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Few Tacoma students switching to different districts amid strike

September 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The cost of private schools could prove daunting for many parents. South Sound Christian Schools tuition ranges from $2,926 to $7,410 per child, depending on how many children in a family attend. New families receive a 25 percent discount.

“We can’t say we’re surprised that families are starting to look into possibilities,” Taylor said.

Another option for families is enrolling in an online program such as Tacoma Virtual Learning or Steilacoom-based Washington Virtual Academy. At this point in the strike, those programs say they have not seen a surge in interest.

Michael Farmer, director for Tacoma Virtual Learning, said enrollment is still open. But he pointed out his program is a hybrid with teachers from Tacoma Public Schools, who aren’t working, as well as Spokane Public Schools, who are.

“If (students) have a Tacoma teacher, they just kind of need to wait and do the best in the meantime,” Farmer said. “We’re just in a weird predicament because of our contract with Spokane.”

Celeste Johnson, executive assistant to the superintendent for Steilacoom Historical School District, said enrollment at its online school and traditional brick-and-mortar schools have not been affected by the strike.

“We actually haven’t received any phone calls at all,” Johnston said.

However, the district has fielded inquiries from a few college-age student teachers looking for classroom placements because they can’t currently student-teach in Tacoma.

“We’re more than willing to try to accommodate them,” said Jan McCrimmon, principal at Steilacoom High School. “At this point, it’s temporary, in hopes the strike will settle.”

Holly Norquist, executive director of ACTS South, a local home-school resource organization, said no one has tried to contact her group for assistance. But she said the strike could have an effect on families who have been weighing their options.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the last piece of the puzzle that nudges people toward home schooling,” Norquist said.

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Bill to expand charter school moves on to U.S. Senate

September 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A spokesperson for the NEA said, while it was pleased with a number of provisions in the bill, it “cannot support the bill in its current form” due to issues regarding “resource and opportunity gaps between (public and charter) schools.”

Pingree said she has “serious reservations about funding charter schools in this environment because they can take scarce resources away from existing public schools.” Despite her apprehensions, Pingree said she voted for the bill because it “eased some requirements for who could apply for money under this program.”

While there are currently no charter schools in Maine, Gov. Paul LePage in June signed legislation permitting them. The first charter school in Maine is expected to open a year from now.

According to the Center for Education Reform in Washington, there are 10 charter schools in New Hampshire that serve approximately 2,200 students. Stephen Kossakoski, chief executive officer of the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School based in Exeter, said the pending bill is “a positive for the charter school movement,” because it can help fund “education research that can impact the wider education community.”

Guinta said he backed the bill because “charter schools are an important tool for reducing the federal government’s role in education” and encouraging “parental involvement to help our children succeed.”

Advocates of the bill also cite the high demand to create more charter schools across the country. According to the Center for Education Reform, more than 1.2 million children across the nation are waiting to get into a charter school.

While it isn’t clear how many new charters schools would be created if the bill becomes law, a House Education and the Workforce Committee spokeswoman said “the legislation will give states greater opportunities to expand and replicate the state’s highest-performing charter schools.”

Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who introduced the bill in June, urged “the Senate to do its part for the children who stand to benefit greatly from these innovative learning environments.” He said the bill has the potential to set America’s children “on a stable path to future success and prosperity.”

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City schools open extra-curriculars to home schoolers

August 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The superintendent explained credit flex requirements as a movement within the state to create flexibility for schools to give education credits for things outside of a traditional classroom – for example, virtual learning and internships.

“The state wants to extend to students different opportunities,” Brown said. “Our board wanted to extend students different opportunities in this district.”

Regardless of why the changes were made, though, the Robinsons were simply happy for their children – especially 12-year-old son Timmy.

“Timmy is excited because it effects him more immediately than the others,” Robinson said. “He wants to play football and that’s what generated our interest.”

For the rest of the article, go to City schools open extra-curriculars to home schoolers

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