Under a new state law that encourages fully online and hybrid schooling options, the fourth-largest school district in Texas wants to join others in taking a "transformative approach," Superintendent John Craft told trustees this week. The district plans to choose a vendor to run the school next week and present a proposal for board approval Jan. 13 for the online program, which will be billed as Northside Connect.
"This is a new frontier, a new journey, which we're excited about," Craft told trustees Tuesday night.
"I do believe that with branding and making this a truly Northside ISD virtual school, that it will garner interest and reach some of our students," Craft said in an interview. "I don't expect it to be a massive program right from the launch, but I do anticipate it will probably grow in the future."
The proposal offers an opportunity to bring students not currently enrolled, including students who have to travel often or have been homeschooled, into the "Northside ecosystem," Craft said. The district's enrollment peaked to about 107,000 just before the pandemic in 2020, but has fallen to roughly 97,000 currently.
Under the virtual learning proposal, "the student is going to have to be incredibly self-motivated, and there's going to have to be parental support, to be successful" Craft said.
VIRTUAL SCHOOLING LAW
The district has a short list of potential vendors with experience in online education and hopes to begin marketing and recruiting students in mid-January and registering them in February. Senate Bill 569, approved this year by the Legislature, streamlined the state's regulations on K-12 virtual learning, replacing a complicated set of outdated rules with "a clear structure," according to the bill's author, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston.
The "flagship virtual education reform bill" is expected to double the number of public school students enrolled in virtual learning statewide from about 52,000 to well over 100,000 by 2028, Bettencourt's office said in May.
"It's a space that is going to, I think, rapidly expand across the state, really as a result of the recent legislation," Craft said.
There still are big decisions for the school board, including whether to extend the program outside Northside's boundaries, and whether virtual students will be able to participate in extracurricular activities. The district is working with the Texas Education Agency, which is developing rules in compliance with the law.
District staff said they plan to begin virtual instruction next fall, starting with grades 9 through 12, including special education instruction. Virtual students in the program will be counted as part of the district's average daily attendance, used to calculate the state's payments to Northside. With the increase in revenue, Craft expects the program will be "cost neutral."
"I can say this with full confidence: we will not be alone in this venture," he told trustees.
Elsewhere in Texas, public school systems have had virtual learning programs for years, including iUniversity Prep at the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD in North Texas. Katy ISD near Houston has announced plans for its Legacy Virtual High School, starting in fall 2026, expanding its virtual learning opportunities.
State law defines a virtual course as online instruction delivered synchronously or asynchronously — meaning taken at the same time or allowing students to watch lessons at their own pace. A hybrid course is one provided in-person for less than 90 percent of instruction.
Board members were supportive of the concept but had questions about in-person access for virtual students needing tutoring and procedures to deal with under-performing students. Janis Jordan, deputy superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said there will be assigned staffing for the virtual school, including a principal and counselor. But many details still need to be ironed out.
"We're nervous, but we're actually very excited. We think this is going to fit a need." Jordan said. "There are lot of things swirling."
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