Cancel Virtual Academy

[Anonymous]

VA does not affect anyone until MCPS decides not to bring back standardized testing using VA as an excuse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been a consistent critic of the school closures, and the generally ridiculous COVID policies for school/preK/childcare, but I really don't understand the people that want to see virtual academy killed off. Yes, it is subpar education that bad for the development of kids, the alternative for some families would be homeschooling. And that would be even worse. VA is unfair to the kids stuck in it, but it isn't harming anyone else. Let them keep it.

The main thing is change, though, is that virtual school should be handled statewide, not in individual districts. Have MSDE set up the program for anyone in the state that wants to use it instead of going to a local school.

How is VA subpar? Are your kids in it? It’s nothing like last year and last year could have done more but parents screamed how hard it was.

We go by county so doing it statewide makes no sense. They have the numbers to justify it. Each county uses a different curriculum so state run is not logical.

How is it harming our kids? Where is your evidence?

The data from last year is awfully compelling. Sure, whatever changes they made might reduce the gap, but there's no plausible way to close it. And even if you could close the academic gap, you're still risking severe developmental harm by removing kids from normal social interactions. Anyone that knows homeschooled kids knows they don't generally do well transitioning to college.

Public education is guaranteed at a state level, not a county level. If we're going to provide public virtual education as an alternative to homeschooling, then we should make sure everyone in the state has that option. The best and most economical way to do that is to have the state provide that option to everyone. There are more counties in the state than MoCo to think about. There's no good reason to handle virtual at a local level. Part of the point of virtual is that it doesn't matter where you're physically located.

Do you not understand VA is very different from last year and your comments have nothing to do with VA? We go by county. You need the same curriculum so kids can switch between them. It is economical. It costs less than in person school and uses far less resources. Removing 3k students would be a huge hit to funding.

If you don’t want it for your kids fine, but why do you care if others of us choose it?

If those of us left if they did not offer it, MCPS would have lost a lot of funding which then would impact your kids.

How are our kids being academically harmed if they have the same number of class hours and same curriculum?

I thought I was clear- people should be free to screw up their own kids with virtual education. It's almost certainly better than implicitly encouraging people to homeschool. I think VA should continue. I just think it is silly, inequitable, and inefficient to administer virtual at a county level. Handle it at a state level so that kids in counties big and small have access to it.

What do you find so threatening about having a common virtual option for kids across the state? Worried your kids might have to interact with black kids from Baltimore? It'll be good for them. If we're lucky, they'll end up less like you.

MCPS and Baltimore use completely different curriculums so your post makes no sense. The VA is based off the same curriculum as in person so kids can easily transfer in and out.

How are we messing up our kids education? They are doing the same curriculum for the same class hours as yours.

How is it inefficient, inequitable and silly to do it at the county level? We are county based.

Why don't you send your kids to school with kids in Baltimore? When my kids are in person they are in a low income/high minority schools so you are ranting at the wrong person. Why don't you send your kids to a school like that? Believe it or not, MCPS has plenty of those schools right here where the majority of kids are minorities.

And, if you look at the population in VA, there are a significant number of minorities in it. You are ranting about stuff you don't know to justify your poor choice of sending your kids in person and you feel guilty you cannot handle having your kids at home. Your kids NEED to be in person, but many of ours will thrive in either situation because as parents we support them.

Stop making everything about race and find a new attack. As, VA has tons of minorities and many of us go to high minority schools. Just because you don't, doesn't mean our kids don't either.

Why does it matter that different counties have different curriculums? This year was a transition year between virtual and in-person. I thought it made sense for districts to run their own virtual programs to try to make it easier to allow the kids to return after being vaccinated.

Next year, though, it makes sense to transition virtual to a sustainable, permanent program for parents that don't want their kids to have normal social interactions with others. There's little reason to think anyone continuing in virtual next year will come back to an in-person program. That's not to say they couldn't, but already teachers and students have to accomodate moves to school districts. An unexpected move from virtual back to an in-person program would just be like moving from one county to another, which kids/parents do all the time.

While Moco is big enough it could economically handle a permanent virtual program, the same cannot be said for smaller counties. If you look beyond your own situation, to what is best for students everywhere, it clearly makes sense to move virtual to a shared system administered by the state.

It's not going to happen, but please, continue pompously pontificating about matters over which you have no control.

Keep in mind it's an issue that will be ultimately decide through political processes at the state and local levels. I don't see the state excited at the prospect of paying money to do duplicate online learning across 24 jurisdictions. Fighting a state-run system might lead to killing VA entirely.

And you still haven't given a coherent reason by the state can't do it. Though, one of your last posts alluded to one. Yes, the state would likely outsource virtual to a private sector company. You're outraged at the potential to have non-union teachers? Is that what this is about?

The state does not run any schools. You have not provided a coherent reason why the state would provide a VA or they'd take it away when there is a clear demand. MCPS has said VA is here to stay.

Why are you so passionate that VA should be stopped or run by the state? It in no way impacts your family.

So, should we argue MCPS should never build any more schools since you don't feel more schools are necessary? Should we argue that the new schools being built be run by the state too?

Other states had online programs even more the pandemic. There's plenty of precedence for having the state administer the program. Likely the state would outsource it to a private company, like the online "public schools."

What is your real agenda? Other states run their school systems very differently than MD. Why do you care if MCPS offers a VA? It in no way impacts you, your children or your children's education.
MCPS has said VA is here to stay.

It would have been nice if MCPS or MD offered virtual prior to COVID but they didn't. But, there is a clear demand and they are offering it now.

Do you feel guilty sending your kids in person?

The argument its safe to go to school is subjective and fortunately we each get to decide that for our kids/families. What you decide is safe for your family, may not be safe for another family. You may decide your cut off for being what you consider careful is to be vaccinated, and others may not. There are no guarantees that just because you are vaccinated you will not get covid. There is no social distancing, very limited testing, no quarantine, and if you are in an older school, just portable air filters. MCPS is NOT following CDC guidelines. If that is good enough for you, great, but its not good enough for us.

Why do you care whether virtual is handled by counties or the state? You've never provided a coherent explanation why it makes sense to keep virtual with the counties after the pandemic is over. The vast majority of students interested in coming back will come back at that point- those that remain virtual are likely to do so for a while. And it's not like they wouldn't be able to return in-person. Kids transfer schools all the time.

