Crescent-News.com - Students can earn course credit by 'attending' virtual school

By JENNY DERRINGER

derringer@crescent-news.com

Students can earn actual course credit without being in a "bricks and mortar" school by "attending" a virtual school.

Among popular "e-schools" is the Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA), found on the Internet at www.ohva.org. It offers classes online for students in grades K-11 and is based locally in Maumee.

This is a self-paced program that offers language arts, math, science, history, music and art -- the core courses. Other courses offered at the appropriate grade level include physical education. All of the textbooks and instructional materials needed by the students to complete the program are sent to them directly, allowing youths to work at a pace that is comfortable for them.

In addition, OHVA loans each family a computer, printer and software (along with Internet connection) for the student's learning process.

The website notes, "Computers also act as powerful teaching tools that can motivate, stimulate and inform children about the world around them. They do not, however, replace a solid education. Rather, they help facilitate one."

Though OHVA touts that it is the best performing "e-school" in Ohio for the fourth year in a row, the state-issued 2006-07 local report card for the academy notes that it earned 19 or the 29 state indicators. Its performance index was 87.9 out of a possible 120 points maximum, and it hadn't met adequate yearly progress. The Ohio Department of Education ranked OHVA as a continuous improvement school for the second year.

While results for the 10th- and 11th-grade Ohio Graduation Tests are well above the minimum requirements and state averages, the lower grades haven't faired as well on the local report card tests.

On the upside, as a public charter school program, there is no tuition.

"Currently, here at Ayersville, we have one student attending an online school," said superintendent Tod Hug. "However, statewide, the urban schools have a very large contingent, which takes state funding from their coffers. Schools lose $5,565 per student. This funding is deducted from the state foundation of the resident district and sent to the online school.

"When I was a principal at Edgerton from 1998-2003, virtual academies or online schools were first beginning," he noted. "We did have a few students enroll into those schools, but generally the students were going to this type of educational entity due to their unwillingness to meet the attendance expectations of the traditional high school."

Though Hug has no actual statistics, he believes that in northwest Ohio, virtual schools aren't as popular as they are in urban areas.

What do "bricks and mortar" schools offer that the virtual schools can't?

"First and foremost, the direct interaction of a professional educator and the variety of learning experiences cannot be duplicated in the home or on the computer," Hug stressed. "I truly believe technology is a tool that can be used to facilitate learning, however, a teacher is very difficult, if not impossible, to replace. There is a human element in the learning process. To remove that human element takes away part of the experience."

Hug also stressed that learning experiences and interaction with other children their own age are extremely valuable.

Virtual schools do differ from the home-schooled philosophy.

"With an online school, the student must withdraw from their home district and then be enrolled with the online school," stated Hug. "In many cases, the online school sends them a computer. They are then provided instructions through the Internet and the student must log on in order to be able to be counted as 'in attendance.' The student must return assignments via Internet/e-mail. Instructors are on the school-end receiving and grading this homework and tests.

"With home-schooling, the parent or assigned person is responsible to facilitate the learning," he added. "There are various companies that specialize in home-schooling curriculum that the parents can buy and use as their curriculum. This curriculum must be approved by Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center's deputy superintendent John Kaylor before the home-schooling is permitted."

Defiance City Schools superintendent Mike Struble added that home-schooled students need a minimum of 900 hours of instruction each year. He also noted that at least home-schooled children are part of a social group where children interact with other students.

"Students being educated through electronic schools are simply enrolled in the virtual academy of the parents' choosing, records are transferred and the electronic school becomes the educating entity on record for the state," stated Struble.

"Obviously we believe we offer students every possible opportunity to develop into broad, successful and diverse individuals through our educational programs, extracurricular activities and consistent environment to learn and interact in," said the superintendent. "I believe that all students belong in a school environment to learn and interact in. I believe that all students belong in a school setting. They need the socialization, interaction and experiences to gain a full education.

"Anytime a student takes another option for being educated, it affects our enrollment," added Struble. "My goal continues to be gaining back the students who are being educated elsewhere through one of the open enrollment options."

He noted that the city district averages about 30 students a year who are enrolled in a virtual school.