seem futuristic, if the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approves requests in December, three full-time virtual schools could soon …
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Plans for Lakeside charter school scrapped
San Diego Union Tribune
Dehesa’s new charter schools include Ecademy California, a K-8 virtual online school; and Diego Hills Charter School, a K-12 independent study charter …
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Forty-Ninth in Class Size, Forty-Ninth in Corporate Tax Rate – Some Coincidence
BlueOregon (blog)
For more on this topic, see my blog posts: “Why don’t we have a statewide virtual school” and “Cutting Educational Costs: Ninth Grade for $1488. …
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Rifqa Bary sent back to Ohio; still in the fight of her life
Examiner.com
The Ohio Department of Children and Families will transfer her to a secret location, where she will continue to take classes via Florida Virtual School. …
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New online school option popular
Brandon News and Tribune
The district contracted with the Florida Virtual Academy and the Florida Virtual School’s Connections Academy to provide the elementary courses but uses its …
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Surry Village Charter School moves forward Updated Oct. 24, 3:20 pm
The Keene Sentinel
It’s one of 10 charter schools in the state, which serve roughly 700 students. Another 600 study online with the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School. …
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Finally, the Google News Alert for cyber school.

Cyber schools: It’s time for them to be considered mainstream
Patriot-News
I attend a cyber school — a concept that is foreign to most. This revelation is usually met with more questions, the two most popular being “what is that? …
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Virtual Schooling In The News

Beginning with a first time entry, the T.H.E. Journal’s “Web 2.0 Strategies for Education” e-zine.

• Bridging the Gap Between Online and On-ground Teaching
  Increasing numbers of studies are being done that seem to support the notion that blended course delivery or program delivery really captures the best of every possible world and, as such, is an effective way of learning for students. More

• Consortium Pursues Online Learning for the Visually Impaired
  As pervasive as the Internet has become, there is one group of people that is still unable to realize many of its benefits. However, thanks to the work of CANnect, a consortium of schools and philanthropists dedicated to overcoming this obstacle, the visually impaired may soon acquire unprecedented access to the Web and much of its affiliated technology. More

• Missouri Expands Statewide Online Education Offerings
  The Missouri Virtual Instruction Program (MoVIP) has moved to expand substantially its online course offerings to Missouri public school students with its new membership in the National Repository of Online Courses (NROC). More

Next the ASCD SmartBrief.

Arizona virtual learners hit roadblocks to receiving credit
An Arizona high-school student is worried about not graduating on time after discovering that he must pass district competency tests to receive credit for courses he took online, a concern of his virtual charter school as the number of students taking online courses statewide grows. While the Arizona Department of Education requires public schools to give credit for online electives taken at that state’s 14 virtual public schools, it allows districts to decide how to evaluate online work in core-curriculum classes. The Arizona Republic (Phoenix) (10/16)

Virtual courses are in development for students from military families
The Department of Defense is partnering with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to create an online high-school curriculum for students with family members in the military. The online school will provide students access to courses that may not be offered at every school and will provide some educational continuity for students as their families move from base to base. Las Vegas Review-Journal (10/19)

Enrollment in online school exceeds expectations in Florida district
Enrollment in online classes in one Florida school district has surpassed expectations, said the program’s administrator, resulting in the hiring of nine teachers in addition to the 28 that came on at the program’s inception in August. More than 100 students are enrolled in full-time programs across all grade levels, and nearly 1,000 students are taking advantage of individual course offerings, said district officials. The Tampa Tribune (Fla.) (10/22)

Back to the regular Yahoo! News Alert for virtual school.

Virtual high school planning advances
Boston Globe Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:47 AM PDT
In preparation for the launch of its Virtual High School initiative in the spring, the Milford School Department has hired former webmaster Karen Healey to serve as the program’s coordinator.

Virtual academy sees changes
Dearborn Press & Guide Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:29 PM PDT
DEARBORN — A small program intended to help struggling Dearborn students complete high school was revamped this year after only one in four students graduated.

Military tries out virtual schools
Las Vegas Review-Journal Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:10 AM PDT
When members of the military are stationed overseas, they usually bring their families. They live in Germany or Japan or some other faraway place with a military base and, often, a school run by the Department of Defense.

