Enrollment is increasing for virtual schools across Kansas and new programs are giving more options for students and parents.
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Virtual Schools, E-Learning, Sweep The States
August 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The number of online high schools across the country continues to grow with virtual schools now operating in 12 states and five other states working on similar projects, according to Education Week’s annual School Technology Report.
The editors of the fifth edition of Technology Counts 2002: E-Defining Education, praised the growth in online classrooms, but warned that the quality of such programs must be monitored.
“E-learning is poking holes in the walls of the traditional American classroom and giving students unprecedented access to challenging course and academic material,” says Virginia B. Edwards, the editor and publisher of Education Week. “But there are still problems and unanswered questions about this way of teaching and learning. And one of the chief concerns is ensuring the quality of online courses.”
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Virtual schools increase in Kansas
July 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Some western Kansas schools are adjusting to the region’s shifting population and cuts in state school funding by offering virtual classes.
For the 2010-11 school year, 14 virtual schools and 34 virtual programs were operating in the state, according to Kathy Toelkes, director of communications for the Kansas Department of Education.
Most of the virtual schools and programs are associated with established school districts and receive per-pupil state funding.
For the rest of the article, go to Virtual schools increase in Kansas
New Year’s hopes from the Show-Me Institute
January 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Third, give families real school choice. Our research has consistently shown that education is improved when parents and students are given more choices and traditional public schools face greater competition from charter and virtual schools. Adjusted for inflation, we spend four times as much for education in urban areas today as in 1960, but educational achievement is no higher.
Today, the St. Louis and Kansas City school districts spend more than $15,000 a pupil — more than all but the most expensive private schools. Charter schools provide a real opportunity for poor students stuck in failing schools. They also enable teachers and administrators to innovate more freely and force other public schools to improve their performance in order to compete successfully.
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Thousand Attend Virtual Schools In Kansas
August 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Virtual schools in Kansas are a tuition-free option. Your child can take all of their classes online, or attend a traditional school, and take a few classes online. Those could be classes not offered at your child’s school, like advanced math or science, or a language.
For the rest of the article, go to Thousand Attend Virtual Schools In Kansas
Lawrence school board proposes lower mill levy raise
July 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment
After administrators said they were confident the district could handle planned projects and potential emergency repairs in the next year, board members decided against the extra 2 mills.
“If we can reduce some of the (economic) pressure by reducing the capital outlay levy, I think that’s something we should do,” board member Marlene Merrill said.
According to projections, an increase of 2.076 mills would cost the owner of a $200,000 home an extra $48 in taxes a year. Total school district taxes on the home would be $1,333.
Because of state funding cuts, the school board has already cut $4.6 million from its 2010-2011 budget.
Administrators say the 2 mill increase overall is due to a higher payment next year on principal for the 2005 bond issue, as well as added authority on the district’s local-option budget due to projected enrollment increases at the Lawrence Virtual School and among students who receive free and reduced-price lunches.
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School board hopes to reduce suggested mill levy
July 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Other than the capital outlay levy, lower property valuations are driving the remaining 3.3-mill increase.
The district has a higher payment next year on principal for the 2005 bond issue, but those payments were scheduled anticipating future property values to increase, not decrease.
Administrators also project an enrollment increase at Lawrence Virtual School and among students who receive free- and reduced-price lunches. This drives up what the district will get in its general fund from the state, but voters have also authorized the district to levy 31 percent of that general fund in local property taxes, known as the local option budget, or LOB.
Now it will take more money to get to that 31 percent.
Critics say a property tax increase is ill-timed because the economy has not turned around, and they say taxpayers will get hit even harder — Douglas County Commission is considering a property tax increase of up to 15.9 percent.
For the rest of the article, go to School board hopes to reduce suggested mill levy
Kansas has new online high schools site
January 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Welcome to yet another state-specific website for online high schools. Brought to you by Best Online High Schools, this gives you information on all that is going on in your state with online high schools.
