A woman types on a laptop while on a train in New Jersey, May 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)
AP File Photo
More than 100 students attend a new locally-run, tuition-free virtual public school.
In partnership with EdOptions Academy, Edmentum and Indiana Online Academy, Franklin Community Virtual School offers 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 in April and has since approved a handbook and hired its first principal and counselor.
Students attend live synchronous courses throughout the day for all grade levels, said Shelbie Murphy, principal. All grade levels attend Zoom calls with live teacher interaction. The live teacher interaction provides additional support to students that they would otherwise miss out on, Murphy said.
“Parents and students are doing well with it,” Murphy said. “They’re navigating the system and we’re kind of excited to be off to the races.”
Although enrollment was double what the school initially expected, it hasn’t caused any issues with instruction, Murphy said.
FCVS offers education for all grades. At the high school level, the same courses as those offered at Franklin Community High School, although AP course options may vary and ACP courses may be partnered with a different post-secondary institution than FCHS partner. Earning the Indiana College Core is still possible and students may have course options that may not be offered on-site at FCHS, such as German language classes.
Murphy
Indiana Online Academy provides the teachers and content for grades five through twelve while EdMentum provides teachers and content for kindergarten through grade four.
The virtual school is free for students, but is being 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.
“We made sure that we had teachers who were experienced in online teaching and didn’t try to reinvent the wheel so we could give students the best chance for success,” Murphy said.
Each school day varies from student to student, but a typical school day is between 8 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. with students attending live classes and completing any additional coursework or asynchronous courses during downtime. Students are required to have at least half of their classes live as a part of enrollment, Murphy said.
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 families and to retain and recruit K-12 students, documents show.
A brick-and-mortar school is not the right fit for every student, Murphy said. Some students may have medical needs that require them to be out more often, some have travel schedules that don’t align with a school classroom. There are a variety of reasons why a virtual school may be more suitable for a student than a brick-and-mortar school, she said.
“It’s great to be able to see that we have created a situation where students can be successful and just have an option for schooling that doesn’t necessarily have to fit the exact mold of school,” Murphy said. “It’s a new world and so we’ve got new choices.”
Students enrolled in grades kindergarten through eight will be able to participate in clubs, sports and other extracurricular activities. Students in grades nine through twelve can participate in extracurriculars except IHSAA-sanctioned athletics. Students can still participate in intramurals and club sports.
Students enrolled in the hybrid virtual program can compete in sports following IHSAA guidelines.
Students attending the virtual school are also eligible to apply for Central Nine, but they would have to complete Central Nine courses in person.
The school will provide certified teachers of record and service for students with an IEP and/or ILP.
Those interested in enrolling should call Franklin Community Schools at 317-346-8700.
