Broward parents learn details about 'virtual schools' offered by state

[Judi Lynn]

Broward parents learn details about 'virtual schools' offered by state

By Lauren Heist
Staff Writer
Posted August 20 2003

PLANTATION · The click of the mouse and the hum of a modem soon could replace the roar of the school bus and the racket of the cafeteria for students who enroll in the Florida Virtual Academy.

For the first time this fall, public school students from kindergarten through eighth grade are eligible to take classes online at two virtual public schools, each open to 500 students statewide.

On Tuesday night, about 100 curious parents packed into a conference room in the Holiday Inn on University Drive in Plantation to find out about one of the cutting-edge cyber schools, operated by an education company called K12 Inc., directed by former U.S. Education Secretary William J. Bennett. (snip)

(snip) The Florida Department of Education approved the virtual academy's curriculum, which includes classes in language arts, math, science, history, art and music. The state will pay K12 Inc. about $4,800 for each student who enrolls. Students still must pass the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test at the end of year. (snip/...)

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cjacobs20aug20,1,5611075.story?coll=sfla-news-broward

[Chico Man]

1. Ahh.. on-line public schools run by a private company called K12 Inc

How utterly disgusting: profiteering from the youth.

[denverbill]

2. William Fuckin Bennett.

Where do these fucks get off constantly sucking at the govt teat?

K12 shouldn't get jack shit if unless the kid passes the test. How the hell can they justify charging nearly $5K/kid for a goddamned 'virtual' school?

[et]

3. Give me a break - Bill Bennett stealing FL tax dollars ...

What an absolute crook. Were I a Florida resident I'd be screaming at the top of my lungs that such a "school" should be able to receive State support for enrollments. Let this wingnut run all the private schools he wants, but the minute he gets State or Federal dollars I say we have the right to tear him a new one and fully account for his "curriculum".

[cosmicdot]

4. paging Neil Bu$h, Neil Bu$h

please pick up the virtual education ignite! hotline

http://www.ignitelearning.com/index.shtml

[masslib]

5. As an idea, I would love to see some classes offered

online for High School aged kids, on a voluntary basis though. I've taken three excellent online courses and one really really bad online course. Though I'm sold on the benefits of online courses I would never recommend taking a semester's worth all online and I don't believe all courses are suitable for online distribution.

I think a limited approach to online courses is a viable option for dealing with school overcrowding. It would be better if the public schools were designing and managing these courses but they aren't as far as I know. We are barely keeping up with technology in most areas.

[tkmorris]

7. Are you in Florida?

I have 2 daughters enrolled at least part time in this program for high schoolers. http://www.flvs.net/ .

No time for details right now but it is better than most people think.

[hatrack]

6. And after they finish "Virtual School" . . . .

They can take their places in the workforce with "Virtual Jobs" at the nearest Quikee-Mart or Wally World that pay them virtually enough to live on.