“One benefit of attending an online school like those in Washington Online School Network is its flexibility. Our students can do their work any time and any place that works for them,” said Jeffrey A. Elliott, Advanced Academics president. “While bad weather closes brick-and-mortar schools and learning labs, our students can continue their studies uninterrupted.”

For the rest of the article, go to Virtual Schools Remain in Session During Winter Storm

Among the options that would net some of the biggest savings in the Spanaway-based school district:

• Closing one or two junior high/middle schools for a savings of $1 million.
• Eliminating teacher stipends for evening activities for a savings of $2 million.
• Reducing all employee pay by 1 percent, for a savings of $1 million.

Other savings possibilities:

• Eliminate the Bethel Online Academy. Estimated savings: $600,000. Seigel said a reduction in state reimbursement for online students has resulted in lower funding for the program and that students could be served elsewhere.
• Change to a new model for custodian services. Estimated savings: $500,000. Details are still being worked on.
• Eliminate positions for six assistant principals – three at middle schools and three at elementary schools – for a total estimated savings of $720,000.

The story focused on Herndon-based K12 Inc., the nation’s largest operator of virtual schools. Its schools (which educate about 95,000 students in 29 states and the District) tend to have lower state test scores and graduation rates than brick and mortar schools.

Company officials say the low numbers don’t accurately reflect the success of their approach. Many of their students struggled in traditional schools, K12 executives say, and were drawn to virtual schooling as a last resort.

For the rest of the article, go to Questions about virtual schools’ effectiveness

For the rest of the article, go to Inside our schools

Regardless of the outcome, I learned how critical it is that we all enter the dialogue and speak up for what we know is important and true.

We know that those who lobby for charter schools, sell computers to virtual schools, and profit from testing are legion. Those who love public education, respect the role of collective bargaining and believe that society must improve the lives of our neediest children cannot be silent.

For the rest of the article, go to Principal: When Arne Duncan called to talk

The Bellingham School Board and district officials unveiled the draft 2011-12 budget during a board study session Thursday night, July 7.

According to the draft operating budget, the district will spend about $105.8 million during the 2011-12 school year, about $2.3 million, or 2.3 percent, more than what was budgeted for the 2010-11 school year.

The increased spending comes partly from investments in specific areas, including all-day kindergarten and online learning, the reopening of Whatcom Middle School, and a 30 to 35 percent increase in the amount of money the district has to provide to employee retirement plans.

For the rest of the article, go to Bellingham school officials say voter-approved levy is helping avoid deep cuts

Locally, there’s another online option through the Yakima School District called Yakima Online! Started in fall 2007, the online school is free and public, like Insight. However, it’s only open to students who live within the Yakima School District.

Nationwide, more than 1 million students are enrolled in online schools, according to the North American Council for Online Learning, a nonprofit membership association based in the Washington, D.C., area.

Supplemental or full-time online learning opportunities are available to students in 48 of the 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., according to the council. And 38 states have their own virtual schools or state-led online initiatives.

For the rest of the article, go to Insight — Online high school catching on in state, county

Student speeches were given by Connor Brown and Alan Terry of WAVA High School Monroe, and Yesenia Montes, valedictorian of WAVA High School Omak. Additionally, attendees heard from Dr. Art Himmler, superintendent of Omak School District, and Dr. Kenneth Hoover, superintendent of Monroe Public Schools, both sponsoring districts of WAVA.

For the rest of the article, go to Washington Virtual Academies Honor Class of 2011

The closure of the Insight School of Washington, the state’s first online public high school, at 12011 Bel-Red Road is listed as permanent, with layoffs taking effect July 18.

The news follows a report in the Portland Business Journal reported that a similar office in Portland issued layoff notices, related to Insight parent company Kaplan’s decision to sell its online K-12 schools to K12 Inc., which also operates online public high schools in Washington.

For the rest of the article, go to Bellevue-based Online High School Issues Layoff Notices

“Students will still have electives on transcripts, but the colleges use core classes to establish class ranking,” Skrla said. “The advanced placement classes will be weighted.”

There are several classes which will not count towards a student’s grade point average including summer school classes, virtual school classes, transfer classes which are not offered at Brenham High School and high school classes taken at the junior high will not count towards a grade point average.

“Eight graders can earn credits to go towards their high school transcripts, but unless they took the class at the high school, it will not count towards their grade point average,” Skrla said.

Dual credit courses in English, math, science, social studies and a foreign language will count towards a students grade point average.

For the rest of the article, go to BISD to fund all day pre-K