Virtual students go to school without being in school
Honolulu Advertiser Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:16 PM PDT
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Eleventh-grader Philip Marten’s second-hour class is orchestra. But first hour, third hour, fourth hour and the rest of his school day are spent not at school but at home in Shawnee, Kan.

Rifqa Bary could be one step closer to returning home
Orlando Sentinel Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:56 AM PDT
Rifqa Bary could continue her education through a Florida virtual school even if she were sent back to Ohio, a DCF spokeswoman said. Ohio teen runaway Fathima Rifqa Bary could be one step closer to leaving Central Florida foster care and returning to her home state.

Virtual academy sees changes
Dearborn Press & Guide Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:11 AM PDT
DEARBORN — A small program intended to help struggling Dearborn students complete high school was revamped this year after only one in four students graduated.

Enrollment soaring for Pasco’s new eSchool
St. Petersburg Times Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:55 PM PDT
LAND O’LAKES Pasco’s eSchool, the virtual school program that provides computer courses that students can take at their own pace, is proving more popular than officials expected.

Virtual classes provide learning opportunities
The Daily Tar Heel Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:49 PM PDT
High school students across the state are taking more challenging courses outside the comfort of their classrooms, potentially changing the college admissions field in North Carolina.

Back to school season goes virtual with online public schools
Lexington Clipper-Herald Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:21 PM PDT
(ARA) – More children are logging on instead of getting on the bus this back-to-school season.

Leading Virtual Public School Provider, Connections Academy, Featured at Top K-12 Education Conferences
PRWeb via Yahoo! News Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:25 AM PDT
Educators, educational partners tapped to share virtual learning expertise with K-12 education community

Virtual academy sees changes
Dearborn Press & Guide Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:56 PM PDT
DEARBORN — A small program intended to help struggling Dearborn students complete high school was revamped this year after only one in four students graduated.

‘Virtual students’ go to school without being in school
PhysOrg Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:39 PM PDT
Eleventh-grader Philip Marten’s second-hour class is orchestra. But first hour, third hour, fourth hour and the rest of his school day are spent not at school but at home in Shawnee, Kan.

Virtual school targets Plumas County
Plumas County News Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:05 AM PDT
Charter School Development Systems out of Newport Beach presented its petition to Plumas Unified School District Tuesday, Oct. 13, to implement an “online e-charter school†in the district.

Current Conditions V2
KMID Midland Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:13 PM PDT
A Bowie Junior High coach is back at work this week after allegedly breaking into a home earlier this month. ECISD officials say that Stan Wilkins was given a temporary assighment and is tutoring History for the district’s virtual high school.

Next the Yahoo! News Alert for cyber school.

Cyber student barred from dance
The Patriot-News Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:16 PM PDT
She had the shoes, the hair, the $100 rhinestone-studded dress, and a group of girlfriends from the varsity cheerleading squad at her side. A ticket purchased the week before in hand, Adrianah McGee, 15, strode into Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School’s homecoming dance, ready to dance.

Moving on to the Google News Alert for virtual school.

Virtual academy sees changes
Dearborn Press and Guide
The Dearborn Virtual Academy was also renamed Dearborn Magnet High School. About 50 students attend the program, said Gail Shenkman, …
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Ector County career tech school has had mixed results
Abilene Reporter-News
Alternative students come at night for virtual classes. And during the day, about 1200 students from Permian or Odessa come to the school for a two-hour …
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Hillsborough School District Swine Flu Vaccination Schedule
ABC Action News
… adult, virtual, home schooled, homebound, and adult students will begin receiving vaccines. Middle and high school students will receive vaccinations at …
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The University of Florida’s 2009 Homecoming Parade featured the predictable …
Gainesville Sun
Some parts of the parade closely hewed to Homecoming 2009’s “Legends of the Swamp” theme, such as the Florida Virtual School float featuring giant, …
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K12 Inc. Announces Resignation of John F. Baule
Reuters
… charter schools, and directly to families ranging from individual courses to classroom and hybrid programs to full-time virtual school programs. …
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Finally, the Google News Alert for cyber school.

Mechanicsburg charter school student denied entrance to school dance
PennLive.com
By AMANDA PALLESCHI, The Patriot-News View full sizeVICKI VELLIOS BRINER, The Patriot-NewsAdrianah McGee, 15, a cyberschool student and varsity cheerleader …
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