Virtual educators to brief locals on statewide public school

Representatives with a statewide online public school will host an information session in Houma tomorrow evening.

Louisiana Connections Academy is one of two “virtual” schools open to all of Louisiana. Teachers communicate with students through computers by using cameras, microphones and special software, eliminating participating students’ needs for a classroom. The school is public and thus tuition free for any child in the state, K-12.

The academy is hosting three in-person information sessions this month – in Covington, Gonzales and Houma. The Houma session is scheduled for 6:30 to 8 p.m., June 21 at Holiday Inn, 1800 Martin Luther King Blvd.

“In our virtual school, the computer is a tool for teachers to manage and track assignments, communicate, and deliver lessons and other interactive curriculum materials,” Principal Caroline Wood said in a press release. “However, students complete many assignments ‘unplugged,’ and spend time reading textbooks, using workbooks, reading library books and doing hands-on experiments—just like at a traditional school.”

Representatives will discuss the benefits of virtual schooling, the types of students a virtual education benefits, the school’s curriculum, the role of the family, the enrollment process and more at the session. It is also open to the school’s current parents, teachers and staff.

LCA, a charter school, completed its inaugural year in May with an enrollment of 597 students. The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has since authorized the school to raise its enrollment cap from 500 to 1,000 students.

The state funds the school through its Minimum Foundation Program. The school receives 10 percent less than the normal per-pupil amount. That 10 percent is allocated to the student’s residential city or parish school system.

Virtual-learning advocates say online learning is a viable alternative for students who, for whatever reason, struggle in physical classrooms. The proliferation of virtual schools could lessen the state’s dropout rate, while still ensuring the state’s curriculum is administered, and more aptly give students specialized attention, advocates say.

Instructors still must pass state certification guidelines in order to teach, and each student must have a “learning coach” at home, most often a parent or tutor.

Enrolled students are eligible to receive one loaned computer per household and a stipend to cover Internet costs.

LCA offers participation in several clubs, including chess, robotics, newspaper, math, debate, art, and books groups. It also facilitates field trips.

Two foreign languages are taught as electives from third through eighth grade – Chinese and Spanish – and those offerings expand to include Japanese, French, Latin and German in high school.

The school offers a litany of high-school electives, such as college-preparatory classes, a career exploration class, engineering design, game design, life management skills, art and entrepreneurship.

“One reason families are turning to tuition-free full-time virtual schools like Louisiana Connections Academy is that parents want a more personalized education for their children,” Wood said. “Our school tailors students’ studies to their abilities and interests, and students can work at their own pace. We are a great alternative for students who just aren’t thriving in a traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ classroom setting.”

Connections Academy, which is part of global learning company Pearson, maintains statewide public virtual schooling in 21 other states. It also operates three public virtual schools in specific California districts.

More information about the school is available at www.louisianaconnectionsacademy.com.

LCA is not the only virtual initiative taken by state and local leaders.

The Louisiana Virtual Charter Academy, teaching K-11, is set to begin its second year this fall. It had an enrollment of 1,246 students last year, according to the Department of Education.

The Lafourche and St. Mary public school systems have announced plans to open parishwide virtual schools.

The Virtual Academy of Lafourche is tentatively scheduled to open this fall as a Type 1 charter school.

Details about the school are limited until the school board and VAL board of directors finalize a contract, which should be soon, said Lin Kiger, president of the VAL board of directors.

Administrators will likely set the enrollment cap at 150, Kiger said, and the number of teachers hired will depend on the number of actual students. Kiger said the school intends to keep its student-to-teacher ratio fairly low but could not yet offer specifics.

The school will begin accepting applications for enrollment once the contract is finalized, Kiger said.

“Within the next couple of weeks, we do plan to work the details in the contract so that we can open up the application process,” Kiger said. “That should be happening fairly quickly, and we’re excited about it and look forward to giving our students an option in Lafourche.”