Vol. 41, No. 17
March 2, 2007
CONTACT: JIM MORRIS |
State Education Officials Rushing to Make
“Virtual Classes” a Reality This Year
Missouri education officials are rushing to put the pieces in place this year for a “virtual school” that will allow K-12 students to take classes for credit online. And for the first time, the state will pick up the tab for many of them.
Under a law enacted last year, the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program (MoVIP) must be ready to begin offering classes by July 1. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is managing the program. Private companies will be selected to offer an array of courses, which must be taught by Missouri-licensed teachers.
“Virtual” learning means students are able to take classes via the Internet. Missouri students, kindergarten through grade 12, will be able to select from more than 50 MoVIP courses during the next academic year (2007-08). Teachers will be required to interact regularly with students by telephone, e-mail and other technology.
“Virtual schools are a rapidly growing phenomenon in the United States and are now serving more than one million K-12 students. Missouri is the 25th state to launch a state-sponsored virtual program. Based on the early feedback we are receiving, we expect MoVIP classes to be extremely popular,” said Dr. Curt Fuchs, DESE’s director of virtual education.
The Missouri Legislature is currently considering the MoVIP budget for next year (2007-08). State appropriations are planned to provide funding for approximately 6,000 “slots” in online courses during the first year of operations.
Elementary students (K-5) will be able to sign up for year-long classes in basic subjects, as well as Spanish or Latin. High school students (grades 9-12) will be able to take semester-length classes in a wide range of subjects. Courses for the middle grades (6-8) will not be offered until 2008-09.
In many states, Fuchs said, virtual courses are limited mainly to high school-level classes. Missouri’s program is more ambitious and will eventually offer a comprehensive K-12 course catalog.
The State Board of Education tentatively approved a proposed regulation last month that is intended to establish statewide policies for the new program.
Under the law, MoVIP classes must meet state standards, and credit earned through MoVIP courses must be treated like traditional academic credit by all Missouri school districts.
Virtual classes will create new options and offer greater flexibility for students and schools alike, Fuchs said.
For example, small high schools will be able to offer a broader curriculum and Advanced Placement classes. Students who are homebound because of medical conditions could continue their schooling online. Students who need remedial help could take online classes instead of going to summer school.
Home-schooled students are eligible to apply for MoVIP courses and could participate on a state-paid or family-funded basis. Private schools may want to pay tuition for their students to take classes that the schools could not otherwise provide.
“We think the virtual school could open many doors for students and schools across the state,” Fuchs said.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education expects to award contracts to MoVIP course providers this spring. In May, the department will conduct a three-week open-enrollment period for students throughout the state to sign up for state-funded MoVIP classes.
Because the demand for state-funded classes is expected to exceed the number of available “seats” during the first year, DESE will use a random selection process so that students in every part of the state will have an equal chance to take advantage of the free MoVIP classes.
The selection process will be conducted online through the DESE Web site. Details about the open-enrollment procedure will be announced later.
For more information: http://dese.mo.gov/movip