Dive Brief:
- A proposal that would establish Virginia's first statewide virtual school, which would be tasked with providing full-time online programs and learning options, has passed the state's House of Delegates.
- In terms of accountability, the Virginia Virtual School would comply with the same quality and accreditation standards as the state's brick-and-mortar schools.
- Lawmakers have promoted the bill by saying it increases school choice options for parents.
Dive Insight:
It's unclear if this new proposal will advance, especially given the difficulties and challenges other online-only schools have faced in other states, like California, recently. In the Golden State, Attorney General Kamala Harris is currently immersed in a statewide investigation of online for-profit charters.
In many states, online charters have performed poorly. In Idaho, a high school graduation rate was recently shown to hover around just 20%. An in-depth Stanford University study published in fall 2015 and regarded as the most comprehensive to date found 70% of online charter students had fallen behind peers. That report had examined 158 online schools across 17 states and the District of Columbia. It's worth noting, however, that virtual schools are often a last resort for some at-risk student populations, and that some students simply learn better with a face-to-face instructor.
Still, there are no guarantees the Virginia Virtual School proposal will progress further. Another recent education-related proposals that passed the House but failed in the Senate would have added a charter school amendment to the state's constitution.