Why do I care? Because I'm a taxpayer interested in an efficient use of public funds. Because I'm a resident of Maryland interested in what's best for kids across the state, not just in MoCo. And because a school district is going to have a hard time creating policies that work equally well across in-person and virtual students- with testing being the clearest example. And there will probably be more.

The whole point of virtual is that where you are physically located doesn't matter. Why would we artificially break virtual students/teacher/administrators up by county?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been a consistent critic of the school closures, and the generally ridiculous COVID policies for school/preK/childcare, but I really don't understand the people that want to see virtual academy killed off. Yes, it is subpar education that bad for the development of kids, the alternative for some families would be homeschooling. And that would be even worse. VA is unfair to the kids stuck in it, but it isn't harming anyone else. Let them keep it.

The main thing is change, though, is that virtual school should be handled statewide, not in individual districts. Have MSDE set up the program for anyone in the state that wants to use it instead of going to a local school.

How is VA subpar? Are your kids in it? It’s nothing like last year and last year could have done more but parents screamed how hard it was.

We go by county so doing it statewide makes no sense. They have the numbers to justify it. Each county uses a different curriculum so state run is not logical.

How is it harming our kids? Where is your evidence?

The data from last year is awfully compelling. Sure, whatever changes they made might reduce the gap, but there's no plausible way to close it. And even if you could close the academic gap, you're still risking severe developmental harm by removing kids from normal social interactions. Anyone that knows homeschooled kids knows they don't generally do well transitioning to college.

Public education is guaranteed at a state level, not a county level. If we're going to provide public virtual education as an alternative to homeschooling, then we should make sure everyone in the state has that option. The best and most economical way to do that is to have the state provide that option to everyone. There are more counties in the state than MoCo to think about. There's no good reason to handle virtual at a local level. Part of the point of virtual is that it doesn't matter where you're physically located.

Do you not understand VA is very different from last year and your comments have nothing to do with VA? We go by county. You need the same curriculum so kids can switch between them. It is economical. It costs less than in person school and uses far less resources. Removing 3k students would be a huge hit to funding.

If you don’t want it for your kids fine, but why do you care if others of us choose it?

If those of us left if they did not offer it, MCPS would have lost a lot of funding which then would impact your kids.

How are our kids being academically harmed if they have the same number of class hours and same curriculum?

I thought I was clear- people should be free to screw up their own kids with virtual education. It's almost certainly better than implicitly encouraging people to homeschool. I think VA should continue. I just think it is silly, inequitable, and inefficient to administer virtual at a county level. Handle it at a state level so that kids in counties big and small have access to it.

What do you find so threatening about having a common virtual option for kids across the state? Worried your kids might have to interact with black kids from Baltimore? It'll be good for them. If we're lucky, they'll end up less like you.

MCPS and Baltimore use completely different curriculums so your post makes no sense. The VA is based off the same curriculum as in person so kids can easily transfer in and out.

How are we messing up our kids education? They are doing the same curriculum for the same class hours as yours.

How is it inefficient, inequitable and silly to do it at the county level? We are county based.

Why don't you send your kids to school with kids in Baltimore? When my kids are in person they are in a low income/high minority schools so you are ranting at the wrong person. Why don't you send your kids to a school like that? Believe it or not, MCPS has plenty of those schools right here where the majority of kids are minorities.

And, if you look at the population in VA, there are a significant number of minorities in it. You are ranting about stuff you don't know to justify your poor choice of sending your kids in person and you feel guilty you cannot handle having your kids at home. Your kids NEED to be in person, but many of ours will thrive in either situation because as parents we support them.

Stop making everything about race and find a new attack. As, VA has tons of minorities and many of us go to high minority schools. Just because you don't, doesn't mean our kids don't either.

Why does it matter that different counties have different curriculums? This year was a transition year between virtual and in-person. I thought it made sense for districts to run their own virtual programs to try to make it easier to allow the kids to return after being vaccinated.

Next year, though, it makes sense to transition virtual to a sustainable, permanent program for parents that don't want their kids to have normal social interactions with others. There's little reason to think anyone continuing in virtual next year will come back to an in-person program. That's not to say they couldn't, but already teachers and students have to accomodate moves to school districts. An unexpected move from virtual back to an in-person program would just be like moving from one county to another, which kids/parents do all the time.

While Moco is big enough it could economically handle a permanent virtual program, the same cannot be said for smaller counties. If you look beyond your own situation, to what is best for students everywhere, it clearly makes sense to move virtual to a shared system administered by the state.

It's not going to happen, but please, continue pompously pontificating about matters over which you have no control.

Keep in mind it's an issue that will be ultimately decide through political processes at the state and local levels. I don't see the state excited at the prospect of paying money to do duplicate online learning across 24 jurisdictions. Fighting a state-run system might lead to killing VA entirely.

And you still haven't given a coherent reason by the state can't do it. Though, one of your last posts alluded to one. Yes, the state would likely outsource virtual to a private sector company. You're outraged at the potential to have non-union teachers? Is that what this is about?

The state does not run any schools. You have not provided a coherent reason why the state would provide a VA or they'd take it away when there is a clear demand. MCPS has said VA is here to stay.

Why are you so passionate that VA should be stopped or run by the state? It in no way impacts your family.

So, should we argue MCPS should never build any more schools since you don't feel more schools are necessary? Should we argue that the new schools being built be run by the state too?

Other states had online programs even more the pandemic. There's plenty of precedence for having the state administer the program. Likely the state would outsource it to a private company, like the online "public schools."

What is your real agenda? Other states run their school systems very differently than MD. Why do you care if MCPS offers a VA? It in no way impacts you, your children or your children's education.
MCPS has said VA is here to stay.

It would have been nice if MCPS or MD offered virtual prior to COVID but they didn't. But, there is a clear demand and they are offering it now.

Do you feel guilty sending your kids in person?

The argument its safe to go to school is subjective and fortunately we each get to decide that for our kids/families. What you decide is safe for your family, may not be safe for another family. You may decide your cut off for being what you consider careful is to be vaccinated, and others may not. There are no guarantees that just because you are vaccinated you will not get covid. There is no social distancing, very limited testing, no quarantine, and if you are in an older school, just portable air filters. MCPS is NOT following CDC guidelines. If that is good enough for you, great, but its not good enough for us.

Why do you care whether virtual is handled by counties or the state? You've never provided a coherent explanation why it makes sense to keep virtual with the counties after the pandemic is over. The vast majority of students interested in coming back will come back at that point- those that remain virtual are likely to do so for a while. And it's not like they wouldn't be able to return in-person. Kids transfer schools all the time.

