Virtual education needs to be an option for all Missouri kids

Discussions about school choice can quickly turn into heated debates about the merits of charter schools and vouchers. But charter schools and vouchers are just two facets of school choice; in fact, the ever growing field of reimagining what education can look like has moved beyond brick and mortar options to include virtual public schools. Students who are enrolled in virtual public schools can take all or part of their courses online, a concept which has opened doors for kids who have not been successful with the structure of a traditional public school or who just need something different.

Significant state budget cuts in 2010 have led to an overall decline in online learning options and enrollment for Missouri students. Currently, virtual public school is only an option for “medically fragile” students and families who can afford to enroll in a private virtual school option although in some instances there are a very limited number of school districts that offer online course options.

CEAM recently partnered with Connections Academy, a virtual public school provider, to host a Parent Academy with a group of parents and teachers who are advocating to expand virtual public school options in Missouri. At the session, we met the parents of Robin, a middle-school student living in Columbia, Missouri. Robin has Aspbergers syndrome, making social and classroom situations very challenging for her. Robin and her parents moved to Columbia a year ago from Oregon, where Robin was a full-time virtual public school student. Robin excelled in the virtual school environment in Oregon, so it was a great disappointment to her and her parents when they moved to Missouri and found out that virtual public schools were not able to operate in Missouri as they are in Oregon. Robin and her family were given the option to pay tuition but it was not affordable for them. Since the move to Missouri, Robin spent several months in her local public school but her grades slipped and the staff was not equipped to deal with the behavioral and learning difficulties of students like Robin. Robin is currently being homeschooled, but her family is hopeful that virtual education might be an option for her again. We know there are other kids like Robin out there.

Robin’s story is an important reminder that if we want a system in which all children can be successful, we need to provide a variety of quality options to accommodate the fact that all kids learn differently. Virtual schools must be one of these quality options.

Quality education options are vital.

• Education should not be limited by zip code
• Children learn differently – there is no one-size-fits-all.
• Research shows competition creates a system of innovation and excellence, propelling everyone to perform their best (teachers and students) including improved student outcomes.

Virtual education works.

• A 2010 US Department of Education study found that online learning can be an effective alternative to face-to-face instruction. (1)
  
• Connections Academy is one example of a program with 10+ years of success with more than 40,000 students enrolled across the country.
• Graduates have been accepted to Harvard, Stanford, NYU and the US Air Force Academy.

Virtual Education is a 21^st Century Extension of Traditional Public School.

• Virtual public schools’ accountability requirements are the same as every public school in the state.
• Online public schools provide personalized, one-to-one learning opportunities where education is customized to meet the student’s individual needs and learning styles.
• Teachers are responsible for overseeing and managing student learning, ensuring all students are meeting all academic progress and accountability requirements.
• Virtual public schools employ state-certified public teachers.
• All virtual public school students must participate in state assessment tests.
• All students must meet attendance requirements.

Missouri is behind when it comes to providing this valuable option to our children.

• Missouri led the nation in 2007 with the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program but its budget was cut significantly in 2010.
• Missouri is one of 29 states in the country that does not have a multi-district fully online school, and approximately 275,000 students are enrolled in fully online public schools across the country. (2)
  
• Pioneers such as Arizona and Ohio have more than 35,000 students enrolled in online public education.