Virtual charter school pilot program announced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Media Contact:
Cam Savage
317-232-6615, csavage@doe.in.gov
The Indiana Department of Education has selected an operator for a virtual charter school pilot program authorized by the Indiana General Assembly during the 2009 Special Session.
Indiana-based Hoosier Academies – Virtual Pilot School (VPS) will operate the virtual charter school pilot program for as many as 200 students in grades one through five in the 2009-10 school year and may expand to other grades in the 2010-11 school year.
The Department of Education may choose a second entity to operate an additional virtual charter school during the 2010-11 school year, when the total number of students allowed by the General Assembly to participate in the program increases to 500.
“Parents are looking for options that best meet their students’ individual needs,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett said. “While options are critical, so are results. The Department of Education will hold this school accountable for results and academic achievement just as we do all Indiana schools.”
Hoosier Academies will be accountable to the department of education for the operation of the virtual charter school and the department will ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws. The department also requires the following additional assurances in order to assess the effectiveness of the pilot and to ensure compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements:
In addition to the open enrollment requirement for all charter schools, the application for student enrollment in the virtual charter school must track the reason the student seeks to enroll. The application must ask the applicant to indicate one of the following reasons for seeking enrollment:
- In addition to the open enrollment requirement for all charter schools,
the application
for student enrollment in the virtual charter school must track the reason
the student
seeks to enroll. The application must ask the applicant to indicate one of
the following
reasons for seeking enrollment:
- the student’s medical disability or other circumstances prevent the student from attending school; or
- the virtual charter school is a better alternative than
a traditional school.
- At least 75 percent of students enrolled in the virtual charter school will have been counted in the September Average Daily Membership count for the previous school year, as submitted to the department via the DOE-ME form.
- Each grade level will accommodate up to 40 students. If there are more than 40 applicants for a grade level, Hoosier Academies will conduct a lottery in accordance with Indiana law.
- Hoosier Academies - VPS will ensure that teachers are readily available for student access via telephone, email, or in person and will provide students with a real time response.
- Hoosier Academies - VPS will accurately document and report attendance of students in the virtual charter school in a manner consistent with standard attendance reporting requirements.
- Hoosier Academies – VPS will appropriately administer ISTEP+ and other assessments at multiple testing sites around the state and will ensure that no student has to commute more than 50 miles to a testing site.
- Hoosier Academies – VPS will ensure that individualized education programs (IEPs) and 504 Plans for students with disabilities are appropriately implemented in the virtual school setting.
- Hoosier Academies - VPS will assist the department in contacting school administrators, teachers, students, and families if the department determines that interviews would be an effective method of evaluating the virtual charter school pilot.
- Hoosier Academies - VPS will submit annual report information specific to the virtual charter school pilot in accordance with IC 20-24-9-2, including:
- Results of all standardized testing;
- A description of the educational methods and teaching methods employed;
- Daily attendance records; and
- Student enrollment data, including:
- The number of students enrolled;
- The number of students expelled; and
- The number of students who discontinue attendance and the reason(s) for discontinuation.
Information Sessions
Hoosier Academies will host virtual information sessions for families interested in Hoosier Academies – Virtual Pilot School. During these information sessions, families will take time to review the Hoosier Academies’ model and curriculum (including the online systems) and ask individual questions. Hoosier Academies has four virtual sessions scheduled for families interested in the Virtual Pilot School. For more information regarding these sessions, visit www.k12.com/ha and click “Virtual Information Session” located in the center of the homepage.
Monday, August 10 at 1pm
Wednesday, August 12th at 7pm
Thursday, August 13th at 10am
Tuesday, August 18th at 7pm
Wednesday, August 19th at 10am
For more information about Information Sessions and enrollment procedures, parents are encouraged to visit www.k12.com/ha.