Why do I care? Because I'm a taxpayer interested in an efficient use of public funds. Because I'm a resident of Maryland interested in what's best for kids across the state, not just in MoCo. And because a school district is going to have a hard time creating policies that work equally well across in-person and virtual students- with testing being the clearest example. And there will probably be more.

The whole point of virtual is that where you are physically located doesn't matter. Why would we artificially break virtual students/teacher/administrators up by county?

PP wants to pretend they're still meaningfully part of MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:VA does not affect anyone until MCPS decides not to bring back standardized testing using VA as an excuse.

VA has nothing to do with standardized testing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for that response. I was going to ignore the posters who immediately honed in on what it meant for my child, and why I may be bitter. But yes, I do think that my kid who is a straight A student, has MAP scores in the 99th percentile and had CogAT scores in the 99th percentile is more suited (I know people will get triggered if I say deserving), to the Magnet/CES program than kids at the 85% level. Cue up the "Your kid is a robot who was trained by Dr Li" comments.

You want kids with cancer to have to go to school in person so your kid can take a test to show (again) that they are “gifted”? You’re a piece of work, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid has a lot of physical and mental challengers. VA is a godsend. The fact that you are so dismissive of families like ours says much about your character, and it isn't very kind.

Why do you even care? MYOB.

they are just triggered because for the first time in their lives they have had to be inconvenienced

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been a consistent critic of the school closures, and the generally ridiculous COVID policies for school/preK/childcare, but I really don't understand the people that want to see virtual academy killed off. Yes, it is subpar education that bad for the development of kids, the alternative for some families would be homeschooling. And that would be even worse. VA is unfair to the kids stuck in it, but it isn't harming anyone else. Let them keep it.

The main thing is change, though, is that virtual school should be handled statewide, not in individual districts. Have MSDE set up the program for anyone in the state that wants to use it instead of going to a local school.

How is VA subpar? Are your kids in it? It’s nothing like last year and last year could have done more but parents screamed how hard it was.

We go by county so doing it statewide makes no sense. They have the numbers to justify it. Each county uses a different curriculum so state run is not logical.

How is it harming our kids? Where is your evidence?

The data from last year is awfully compelling. Sure, whatever changes they made might reduce the gap, but there's no plausible way to close it. And even if you could close the academic gap, you're still risking severe developmental harm by removing kids from normal social interactions. Anyone that knows homeschooled kids knows they don't generally do well transitioning to college.

Public education is guaranteed at a state level, not a county level. If we're going to provide public virtual education as an alternative to homeschooling, then we should make sure everyone in the state has that option. The best and most economical way to do that is to have the state provide that option to everyone. There are more counties in the state than MoCo to think about. There's no good reason to handle virtual at a local level. Part of the point of virtual is that it doesn't matter where you're physically located.

Do you not understand VA is very different from last year and your comments have nothing to do with VA? We go by county. You need the same curriculum so kids can switch between them. It is economical. It costs less than in person school and uses far less resources. Removing 3k students would be a huge hit to funding.

If you don’t want it for your kids fine, but why do you care if others of us choose it?

If those of us left if they did not offer it, MCPS would have lost a lot of funding which then would impact your kids.

How are our kids being academically harmed if they have the same number of class hours and same curriculum?

I thought I was clear- people should be free to screw up their own kids with virtual education. It's almost certainly better than implicitly encouraging people to homeschool. I think VA should continue. I just think it is silly, inequitable, and inefficient to administer virtual at a county level. Handle it at a state level so that kids in counties big and small have access to it.

What do you find so threatening about having a common virtual option for kids across the state? Worried your kids might have to interact with black kids from Baltimore? It'll be good for them. If we're lucky, they'll end up less like you.

MCPS and Baltimore use completely different curriculums so your post makes no sense. The VA is based off the same curriculum as in person so kids can easily transfer in and out.

How are we messing up our kids education? They are doing the same curriculum for the same class hours as yours.

How is it inefficient, inequitable and silly to do it at the county level? We are county based.

Why don't you send your kids to school with kids in Baltimore? When my kids are in person they are in a low income/high minority schools so you are ranting at the wrong person. Why don't you send your kids to a school like that? Believe it or not, MCPS has plenty of those schools right here where the majority of kids are minorities.

And, if you look at the population in VA, there are a significant number of minorities in it. You are ranting about stuff you don't know to justify your poor choice of sending your kids in person and you feel guilty you cannot handle having your kids at home. Your kids NEED to be in person, but many of ours will thrive in either situation because as parents we support them.

Stop making everything about race and find a new attack. As, VA has tons of minorities and many of us go to high minority schools. Just because you don't, doesn't mean our kids don't either.

Why does it matter that different counties have different curriculums? This year was a transition year between virtual and in-person. I thought it made sense for districts to run their own virtual programs to try to make it easier to allow the kids to return after being vaccinated.

Next year, though, it makes sense to transition virtual to a sustainable, permanent program for parents that don't want their kids to have normal social interactions with others. There's little reason to think anyone continuing in virtual next year will come back to an in-person program. That's not to say they couldn't, but already teachers and students have to accomodate moves to school districts. An unexpected move from virtual back to an in-person program would just be like moving from one county to another, which kids/parents do all the time.

While Moco is big enough it could economically handle a permanent virtual program, the same cannot be said for smaller counties. If you look beyond your own situation, to what is best for students everywhere, it clearly makes sense to move virtual to a shared system administered by the state.

It's not going to happen, but please, continue pompously pontificating about matters over which you have no control.

Keep in mind it's an issue that will be ultimately decide through political processes at the state and local levels. I don't see the state excited at the prospect of paying money to do duplicate online learning across 24 jurisdictions. Fighting a state-run system might lead to killing VA entirely.

And you still haven't given a coherent reason by the state can't do it. Though, one of your last posts alluded to one. Yes, the state would likely outsource virtual to a private sector company. You're outraged at the potential to have non-union teachers? Is that what this is about?

The state does not run any schools. You have not provided a coherent reason why the state would provide a VA or they'd take it away when there is a clear demand. MCPS has said VA is here to stay.

Why are you so passionate that VA should be stopped or run by the state? It in no way impacts your family.

So, should we argue MCPS should never build any more schools since you don't feel more schools are necessary? Should we argue that the new schools being built be run by the state too?

Other states had online programs even more the pandemic. There's plenty of precedence for having the state administer the program. Likely the state would outsource it to a private company, like the online "public schools."

