Parent interest drove online education

Virtual schooling is only a small portion of the overall picture, but is growing in popularity.
By MARIA P. GONZALEZ of the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
WALLA WALLA -- The birth of online education here began with parent interest, when home schooling parents started asking specifically about the K12 curriculum, said Valerie Gentzler, Homelink program coordinator and advisory teacher. But the district wasn‘t able to offer the online-based curriculum right away. Until last year, K12 had an exclusive partnership with one school district, but later made itself available to additional districts -- including Walla Walla.
A College Place family that enrolled its home-schooled children in the Steilacoom Historical School District, for example, is now attending the Homelink Virtual School, Gentzler said.
A partnership between home-schooling families and the Walla Walla School District has existed for years through the district‘s Homelink program. Through it, students enroll with the district, prepare a student learning plan, and attend two full days of school a week. Parents always have the freedom to choose their own curriculum. The virtual school is an additional resource of the Homelink program, and is mainly for children who have already been learning from home.
"These are for parents who are home schooling, who do want some support from the School District," she said.
But a Washington Policy Center study points out that more students can take advantage of online learning, including those who are training in high-level sports, who have disabilities that keep them from attending a traditional school, or those with jobs, children, or who have dropped out. The study into online schooling also showed students from private schools were signing up for virtual public school programs.
Online learning is also growing among middle- and high-school students. Kaplan Virtual Education recently launched online public middle and high schools pen to students throughout Washington. The Kaplan Academy of Washington will be open to students starting this fall and is administered through the Stevenson-Carson School District near Vancouver, Wash. Other online public high schools include the Federal Way Internet Academy and Insight School of Washington. There are more than 12 such online public school programs offered in the state, according to the Washington Policy Center report.
Students living in any part of the state can enroll in such programs, even if they don‘t live nearby. The same report points out that to date, public online education represents less than one percent of public school students in the state. But the option is viewed as an important one for families seeking more educational choices for their children.
Maria P. Gonzalez can be reached atmariagonzalez@wwub.com or 525-3300, ext. 291.