I do not believe it is fiscally responsible or prudent to say, “We don’t have enough money for certain priorities” like our school liaison positions or our move to a virtual education program, when in fact, a couple weeks later the board says, “We not only have enough money, but we have extra money.” I applaud Mr. Meshkin in his fight for organizational input by groups like the PTA and the Budget Review Committee, stressing the need for transparency. The Gang of Four believed this surplus is their money not the taxpayers.

For the rest of the article, go to Letter: School board needs to show more fiscal responsibility

All Connections Academy students will be able to select a number of engaging new courses including: Digital Arts; Introduction to Entrepreneurship; Engineering Design and Game Design; and AP World History. Innovative instructional tools will be available to students for the first time including: Lab Investigator: Virtual Dissection; a virtual wordplay game for middle school students; and selected state history courses with Google Earth tours and virtual timelines—showcased by robot avatars. Just-introduced extra-curricular clubs and activities for 2012-2013 include digital storytelling and brainteasers clubs.

For the rest of the article, go to Connections Academy Virtual Public Schools Open Enrollment for the 2012-2013 School Year

Banding together in multidistrict virtual learning collaborations helps member districts pool resources, increase purchasing power, and share best practices as they launch and support online learning for their students.

“Why re-create the wheel?” asks John Jacobs, the director of online learning for the Wisconsin eSchool Network, based in Webster village. The network, which began in 2002 as a collaboration between two districts—the Appleton and Kiel school districts—in the state, now serves 12 districts and has become its own nonprofit organization.

“Our mission is to ensure equitable access for all students and school districts and maximize the autonomy for our districts,” says Jacobs.

For the rest of the article, go to School Districts Team Up on Virtual Ed. Initiatives

But as e-learning moves further into the K-12 mainstream, it is also attracting closer scrutiny from educators, policymakers, researchers, and the news media. Questions about its effectiveness are being asked more often by a growing cadre of critics, and even advocates concede that the e-learning movement needs to take a harder look at putting better accountability measures in place.

For the rest of the article, go to Spotlight Turns Toward Virtual Ed. Accountability

And among those companies, it appears the usual suspects from the virtual education world are leading the pack.

For the rest of the article, go to Companies Target Hybrid-Charter Market

Technology can boost the instructional process, especially for students with special needs, she said.

Amy Sparks of Rosedale in Baltimore County said two students in her family have graduated from a private virtual school.

Sparks, vice president of Emerging Minds of Maryland, a nonprofit group that advocates online learning, said the General Assembly passed a bill in 2010 giving counties “a nudge” to create virtual schools, but little has happened in two years.

“I don’t think it’s going to happen until there is a council that looks at what can we do to create a quality virtual school,” said Bonnie Wesselhoff, also of Baltimore County.

For the rest of the article, go to Bill proposes state council to examine virtual schooling in Maryland

In its $697 million request, the board designated $500,000 for a new e-learning program that will hail the beginning of a virtual online school.

“We’re in good shape to launch a very robust program,” said Chief Academic Officer Linda Wise.

The program is in its beginning stages, Wise said. But the school system successfully piloted online courses during the 2011 summer school session, and has implemented other forms of digital learning in the past in “small pieces.”

For the rest of the article, go to Coming soon to Howard County: a digital school system

While most virtual school advocates in the past may have focused on gaining exposure for their programs, experts suggest they should shift toward emphasizing accountability and transparency in those programs to a community at-large becoming more aware of virtual education. And despite some recent negative press about online schooling’s benefit or lack thereof, they agree that many virtual providers are heading in this direction.

For the rest of the article, go to Virtual Education Sees Shift to Accountability

National School Choice Week (January 22-28, 2012 – www.SchoolChoiceWeek.com) has brought together tens of thousands of students, parents, teachers, community leaders, and elected officials around the simple premise that parents should be empowered to select the best schools – public district schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, virtual education, and homeschooling – for their children.

For the rest of the article, go to US House Speaker John Boehner Joins 28 Governors, Legislatures in Recognizing Bipartisan National School Choice Week

Statistics indicate that more than 1.5 million students attended fully online or blended learning programs during the 2009-10 school year, and more school districts are turning to online instruction for its expanded curriculum offerings, flexibility, and cost-saving potential. Some experts predict that roughly half of high school courses will be offered online by 2019.

For the rest of the article, go to How to start a successful virtual learning program