What is your real agenda? Other states run their school systems very differently than MD. Why do you care if MCPS offers a VA? It in no way impacts you, your children or your children's education.
MCPS has said VA is here to stay.

It would have been nice if MCPS or MD offered virtual prior to COVID but they didn't. But, there is a clear demand and they are offering it now.

Do you feel guilty sending your kids in person?

The argument its safe to go to school is subjective and fortunately we each get to decide that for our kids/families. What you decide is safe for your family, may not be safe for another family. You may decide your cut off for being what you consider careful is to be vaccinated, and others may not. There are no guarantees that just because you are vaccinated you will not get covid. There is no social distancing, very limited testing, no quarantine, and if you are in an older school, just portable air filters. MCPS is NOT following CDC guidelines. If that is good enough for you, great, but its not good enough for us.

Why do you care whether virtual is handled by counties or the state? You've never provided a coherent explanation why it makes sense to keep virtual with the counties after the pandemic is over. The vast majority of students interested in coming back will come back at that point- those that remain virtual are likely to do so for a while. And it's not like they wouldn't be able to return in-person. Kids transfer schools all the time.

Why do I care? Because I'm a taxpayer interested in an efficient use of public funds. Because I'm a resident of Maryland interested in what's best for kids across the state, not just in MoCo. And because a school district is going to have a hard time creating policies that work equally well across in-person and virtual students- with testing being the clearest example. And there will probably be more.

The whole point of virtual is that where you are physically located doesn't matter. Why would we artificially break virtual students/teacher/administrators up by county?

PP wants to pretend they're still meaningfully part of MCPS.

Agree. This equity stuff is non-sense. Every county has a virtual program, some much larger, like PG county. So, if you want equity, you need to make MCPS Virtual Academy larger.

If this poster actually had experience with VA, it is the same number of class hours and kids ARE being tested, and they are held to the same standards. The only thing that isn't equitable is we don't get activities and sports and all the extra things that go along with in person school.

Its silly to demand MD provide a virtual academy to basically get rid of kids whose parents for a variety of reasons, including covid, are not comfortable with in person.

They don't know what's best for our kids and clearly don't care about our kids.

As a tax payer you should be thrilled that kids are in VA. MCPS doesn't have to pay for all the physical space, maintain, utility bills or staffing that goes into running a school. Its far cheaper to run a VA as all students in MCPS (except some families of VA who refused computers) have computers. So, if you want to talk about equity, how about getting VA kids better computers, camera's, microphones and headphones. How about providing VA students with nice desks and chairs since in person students get desks and chairs? How about providing activities and sports to the VA kids? How about providing free babysitting during school hours for when parents cannot be home? How about providing VA kids with equal everything that students in person school get? That would be equity.

As a taxpayer advocating for our kids, for those of us keeping our kids out of in person school because of safety, what are you doing to make it safe for our kids to return? What are you advocating for to make sure our kids don't get covid and bring it home? What are you doing to advocate about the recent school violence incidents? Those are far bigger than 3000 students in VA, many of whom are thriving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been a consistent critic of the school closures, and the generally ridiculous COVID policies for school/preK/childcare, but I really don't understand the people that want to see virtual academy killed off. Yes, it is subpar education that bad for the development of kids, the alternative for some families would be homeschooling. And that would be even worse. VA is unfair to the kids stuck in it, but it isn't harming anyone else. Let them keep it.

The main thing is change, though, is that virtual school should be handled statewide, not in individual districts. Have MSDE set up the program for anyone in the state that wants to use it instead of going to a local school.

How is VA subpar? Are your kids in it? It’s nothing like last year and last year could have done more but parents screamed how hard it was.

We go by county so doing it statewide makes no sense. They have the numbers to justify it. Each county uses a different curriculum so state run is not logical.

How is it harming our kids? Where is your evidence?

The data from last year is awfully compelling. Sure, whatever changes they made might reduce the gap, but there's no plausible way to close it. And even if you could close the academic gap, you're still risking severe developmental harm by removing kids from normal social interactions. Anyone that knows homeschooled kids knows they don't generally do well transitioning to college.

Public education is guaranteed at a state level, not a county level. If we're going to provide public virtual education as an alternative to homeschooling, then we should make sure everyone in the state has that option. The best and most economical way to do that is to have the state provide that option to everyone. There are more counties in the state than MoCo to think about. There's no good reason to handle virtual at a local level. Part of the point of virtual is that it doesn't matter where you're physically located.

Do you not understand VA is very different from last year and your comments have nothing to do with VA? We go by county. You need the same curriculum so kids can switch between them. It is economical. It costs less than in person school and uses far less resources. Removing 3k students would be a huge hit to funding.

If you don’t want it for your kids fine, but why do you care if others of us choose it?

If those of us left if they did not offer it, MCPS would have lost a lot of funding which then would impact your kids.

How are our kids being academically harmed if they have the same number of class hours and same curriculum?

I thought I was clear- people should be free to screw up their own kids with virtual education. It's almost certainly better than implicitly encouraging people to homeschool. I think VA should continue. I just think it is silly, inequitable, and inefficient to administer virtual at a county level. Handle it at a state level so that kids in counties big and small have access to it.

What do you find so threatening about having a common virtual option for kids across the state? Worried your kids might have to interact with black kids from Baltimore? It'll be good for them. If we're lucky, they'll end up less like you.

MCPS and Baltimore use completely different curriculums so your post makes no sense. The VA is based off the same curriculum as in person so kids can easily transfer in and out.

How are we messing up our kids education? They are doing the same curriculum for the same class hours as yours.

How is it inefficient, inequitable and silly to do it at the county level? We are county based.

Why don't you send your kids to school with kids in Baltimore? When my kids are in person they are in a low income/high minority schools so you are ranting at the wrong person. Why don't you send your kids to a school like that? Believe it or not, MCPS has plenty of those schools right here where the majority of kids are minorities.

And, if you look at the population in VA, there are a significant number of minorities in it. You are ranting about stuff you don't know to justify your poor choice of sending your kids in person and you feel guilty you cannot handle having your kids at home. Your kids NEED to be in person, but many of ours will thrive in either situation because as parents we support them.

Stop making everything about race and find a new attack. As, VA has tons of minorities and many of us go to high minority schools. Just because you don't, doesn't mean our kids don't either.

Why does it matter that different counties have different curriculums? This year was a transition year between virtual and in-person. I thought it made sense for districts to run their own virtual programs to try to make it easier to allow the kids to return after being vaccinated.

