Today, a consortium of charter school supporters released a new report containing solid, commonsense policy recommendations aimed at improving virtual schools. This report comes on the heels of national research studies that have documented the dismal performance of virtual schools across the country. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS), the 50-State Campaign for Achievement Now (50CAN), and the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) intend their “A Call to Action to Improve the Quality of Full-Time Virtual Charter Public Schools” report as a wake-up call.
“When national groups that advocate for and champion charter schools question the impact of virtual charter schools on student achievement, policy makers should take note,” said Chad L. Aldis, Vice President for Ohio Policy and Advocacy for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. “If Ohio leaders are serious about improving student outcomes for virtual school students, they’d be wise to consider these recommendations.”
NAPCS, 50CAN, and NACSA summarize the failings in the current online education landscape nationally and propose specific policy recommendations to help states better hold full-time virtual charter schools accountable for student results. The recommendations touch on a wide variety of key areas including authorizer (or “sponsor”) incentives; student enrollment criteria; accountability for performance in areas like truancy, attrition, and operations; and performance-based funding.
“Virtual schools have become and will remain an important part of our education system,” Aldis added. “That’s why it’s absolutely critical that they serve students well. If we ignore these issues, we do an incredible disservice to students who are either unprepared for or don’t have the necessary supports to be successful in a challenging online learning environment.”
