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June 17, 2008 By Andy Opsahl
For most of the history of education, parents chose among sending their kids to brick-and-mortar public schools, spending thousands on private schools or going it alone by homeschooling their children. Now there's another choice: The Texas Virtual Academy (TXVA), in conjunction with Houston's Southwest Charter School, offers online public education to homeschooled children in grades three through eight.
Unlike traditional homeschooling, TXVA students take the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test, intended to ensure students meet minimum performance standards. Parents doing traditional homeschooling are free to design their child's curriculum with minimal state oversight. That's not to say every homeschooling parent wings it. Many purchase professionally assembled curricula from private vendors, often including religious education unavailable in public schools.
The TXVA receives about $4,900 per student each year, the amount brick-and-mortar charter schools normally collect from the state. That means TXVA students participate and receive all supplies on loan by mail for free. Each child receives a computer as well as 50 pounds of boxed materials throughout the school year. Students who use a school-issued computer also receive a $12.95 subsidy per month to help pay for Internet service. That subsidy increases to $29.95 if the student declines a school computer. Enrollment imposes no other costs on parents.
"We ship microscopes, rock kits, sand, dirt, all sorts of different test tubes, goggles and everything," said Jeff Kwitowski, vice president of public relations for K12, the vendor managing operations for the TXVA.
The TXVA made 2006-2007 its pilot year, offering grades three through six and enrolling roughly 200 students, a cap imposed by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The TEA raised that cap to 750 students for the 2007-2008 school year. The TXVA's enrollment climbed to 675 in January. TXVA teachers are state-certified and oversee roughly 50 students each, mostly by tracking progress via the Web.
TAKS scores for TXVA students were a mixed bag when compared to traditional brick-and-mortar school scores. For example, TXVA students scored 86 percent on the reading section while students in traditional public schools scored 87 percent. For math, TXVA students scored 66 percent while brick-and-mortar schools earned 75 percent. Only students in sixth grade and up took the science section: TXVA students scored 40 percent while students at brick-and-mortar schools scored 70 percent.
Despite the gap in science scores, "that was pretty good for a school just starting out," said Jack Evans, head of the TXVA.
Virtual Teaching World
TXVA students learn mostly via Web-based applications and offline tools with their parents. A certified teacher calls the family at least once a month, with additional calls to students who have questions their parents can't answer. One of the school's primary benefits is enabling students to schedule subjects at times of the day they learn those subjects best.
The certified teachers hold scheduled online teaching sessions for various subjects using a virtual classroom application called Elluminate Live. The setup includes a headset and microphone for each student, allowing them to talk with the instructor as he or she teaches using the application's "digital whiteboard."
The application combines several teaching tools, said Angela Deschner, a TXVA teacher.
"On the whiteboard, I can do all kinds of demonstrations - type things in. I also can pull in PowerPoint. I can take them on a Web tour on an interactive site and do different kinds of lessons through different types of technology available on the Web. I can load up things from different places to put on the whiteboard," Deschner said.
Students can reorganize content on the interactive whiteboard to suit their preferences by clicking and dragging. Students who miss lessons can access recordings of the sessions on their own time.
TXVA teachers also use software called QuizStar to give quizzes, which also function as an attendance taker. Teachers send out an
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my grandchild has seiures and misses a lot of school and when she is there and has a seiure she doe not remenber what she just learned how would i get stared
i need to know how to get started
how do i sign my child up
Sandra the best thing to do would be to go to . www.k12.com/txva/ the website for txva. Enrollment is closed for this year but would be able to get on the list for next year.
TXVA is clsoing after this summer. I am very disappointed. They state it is due to budget instability.
@Disappointed mom: I just went to the website. Admissions are open; I didn't find any indication that the the school has been or will be closed. In fact, I just submitted an enrollment application and received an email stating that my child would be placed on the waiting list.
The same thing happened to me i enrolled my son and had to call a month later to be told he was on a waiting list until Jan.2012.Not happy at all with the TXVA.
I have used the K12 Virtual Academy before (called TXVA in the state of TX), and have been fairly happy with the program. I've only experienced a wait list here in TX since this state caps the number of kids K12 can enroll. I was told the enrollment cap increased from 2010 to 2011 to twice the number of allowable enrollments which is good. The state is just regulating enrollment, thus the wait list. I do not believe they are closing.
HOW DO I CHOOSE A HOMESCHOOL PROGRAM?MUST BE FREE.WE JUST MOVED TO DALLAS FOM MISSOURI. I JUST ENROLLED MY DAUGHTER,SHE WENT ONE DAY AND REFUSES TO GO BACK.SHE'S BEGGING ME TO LET HER HOMESCHOOL.WHAT DO I DO NOW? I DON'T WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE OR HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE SCHOOL.I JUST WANT HER TO BE HAPPY LEARNING.