Next year, though, it makes sense to transition virtual to a sustainable, permanent program for parents that don't want their kids to have normal social interactions with others. There's little reason to think anyone continuing in virtual next year will come back to an in-person program. That's not to say they couldn't, but already teachers and students have to accomodate moves to school districts. An unexpected move from virtual back to an in-person program would just be like moving from one county to another, which kids/parents do all the time.

While Moco is big enough it could economically handle a permanent virtual program, the same cannot be said for smaller counties. If you look beyond your own situation, to what is best for students everywhere, it clearly makes sense to move virtual to a shared system administered by the state.

It's not going to happen, but please, continue pompously pontificating about matters over which you have no control.

Keep in mind it's an issue that will be ultimately decide through political processes at the state and local levels. I don't see the state excited at the prospect of paying money to do duplicate online learning across 24 jurisdictions. Fighting a state-run system might lead to killing VA entirely.

And you still haven't given a coherent reason by the state can't do it. Though, one of your last posts alluded to one. Yes, the state would likely outsource virtual to a private sector company. You're outraged at the potential to have non-union teachers? Is that what this is about?

The state does not run any schools. You have not provided a coherent reason why the state would provide a VA or they'd take it away when there is a clear demand. MCPS has said VA is here to stay.

Why are you so passionate that VA should be stopped or run by the state? It in no way impacts your family.

So, should we argue MCPS should never build any more schools since you don't feel more schools are necessary? Should we argue that the new schools being built be run by the state too?

Other states had online programs even more the pandemic. There's plenty of precedence for having the state administer the program. Likely the state would outsource it to a private company, like the online "public schools."

What is your real agenda? Other states run their school systems very differently than MD. Why do you care if MCPS offers a VA? It in no way impacts you, your children or your children's education.
MCPS has said VA is here to stay.

It would have been nice if MCPS or MD offered virtual prior to COVID but they didn't. But, there is a clear demand and they are offering it now.

Do you feel guilty sending your kids in person?

The argument its safe to go to school is subjective and fortunately we each get to decide that for our kids/families. What you decide is safe for your family, may not be safe for another family. You may decide your cut off for being what you consider careful is to be vaccinated, and others may not. There are no guarantees that just because you are vaccinated you will not get covid. There is no social distancing, very limited testing, no quarantine, and if you are in an older school, just portable air filters. MCPS is NOT following CDC guidelines. If that is good enough for you, great, but its not good enough for us.

Why do you care whether virtual is handled by counties or the state? You've never provided a coherent explanation why it makes sense to keep virtual with the counties after the pandemic is over. The vast majority of students interested in coming back will come back at that point- those that remain virtual are likely to do so for a while. And it's not like they wouldn't be able to return in-person. Kids transfer schools all the time.

Why do I care? Because I'm a taxpayer interested in an efficient use of public funds. Because I'm a resident of Maryland interested in what's best for kids across the state, not just in MoCo. And because a school district is going to have a hard time creating policies that work equally well across in-person and virtual students- with testing being the clearest example. And there will probably be more.

The whole point of virtual is that where you are physically located doesn't matter. Why would we artificially break virtual students/teacher/administrators up by county?

You pay taxes, VA parents also pay taxes. It’s purely selfish to think the taxes can only be used for your kids. Before the state provides such option, MCPS should not stop VA. Now go lobby for a state virtual school before talking about mcps stoping VA.

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Anonymous wrote:I've been a consistent critic of the school closures, and the generally ridiculous COVID policies for school/preK/childcare, but I really don't understand the people that want to see virtual academy killed off. Yes, it is subpar education that bad for the development of kids, the alternative for some families would be homeschooling. And that would be even worse. VA is unfair to the kids stuck in it, but it isn't harming anyone else. Let them keep it.

The main thing is change, though, is that virtual school should be handled statewide, not in individual districts. Have MSDE set up the program for anyone in the state that wants to use it instead of going to a local school.

How is VA subpar? Are your kids in it? It’s nothing like last year and last year could have done more but parents screamed how hard it was.

We go by county so doing it statewide makes no sense. They have the numbers to justify it. Each county uses a different curriculum so state run is not logical.

How is it harming our kids? Where is your evidence?

The data from last year is awfully compelling. Sure, whatever changes they made might reduce the gap, but there's no plausible way to close it. And even if you could close the academic gap, you're still risking severe developmental harm by removing kids from normal social interactions. Anyone that knows homeschooled kids knows they don't generally do well transitioning to college.

Public education is guaranteed at a state level, not a county level. If we're going to provide public virtual education as an alternative to homeschooling, then we should make sure everyone in the state has that option. The best and most economical way to do that is to have the state provide that option to everyone. There are more counties in the state than MoCo to think about. There's no good reason to handle virtual at a local level. Part of the point of virtual is that it doesn't matter where you're physically located.

Do you not understand VA is very different from last year and your comments have nothing to do with VA? We go by county. You need the same curriculum so kids can switch between them. It is economical. It costs less than in person school and uses far less resources. Removing 3k students would be a huge hit to funding.

If you don’t want it for your kids fine, but why do you care if others of us choose it?

If those of us left if they did not offer it, MCPS would have lost a lot of funding which then would impact your kids.

How are our kids being academically harmed if they have the same number of class hours and same curriculum?

I thought I was clear- people should be free to screw up their own kids with virtual education. It's almost certainly better than implicitly encouraging people to homeschool. I think VA should continue. I just think it is silly, inequitable, and inefficient to administer virtual at a county level. Handle it at a state level so that kids in counties big and small have access to it.

What do you find so threatening about having a common virtual option for kids across the state? Worried your kids might have to interact with black kids from Baltimore? It'll be good for them. If we're lucky, they'll end up less like you.

MCPS and Baltimore use completely different curriculums so your post makes no sense. The VA is based off the same curriculum as in person so kids can easily transfer in and out.

How are we messing up our kids education? They are doing the same curriculum for the same class hours as yours.

How is it inefficient, inequitable and silly to do it at the county level? We are county based.

Why don't you send your kids to school with kids in Baltimore? When my kids are in person they are in a low income/high minority schools so you are ranting at the wrong person. Why don't you send your kids to a school like that? Believe it or not, MCPS has plenty of those schools right here where the majority of kids are minorities.

And, if you look at the population in VA, there are a significant number of minorities in it. You are ranting about stuff you don't know to justify your poor choice of sending your kids in person and you feel guilty you cannot handle having your kids at home. Your kids NEED to be in person, but many of ours will thrive in either situation because as parents we support them.

