Virtual School Creating Opportunities for Students

Press Release
    Students in the Central Community School System who may benefit from learning through a more flexible schedule and program that allows them to set their own pace and choose their educational environment can do so through the district’s Virtual Opportunities School.
    “Our Virtual Opportunities School is an educational option to traditional public school,” Superintendent Michael Faulk said.  “Courses are delivered through a web-based program that is available to students 24-7.   Students can have instruction and submit lessons electronically, and their coursework can be completed anytime and anywhere that has Internet access.”
    “It’s a program that, thanks to modern technology, allows some of our students to customize their education in a way that most benefits them,” Faulk said.
    Virtual School Facilitator Sherri Dugan said the program, which is now in its third year, is open to students in grades 6-12 who reside and are enrolled in the Central Community School System.  She said students are considered on a case-by-case basis with administrative approval.  Currently, 36 students are enrolled in the program, including full-time and blended VOS students.
    While traditional class time can be waived for students, and they can work at their own pace from home or at the district’s virtual lab, VOS students must complete at least six hours of work per day in the lab for a total of 30 hours per week, Monday through Friday, Dugan said.  She noted that the students’ progress is monitored through a series of benchmarks, as well as midterm and culminating exams.
    “We find that the virtual school allows students who may struggle or become stagnant in a traditional school setting to now flourish,” Dugan said. “We think the flexibility helps some of our students become more engaged in their coursework, and ultimately, more successful in learning their course material.”  
    “The program offers much flexibility and the opportunity to work at a faster pace, but there are some constraints and measurable goals that must be met,” Dugan added.  “If the goals are not met, then the students will be returned to their assigned schools at midterm with the grades they have earned through the program.”
    She also said parents must be responsible for getting their student to and from the VOS lab, or the student must have a parent’s permission to drive to the lab.
Central High School Junior Andrew Ivey is a blended VOS student who continues to take some courses at the high school with his classmates, but takes others through the virtual school.
    “I like virtual school because it is easier for me than the regular classroom,” Ivey said. 
    Fellow Junior Classmate Lillian Richardson, who is also a blended VOS student, said the program has given her greater motivation to stay on task. “Virtual school has helped build my confidence and self-esteem,” Richardson said. “Now I love to come to school.”
    For Central High School Senior Casey Ferguson, the program has allowed him to make up classes he needs.  “Virtual school has given me the opportunity to graduate on time.  I couldn’t have done that through a traditional structure,” Ferguson said.
    Dugan said students wanting to participate in the program should possess a desire to learn independently, have good time management skills, an ability to complete assignments on time and to read and comprehend complex materials, as well as have a preference for learning that can be done anytime and anywhere in lieu of a traditional classroom setting.  VOS students must also be computer literate and have access to a computer if they choose to work from home.
    Central Community School System is partnered with Edgenuity, a fully accredited, year-round online school, to offer full and part-time program choices for its students.  Students can take core curriculum courses through VOS, including English, math and basic science and social studies courses, as well as a variety of extracurricular courses and electives that may not otherwise be available at their home campuses.
Faulk noted that the Florida Department of Education, one of the nation’s leading virtual school advocates, is also partnered with Edgenuity to manage its statewide virtual education program.  Florida offers virtual school options to students in grades K-12.  In 2011, Florida served more than 120,000 online students and tallied more than 250,000 course enrollments.  The Florida Virtual School (FLVS) offered more than 110 courses – from art history to driver’s education – and served students in 49 states and 46 countries. 
    Nationwide, since the mid-90s, the Virtual High School concept has seen student enrollments in its supplemental courses grow by about 10 percent per year, with more than 160,000 enrollments from U.S. and international students.  Similar growth spurts have happened for the entire industry.  Public schools in every state offer some form of online coursework, and in five states—Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, and Virginia—students are required to take at least one online or partly-digital class to graduate from high school.  In 30 states and Washington D.C., there are fully-online schools available for students across their states, meaning it’s possible to spend a year in school without ever walking through a classroom door. The Florida Virtual School stands out with its international division for students outside the United States. Individual school district and charter schools have also set up virtual classrooms, while traditional brick-and-mortar schools have reconfigured their daily routine with so-called “blended” learning that incorporates online elements into in-person lessons. 
    “I don’t believe digital learning is a fad.  I believe it’s a successful strategy that will expand over time as the benefits are realized,” Faulk said.  “That’s why it’s important that we offer our students the flexibility they need to be successful now, and equip them with the knowledge of this learning technique to better prepare them for learning in the future.”
    “We know that the traditional learning environment is preferred by most of our students, especially for the day-to-day social interaction with other students, interaction with a variety of teachers, and the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities, school clubs and sports; however, the virtual school is meeting a growing need and desire of many students to do something different,” Faulk said.  “For these students, it’s an educational game changer, and we’re glad to offer them this opportunity!”