Franklin Community Schools is looking to expand virtual education options starting in the 2024-2025 school year.
In partnership with EdOptions Academy, Edmentum and Indiana Online Academy, FCS officials hope to offer a virtual learning experience for students in grades K-12. All learning partners are fully accredited virtual programs.
The board approved the virtual school 5-0 at a school board meeting Monday. Details about the program design are still being finalized.
The Indiana Department of Education will have to vote to approve the school before moving forward. The FCS school board will also have to approve a virtual handbook, advertise and register students before classes begin this August, if this is approved by IDOE.
District leadership recommended that the school board explore opening a virtual school due to the state’s 100-student cap for integrating virtual leadership. The goal is to provide a continuum of learning opportunities and support for students and family and to retain and recruit K-12 students, documents show.
Franklin schools would provide staffing for the virtual school.
“I think this is a really good strategy for us to help kids. It goes back to our guiding principle of individual student growth and we do believe that parents are the best teachers, we just want to partner with them to make this happen,” Superintendent David Clendening said at a school board meeting.
The cost will vary for each program, but will be paid for by the state, officials said at the March school board meeting. For grades K-4 EdOptions Academy will cost $3,000, grades 5-6 Indiana Online will cost $2,520 assuming 6 courses a semester. For grades 7-8 Indiana Online will cost $2,520 assuming 6 courses a semester.
For grades 9-12, there are two different options. Edmentum will keep the current expense of $0 while Indiana Online will cost $2,520. Grades K-8 participating in virtual school can still participate in extracurriculars. While 9-12 students attending Edmentum can participate in some extracurriculars, but no Indiana High School Athletic Association accredited sports. Indiana Online 9-12 has no extracurriculars.
The school will provide certified teachers of record and service for students with an IEP and/or ILP.