Tx Virtual Academy (k12, inc) lost its contract with Houston charter due to academically unacceptable rating but found another sponsor in Lewisville. Check articles by Stephanie Saul in NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/education/online-schools-score-better-on-wall-street-than-in-classrooms.html?pagewanted=all and Abby Rapoport in Tx Observer http://www.texasobserver.org/floor-play/virtual-schools-virtually-unregulated
I was informed that the 11th grade program fro the state of Texas is only 1000 students, I have a daughter that is 18 almost 19 and " CAN NOT" find a program for her to get into, public school here is NOT for her. If anyone out there knows of a program plese reply to mr_john_phelps@yahoo.com Right now she is # 79 with TXVA so wont get in this quarter have to reapply March 19 to try again, sorry this is crazy... SOMEONE PLEASE HELP DESPERATE DAD IN DESPERATE NEED...
I have been very disappointed with TXVA and the other online public schools here in Texas because after being a homeschool mom for the past 5 years I have decided that due to personal issues I would like to step down a little with my homeschooling (I am not able to lesson plan, grade and do classes right now) and wanted to enroll my children but there is a new legislation that does not allow homeschool children to enroll only those who come from a brick and mortar public school and the district we live in is not acceptable in any way shape or form and I would hate to have to enroll my children because even the elementary schools have terrible problems with violence and racism. I hate that a state that has been so homeschool friendly is putting such a legislation like this and therefore denying this form of Public Education to children who have been homeschooled.
They are open. This is my first year with them and i am nervous and excited.
Hi i was wandering if you would know the name of the law that was passed by the texas legistaive committee, that only allows you to enroll your children in the online virtual school, only if they had been in public school the previous year, i too wanted to enroll my daughters in the texas virtual online schools but was told by tx connections, and k12 that that can't have been homeschooled the prior yr. which i think is unfair, they told me the texas lesgistors passed this, and they have to follow the rules. I would like to start a petition but need to find the name of the law and its number if i can. if you know please email thank you Susan A.
I had two of my three children enrolled in K12 in Arizona and since we had to move to San Antonio, I have been unable to get them into an online program due to this new "rule". The schools of brick and mortar here in this area are atrocious and I refuse to subject my children to any of the violence and abuse that goes on and I refuse to lessen my children's chances at life and a good education thanks to somebody's bright idea of this "rule". So, what do I do as I now have all 3 of my kids that need to be enrolled in an onine program and after paying so much to live here and move here, I certainly cannot afford to pay a tuition for each child. I though public school meant free education and I'm pretty sure this little piece of legislation is illegal let alone disgustingly perverse and only serves to hurt our children and their futures.
Any updates on a good homeschool curriculum for 9th grade? The virtual academy seems to be off and on again so what curriculum is best?
I enrolled my daughter in november of 2012 to start her 9th grade year in jan 2013. I did all requirements needed,paperwork. my daughter was excited to start. come to find out i called she was not accepted into txva..i am disappointed and worried. does anyone know a "free"online homeschooling my daughter is behind and refuses to go back to public school.
Alicia, First- DON'T PANIC. There are plenty of ACCREDITED online schools-some free or low cost. You have several options: 1. Start her with a curriculum provider such as Bob Jones for her core subjects while you search for an online program. 2. Since she's entering high school, pay for just her core classes for one semester at a fee based virtual school while you search for a free or low cost online virtual school. 3. Delay her 9th grade start by a month while you search and make up that month later in the year. If you do this i recommend you have her engaged in reading various genres and continue with math work (college students tutor low cost in math). Purchase a 9th grade math text (Saxon, Bob Jones, etc.) if she's at that level in Math. To my knowledge, there are very few entirely "free" online schools BUT you will find some "low cost" virtual schools. Here are some you may want to check out: North Star Academy (http://www.northstar-academy.org) Laurel Springs (http://www.laurelsprings.com) Calvert (http://calvertvirtualschools.org) Oak Meadows (http://www.oakmeadow.com) they offer payment plans. In your search for virtual schools you will come across articles discussing pros and cons. I advise you to carefully scrutinize them. Many districts, teacher unions, school boards, etc. have taken to the internet to denounce & discredit virtual schools or home schooling in general (unless its through a public school district). The fact of the matter is-they don't want to continue bleeding $$$. Tenure these days is very difficult to obtain in many districts. Year to year teaching contracts depend on budget allowance. If there's not enough money in the budget for that year-non-tenured teachers are the first to go. Good luck. ~Former public (middle school) teacher ~Mom to 10 & 20 year old sons- (Oldest was home schooled, now college grad and youngest to be virtual schooled beginning fall 2013)