Stop making everything about race and find a new attack. As, VA has tons of minorities and many of us go to high minority schools. Just because you don't, doesn't mean our kids don't either.

Why does it matter that different counties have different curriculums? This year was a transition year between virtual and in-person. I thought it made sense for districts to run their own virtual programs to try to make it easier to allow the kids to return after being vaccinated.

Next year, though, it makes sense to transition virtual to a sustainable, permanent program for parents that don't want their kids to have normal social interactions with others. There's little reason to think anyone continuing in virtual next year will come back to an in-person program. That's not to say they couldn't, but already teachers and students have to accomodate moves to school districts. An unexpected move from virtual back to an in-person program would just be like moving from one county to another, which kids/parents do all the time.

While Moco is big enough it could economically handle a permanent virtual program, the same cannot be said for smaller counties. If you look beyond your own situation, to what is best for students everywhere, it clearly makes sense to move virtual to a shared system administered by the state.

It's not going to happen, but please, continue pompously pontificating about matters over which you have no control.

Keep in mind it's an issue that will be ultimately decide through political processes at the state and local levels. I don't see the state excited at the prospect of paying money to do duplicate online learning across 24 jurisdictions. Fighting a state-run system might lead to killing VA entirely.

And you still haven't given a coherent reason by the state can't do it. Though, one of your last posts alluded to one. Yes, the state would likely outsource virtual to a private sector company. You're outraged at the potential to have non-union teachers? Is that what this is about?

The state does not run any schools. You have not provided a coherent reason why the state would provide a VA or they'd take it away when there is a clear demand. MCPS has said VA is here to stay.

Why are you so passionate that VA should be stopped or run by the state? It in no way impacts your family.

So, should we argue MCPS should never build any more schools since you don't feel more schools are necessary? Should we argue that the new schools being built be run by the state too?

Other states had online programs even more the pandemic. There's plenty of precedence for having the state administer the program. Likely the state would outsource it to a private company, like the online "public schools."

What is your real agenda? Other states run their school systems very differently than MD. Why do you care if MCPS offers a VA? It in no way impacts you, your children or your children's education.
MCPS has said VA is here to stay.

It would have been nice if MCPS or MD offered virtual prior to COVID but they didn't. But, there is a clear demand and they are offering it now.

Do you feel guilty sending your kids in person?

The argument its safe to go to school is subjective and fortunately we each get to decide that for our kids/families. What you decide is safe for your family, may not be safe for another family. You may decide your cut off for being what you consider careful is to be vaccinated, and others may not. There are no guarantees that just because you are vaccinated you will not get covid. There is no social distancing, very limited testing, no quarantine, and if you are in an older school, just portable air filters. MCPS is NOT following CDC guidelines. If that is good enough for you, great, but its not good enough for us.

Why do you care whether virtual is handled by counties or the state? You've never provided a coherent explanation why it makes sense to keep virtual with the counties after the pandemic is over. The vast majority of students interested in coming back will come back at that point- those that remain virtual are likely to do so for a while. And it's not like they wouldn't be able to return in-person. Kids transfer schools all the time.

Why do I care? Because I'm a taxpayer interested in an efficient use of public funds. Because I'm a resident of Maryland interested in what's best for kids across the state, not just in MoCo. And because a school district is going to have a hard time creating policies that work equally well across in-person and virtual students- with testing being the clearest example. And there will probably be more.

The whole point of virtual is that where you are physically located doesn't matter. Why would we artificially break virtual students/teacher/administrators up by county?

PP wants to pretend they're still meaningfully part of MCPS.

Agree. This equity stuff is non-sense. Every county has a virtual program, some much larger, like PG county. So, if you want equity, you need to make MCPS Virtual Academy larger.

If this poster actually had experience with VA, it is the same number of class hours and kids ARE being tested, and they are held to the same standards. The only thing that isn't equitable is we don't get activities and sports and all the extra things that go along with in person school.

Its silly to demand MD provide a virtual academy to basically get rid of kids whose parents for a variety of reasons, including covid, are not comfortable with in person.

They don't know what's best for our kids and clearly don't care about our kids.

As a tax payer you should be thrilled that kids are in VA. MCPS doesn't have to pay for all the physical space, maintain, utility bills or staffing that goes into running a school. Its far cheaper to run a VA as all students in MCPS (except some families of VA who refused computers) have computers. So, if you want to talk about equity, how about getting VA kids better computers, camera's, microphones and headphones. How about providing VA students with nice desks and chairs since in person students get desks and chairs? How about providing activities and sports to the VA kids? How about providing free babysitting during school hours for when parents cannot be home? How about providing VA kids with equal everything that students in person school get? That would be equity.

As a taxpayer advocating for our kids, for those of us keeping our kids out of in person school because of safety, what are you doing to make it safe for our kids to return? What are you advocating for to make sure our kids don't get covid and bring it home? What are you doing to advocate about the recent school violence incidents? Those are far bigger than 3000 students in VA, many of whom are thriving.

Unlike some others in this thread, I'm not opposed to virtual. I get why someone would send their kids to VA. I certainly don't agree it is sensible, but I don't think we should force people into either in-person or homeschooling. Virtual seems like a reasonably good third option to have, so I'd like to see it move to something that is economical and sustainable, not just for MoCo, but for kids across all the counties in the state.

You still haven't explained why it is so important to you to for the long-term virtual option to be managed by the county.

[Anonymous]

Every county, or at least he bigger ones have VA. Googling to see it, even Baltimore City has one. At some point, if you have 10-40K students in VA, you'd have to create a entire new school system, vs. separate schools like each county did now. If that poster wants to go through the state, fine, however they can argue all they want but MCPS has been clear that they are committed to keeping VA.

Doing it through the state makes no sense except if you mandate each county use the same exact curriculum so kids can move in and out of VA to in person easily. Although the state taking over the curriculum may not be a bad thing if they brought textbooks back.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I've been a consistent critic of the school closures, and the generally ridiculous COVID policies for school/preK/childcare, but I really don't understand the people that want to see virtual academy killed off. Yes, it is subpar education that bad for the development of kids, the alternative for some families would be homeschooling. And that would be even worse. VA is unfair to the kids stuck in it, but it isn't harming anyone else. Let them keep it.

The main thing is change, though, is that virtual school should be handled statewide, not in individual districts. Have MSDE set up the program for anyone in the state that wants to use it instead of going to a local school.

