Re-instituting Virtual Academy in MCPS

[Anonymous]

Delegates to the Maryland general assembly have proposed a bill that would require all school districts to have a virtual academy for elementary, middle and high school. Fingers crossed we finally get the MVA to return to MCPS. A lot of people left it for dead when the BOE abruptly ended the MVA, but it's good to see that state-wide lawmakers are doing the right thing.

[Anonymous]

Its best not to talk about that here. There is one nasty person who has no concept of that it benefits some students and is a positive thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Delegates to the Maryland general assembly have proposed a bill that would require all school districts to have a virtual academy for elementary, middle and high school. Fingers crossed we finally get the MVA to return to MCPS. A lot of people left it for dead when the BOE abruptly ended the MVA, but it's good to see that state-wide lawmakers are doing the right thing.

+1!

[Anonymous]

I’m a new poster but wondering why the virtual academy is needed? There are so many online programs parents can use to home school their kids?

[Anonymous]

Fine, if they want that, then the state can fund one statewide for everyone. So tone deaf and pandering to special interests to be demanding this now when they can't fund their own Blueprint and there's huge federal funding cuts and uncertainties. How can they possibly think that tiny districts like Somerset or Kent have critical mass to make this worth the outlay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fine, if they want that, then the state can fund one statewide for everyone. So tone deaf and pandering to special interests to be demanding this now when they can't fund their own Blueprint and there's huge federal funding cuts and uncertainties. How can they possibly think that tiny districts like Somerset or Kent have critical mass to make this worth the outlay?

Tell me you didn't read the article without telling me you didn't read the article

[Anonymous]

I think MD should create a virtual academy for the entire state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fine, if they want that, then the state can fund one statewide for everyone. So tone deaf and pandering to special interests to be demanding this now when they can't fund their own Blueprint and there's huge federal funding cuts and uncertainties. How can they possibly think that tiny districts like Somerset or Kent have critical mass to make this worth the outlay?

Tell me you didn't read the article without telling me you didn't read the article

There's no article linked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think MD should create a virtual academy for the entire state.

I agree with this. I have no issue with a virtual academy in principle. I can easily accept that different kids have different needs and excel in different environments. But it seems it would be much more cost effective and offer more educational opportunities to student if this was administered on a larger, statewide scale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think MD should create a virtual academy for the entire state.

The bill encourages districts that aren’t able to create their own virtual academy to team up with other districts and share academies. So maybe they all end up teaming up with whatever district has the best program and essentially create a state wide school. But the state isn’t going to do that via the bill that’s proposed - it puts the mandate on each district to figure it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Delegates to the Maryland general assembly have proposed a bill that would require all school districts to have a virtual academy for elementary, middle and high school. Fingers crossed we finally get the MVA to return to MCPS. A lot of people left it for dead when the BOE abruptly ended the MVA, but it's good to see that state-wide lawmakers are doing the right thing.

Please share the names of the delegates (and with what money) who are proposing this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Delegates to the Maryland general assembly have proposed a bill that would require all school districts to have a virtual academy for elementary, middle and high school. Fingers crossed we finally get the MVA to return to MCPS. A lot of people left it for dead when the BOE abruptly ended the MVA, but it's good to see that state-wide lawmakers are doing the right thing.

Please share the names of the delegates (and with what money) who are proposing this.

Joe Vogel and April Miller

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/02/11/moco-delegates-bill-mcps-virtual-academy/

[Anonymous]

Yet another unfunded mandate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a new poster but wondering why the virtual academy is needed? There are so many online programs parents can use to home school their kids?

It’s not homeschooling. Two different things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think MD should create a virtual academy for the entire state.

The bill encourages districts that aren’t able to create their own virtual academy to team up with other districts and share academies. So maybe they all end up teaming up with whatever district has the best program and essentially create a state wide school. But the state isn’t going to do that via the bill that’s proposed - it puts the mandate on each district to figure it out.

You realize that a state wide program would cost more and be paid out of MCPS funds. Why do you keep pushing it? It’s not what anyone wants. The money is there.