State Stepping in to Delay Virtual Online Learning

A one-year moratorium on the creation of virtual online charter schools is making its way through the Illinois legislature.

After school boards from around the Fox Valley area voted this week to deny Virtual Learning Solutions' K12 Inc. admittance to their curriculum, State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora) is crafting legislation that would stop the online learning proposals for up to a year, according to a report in the Kane County Chronicle. The moratorium would give the state more time to study virtual online learning and its effects on education.

The legislation, which is co-sponsored by State Rep. Kay Hatcher (R-Yorkville), passed Chapa LaVia’s House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee this week, and soon could make its way to the full House for a vote, the Chronicle reported.

“All my school boards voiced their concerns about this topic. Online learning has great value, but the (Illinois State Charter School Commission) was not created to address a totally virtual environment,” Hatcher said in a post on her Facebook page. “This gives everyone time to address our changing education platform.”

In March, K12 vice-president Randall Greenway presented the company's plan to partner with Virtual Learning Systems to bring the online charter school to area districts during an Oswego 308 special school board meeting. 

Known as Illinois Virtual Charter School @ Fox River Valley, the proposal drew criticism from Oswego 308 board members, administrators and even residents.

“If we don’t ask these questions and don’t get the answers we could be damning these kids,” said board member Dave Behrens. “You’re coming to us and you don’t have answers to these very pointed questions. You can’t treat our kid’s education this way.

In response, Virtual Learning Solutions fired off a more than 1,000-page response blasting its critics.

Oswego 308 voted on Monday, April 8 to deny the online charter school proposal.

"It was a disgusting display of just trying to make a profit,” said board president Bill Walsh.

"It [VLS and K12] is in no way a partnership that is good for District 308," added Superintendent Matthew Wendt.

Read the full report from the Kane County Chronicle here. 

Related:

• District 308 Board Members 'Disgusted' at Online Charter Proposal
• School Board Members 'Disappointed' with Information Provided by Online Charter School