How is VA subpar? Are your kids in it? It’s nothing like last year and last year could have done more but parents screamed how hard it was.

We go by county so doing it statewide makes no sense. They have the numbers to justify it. Each county uses a different curriculum so state run is not logical.

How is it harming our kids? Where is your evidence?

The data from last year is awfully compelling. Sure, whatever changes they made might reduce the gap, but there's no plausible way to close it. And even if you could close the academic gap, you're still risking severe developmental harm by removing kids from normal social interactions. Anyone that knows homeschooled kids knows they don't generally do well transitioning to college.

Public education is guaranteed at a state level, not a county level. If we're going to provide public virtual education as an alternative to homeschooling, then we should make sure everyone in the state has that option. The best and most economical way to do that is to have the state provide that option to everyone. There are more counties in the state than MoCo to think about. There's no good reason to handle virtual at a local level. Part of the point of virtual is that it doesn't matter where you're physically located.

Do you not understand VA is very different from last year and your comments have nothing to do with VA? We go by county. You need the same curriculum so kids can switch between them. It is economical. It costs less than in person school and uses far less resources. Removing 3k students would be a huge hit to funding.

If you don’t want it for your kids fine, but why do you care if others of us choose it?

If those of us left if they did not offer it, MCPS would have lost a lot of funding which then would impact your kids.

How are our kids being academically harmed if they have the same number of class hours and same curriculum?

I thought I was clear- people should be free to screw up their own kids with virtual education. It's almost certainly better than implicitly encouraging people to homeschool. I think VA should continue. I just think it is silly, inequitable, and inefficient to administer virtual at a county level. Handle it at a state level so that kids in counties big and small have access to it.

What do you find so threatening about having a common virtual option for kids across the state? Worried your kids might have to interact with black kids from Baltimore? It'll be good for them. If we're lucky, they'll end up less like you.

MCPS and Baltimore use completely different curriculums so your post makes no sense. The VA is based off the same curriculum as in person so kids can easily transfer in and out.

How are we messing up our kids education? They are doing the same curriculum for the same class hours as yours.

How is it inefficient, inequitable and silly to do it at the county level? We are county based.

Why don't you send your kids to school with kids in Baltimore? When my kids are in person they are in a low income/high minority schools so you are ranting at the wrong person. Why don't you send your kids to a school like that? Believe it or not, MCPS has plenty of those schools right here where the majority of kids are minorities.

And, if you look at the population in VA, there are a significant number of minorities in it. You are ranting about stuff you don't know to justify your poor choice of sending your kids in person and you feel guilty you cannot handle having your kids at home. Your kids NEED to be in person, but many of ours will thrive in either situation because as parents we support them.

Stop making everything about race and find a new attack. As, VA has tons of minorities and many of us go to high minority schools. Just because you don't, doesn't mean our kids don't either.

Why does it matter that different counties have different curriculums? This year was a transition year between virtual and in-person. I thought it made sense for districts to run their own virtual programs to try to make it easier to allow the kids to return after being vaccinated.

Next year, though, it makes sense to transition virtual to a sustainable, permanent program for parents that don't want their kids to have normal social interactions with others. There's little reason to think anyone continuing in virtual next year will come back to an in-person program. That's not to say they couldn't, but already teachers and students have to accomodate moves to school districts. An unexpected move from virtual back to an in-person program would just be like moving from one county to another, which kids/parents do all the time.

While Moco is big enough it could economically handle a permanent virtual program, the same cannot be said for smaller counties. If you look beyond your own situation, to what is best for students everywhere, it clearly makes sense to move virtual to a shared system administered by the state.

It's not going to happen, but please, continue pompously pontificating about matters over which you have no control.

Keep in mind it's an issue that will be ultimately decide through political processes at the state and local levels. I don't see the state excited at the prospect of paying money to do duplicate online learning across 24 jurisdictions. Fighting a state-run system might lead to killing VA entirely.

And you still haven't given a coherent reason by the state can't do it. Though, one of your last posts alluded to one. Yes, the state would likely outsource virtual to a private sector company. You're outraged at the potential to have non-union teachers? Is that what this is about?

The state does not run any schools. You have not provided a coherent reason why the state would provide a VA or they'd take it away when there is a clear demand. MCPS has said VA is here to stay.

Why are you so passionate that VA should be stopped or run by the state? It in no way impacts your family.

So, should we argue MCPS should never build any more schools since you don't feel more schools are necessary? Should we argue that the new schools being built be run by the state too?

Other states had online programs even more the pandemic. There's plenty of precedence for having the state administer the program. Likely the state would outsource it to a private company, like the online "public schools."

What is your real agenda? Other states run their school systems very differently than MD. Why do you care if MCPS offers a VA? It in no way impacts you, your children or your children's education.
MCPS has said VA is here to stay.

It would have been nice if MCPS or MD offered virtual prior to COVID but they didn't. But, there is a clear demand and they are offering it now.

Do you feel guilty sending your kids in person?

The argument its safe to go to school is subjective and fortunately we each get to decide that for our kids/families. What you decide is safe for your family, may not be safe for another family. You may decide your cut off for being what you consider careful is to be vaccinated, and others may not. There are no guarantees that just because you are vaccinated you will not get covid. There is no social distancing, very limited testing, no quarantine, and if you are in an older school, just portable air filters. MCPS is NOT following CDC guidelines. If that is good enough for you, great, but its not good enough for us.

Why do you care whether virtual is handled by counties or the state? You've never provided a coherent explanation why it makes sense to keep virtual with the counties after the pandemic is over. The vast majority of students interested in coming back will come back at that point- those that remain virtual are likely to do so for a while. And it's not like they wouldn't be able to return in-person. Kids transfer schools all the time.

Why do I care? Because I'm a taxpayer interested in an efficient use of public funds. Because I'm a resident of Maryland interested in what's best for kids across the state, not just in MoCo. And because a school district is going to have a hard time creating policies that work equally well across in-person and virtual students- with testing being the clearest example. And there will probably be more.

The whole point of virtual is that where you are physically located doesn't matter. Why would we artificially break virtual students/teacher/administrators up by county?

You pay taxes, VA parents also pay taxes. It’s purely selfish to think the taxes can only be used for your kids. Before the state provides such option, MCPS should not stop VA. Now go lobby for a state virtual school before talking about mcps stoping VA.

Is that your concern? That MCPS would stop VA before the state creates a state-level program? If so, I'm with you on that. MCPS should keep VA until there's a state program.

