Education Co-op Considers Virtual Learning Program

FARMINGTON — Northwest Arkansas Education Service Cooperative is in the process of deciding whether it will offer virtual classes for kindergarten-sixth grade for the 2021-22 school year, said Bryan Law, cooperative executive director.

Law said the co- op is looking at curriculum options and providers that would come in and serve the needs of those students learning from home. If the co- op goes ahead with a program, classes would be available to the 16 districts served by the education service cooperative.

Law said his staff is looking at the “whole curriculum,” which would include physical education, music and art.

Teachers would be on-site at the cooperative building in Farmington to instruct those students learning online at home.

He noted that larger districts are able to take care of their online students. If the co-op goes ahead with a proposal, this would help those smaller districts that may need help serving their online students, Law said, noting it’s not economical for a district to provide a full online program if it only has seven or eight students per grade.

Students would continue to be enrolled in their home school district. The co-op would pass on its costs for the program to the participating districts. Law said the major costs would be teacher salaries and purchasing the curriculum.

Law said the co-op is only looking at kindergarten through sixth grade because the Arkansas Department of Education will offer Virtual Arkansas for seventh-12th grades next year.

The proposal is still in the discussion stage and implementing a program would be based on interest from school districts. Last week, about one-half of the districts were looking at the proposal. Law said the cooperative wants to help “bridge the gap” for districts if a need is there.