School divisions scaling back virtual programs
Others are finding success with existing models
Some Hampton Roads school divisions will scale back virtual programs next school year because of declining enrollment, limited funding and options they believe are better for students.
When the pandemic hit four years ago, schools across the country were thrown into virtual learning. The concept was not new, though: Several area schools had outside vendors offering courses. But the learning landscape changed in the aftermath.
Most students and teachers happily returned to in-person learning, while some preferred online.
In Chesapeake, where a virtual academy had been planned and set to open in 2024, the program opened ahead of schedule. Newport News started its Virtual Learning Academy after schools re-opened and students could go to school once a week. Hampton City Schools had a part-time plan with Virtual Virginia before the pandemic and launched a full-time program when students returned from the division’s shutdown. It also opened FLEx, a fully virtual option for K-6 students.
Last week, however, Newport News announced it would close its academy; it has 481 students.
Division spokesperson Michelle Price said the Department of Teaching and Learning determined that students could be better served with Virtual Virginia, a state program that provides digital learning to K-12 and homeschooled students. Division officials say it offers courses, such as world languages, that aren’t possible in local virtual programs. With the partnership, Newport News students in K-12 can learn online virtually at no cost.
But some Newport News parents are worried about the change.
Karen Matthews’ seventh grader is in the academy. He was diagnosed with epilepsy in the summer,
and the program's flexibility helped as he maneuvered the medications, side effects and hospitalizations. The academy staff provided social, emotional and educational support, she said, and the hybrid model allowed him to attend in person when he was up to it.
“They enabled him to navigate this new chapter of his life more smoothly,” she said.
Matthews doesn't know whether Virtual Virginia — which serves students across the state — will be personalized enough to give the support her son needs. She also doesn't know if her son is ready to return to a traditional school setting either.
“I worry that he is going to regress.”
She plans to attend a webinar scheduled by the division to get some answers. She's also disappointed that parental input wasn't sought before the change.
Hampton also offered a virtual option for 7-12 grades through a partnership with Virtual Virginia, paid for with pandemic relief funds. But those funds will end in September and full-time enrollment is low. Only 37 students use it. Next year, secondary students who want to remain fully virtual will have to pay, though they will get a discounted rate.
Kellie Goral, Hampton City Schools' spokesperson, said the division will continue offering free individual courses through Virtual Virginia and Edgenuity to students with specific course needs for graduation.
The division began the FLEx Program for K-6 students to align with the curriculum and is continuing with it because it has seen higher achievement among some students. The program has 164 students enrolled.
Chesapeake isn't changing its academy. Though the division saw enrollment dip from 2021-22 to 2022-23, numbers have held steady this year and officials say they are seeing success. The program has 524 full-time students and about another 900 part-time.
“At the heart of our purpose and why students come to us is the idea of student choice and voice,” said Stephen Chamberlin, program administrator for virtual instruction.
Students like the program for various reasons: They attend because of scheduling conflicts with work or other classes; the academy offers classes they can't take at their school. Others thrive at home with fewer distractions and some prefer learning at their own pace. Full-time students are assigned to a home school and can participate in sports and clubs, and visit the in-person lab if they want. The academy has also been successful for some special education students. Chamberlin mentioned a high school student on the autism spectrum who was nonverbal at school. After four weeks in the academy, she was verbally engaging with teachers, and her parents were thrilled.
“That was some tremendous growth that they had not been able to achieve in a traditional setting,” he said.
The Virginia Beach school division does not have a virtual program; it partners with Virtual Virginia. But, the option will only be available for grades 6-12 because of declining enrollment at the elementary level. The division only has 65 elementary students in the program, compared to 252 students in grades 6-12.
Norfolk and Portsmouth also use Virtual Virginia. Neither plans to change, but Portsmouth officials said they are examining criteria to make sure all students “are in the most successful academic environment possible.”