But I do think it should transition to a state program as soon as practical. If it was really a priority, I think MSDE could set it up for the 2022-2023 school year. But realistically, it probably wouldn't happen until 2023-2024.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every county, or at least he bigger ones have VA. Googling to see it, even Baltimore City has one. At some point, if you have 10-40K students in VA, you'd have to create a entire new school system, vs. separate schools like each county did now. If that poster wants to go through the state, fine, however they can argue all they want but MCPS has been clear that they are committed to keeping VA.

Doing it through the state makes no sense except if you mandate each county use the same exact curriculum so kids can move in and out of VA to in person easily. Although the state taking over the curriculum may not be a bad thing if they brought textbooks back.

I get why it there might be substantial value to making it easy to go to/from virtual during the pandemic. But we're nearing the end-game on COVID, with the 5-11yo vaccines rolling out. Of the kids whose parents choose to keep them in virtual next fall, I think it is safe to assume *most* will never return to their old in-person schools. So there's very little benefit to keeping the virtual curriculum aligned with the physical schools that happen to be geographically close to the students.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I've been a consistent critic of the school closures, and the generally ridiculous COVID policies for school/preK/childcare, but I really don't understand the people that want to see virtual academy killed off. Yes, it is subpar education that bad for the development of kids, the alternative for some families would be homeschooling. And that would be even worse. VA is unfair to the kids stuck in it, but it isn't harming anyone else. Let them keep it.

The main thing is change, though, is that virtual school should be handled statewide, not in individual districts. Have MSDE set up the program for anyone in the state that wants to use it instead of going to a local school.

How is VA subpar? Are your kids in it? It’s nothing like last year and last year could have done more but parents screamed how hard it was.

We go by county so doing it statewide makes no sense. They have the numbers to justify it. Each county uses a different curriculum so state run is not logical.

How is it harming our kids? Where is your evidence?

The data from last year is awfully compelling. Sure, whatever changes they made might reduce the gap, but there's no plausible way to close it. And even if you could close the academic gap, you're still risking severe developmental harm by removing kids from normal social interactions. Anyone that knows homeschooled kids knows they don't generally do well transitioning to college.

Public education is guaranteed at a state level, not a county level. If we're going to provide public virtual education as an alternative to homeschooling, then we should make sure everyone in the state has that option. The best and most economical way to do that is to have the state provide that option to everyone. There are more counties in the state than MoCo to think about. There's no good reason to handle virtual at a local level. Part of the point of virtual is that it doesn't matter where you're physically located.

Do you not understand VA is very different from last year and your comments have nothing to do with VA? We go by county. You need the same curriculum so kids can switch between them. It is economical. It costs less than in person school and uses far less resources. Removing 3k students would be a huge hit to funding.

If you don’t want it for your kids fine, but why do you care if others of us choose it?

If those of us left if they did not offer it, MCPS would have lost a lot of funding which then would impact your kids.

How are our kids being academically harmed if they have the same number of class hours and same curriculum?

I thought I was clear- people should be free to screw up their own kids with virtual education. It's almost certainly better than implicitly encouraging people to homeschool. I think VA should continue. I just think it is silly, inequitable, and inefficient to administer virtual at a county level. Handle it at a state level so that kids in counties big and small have access to it.

What do you find so threatening about having a common virtual option for kids across the state? Worried your kids might have to interact with black kids from Baltimore? It'll be good for them. If we're lucky, they'll end up less like you.

MCPS and Baltimore use completely different curriculums so your post makes no sense. The VA is based off the same curriculum as in person so kids can easily transfer in and out.

How are we messing up our kids education? They are doing the same curriculum for the same class hours as yours.

How is it inefficient, inequitable and silly to do it at the county level? We are county based.

Why don't you send your kids to school with kids in Baltimore? When my kids are in person they are in a low income/high minority schools so you are ranting at the wrong person. Why don't you send your kids to a school like that? Believe it or not, MCPS has plenty of those schools right here where the majority of kids are minorities.

And, if you look at the population in VA, there are a significant number of minorities in it. You are ranting about stuff you don't know to justify your poor choice of sending your kids in person and you feel guilty you cannot handle having your kids at home. Your kids NEED to be in person, but many of ours will thrive in either situation because as parents we support them.

Stop making everything about race and find a new attack. As, VA has tons of minorities and many of us go to high minority schools. Just because you don't, doesn't mean our kids don't either.

Why does it matter that different counties have different curriculums? This year was a transition year between virtual and in-person. I thought it made sense for districts to run their own virtual programs to try to make it easier to allow the kids to return after being vaccinated.

Next year, though, it makes sense to transition virtual to a sustainable, permanent program for parents that don't want their kids to have normal social interactions with others. There's little reason to think anyone continuing in virtual next year will come back to an in-person program. That's not to say they couldn't, but already teachers and students have to accomodate moves to school districts. An unexpected move from virtual back to an in-person program would just be like moving from one county to another, which kids/parents do all the time.

While Moco is big enough it could economically handle a permanent virtual program, the same cannot be said for smaller counties. If you look beyond your own situation, to what is best for students everywhere, it clearly makes sense to move virtual to a shared system administered by the state.

It's not going to happen, but please, continue pompously pontificating about matters over which you have no control.

Keep in mind it's an issue that will be ultimately decide through political processes at the state and local levels. I don't see the state excited at the prospect of paying money to do duplicate online learning across 24 jurisdictions. Fighting a state-run system might lead to killing VA entirely.

And you still haven't given a coherent reason by the state can't do it. Though, one of your last posts alluded to one. Yes, the state would likely outsource virtual to a private sector company. You're outraged at the potential to have non-union teachers? Is that what this is about?

The state does not run any schools. You have not provided a coherent reason why the state would provide a VA or they'd take it away when there is a clear demand. MCPS has said VA is here to stay.

Why are you so passionate that VA should be stopped or run by the state? It in no way impacts your family.

So, should we argue MCPS should never build any more schools since you don't feel more schools are necessary? Should we argue that the new schools being built be run by the state too?

Other states had online programs even more the pandemic. There's plenty of precedence for having the state administer the program. Likely the state would outsource it to a private company, like the online "public schools."

What is your real agenda? Other states run their school systems very differently than MD. Why do you care if MCPS offers a VA? It in no way impacts you, your children or your children's education.
MCPS has said VA is here to stay.

It would have been nice if MCPS or MD offered virtual prior to COVID but they didn't. But, there is a clear demand and they are offering it now.

Do you feel guilty sending your kids in person?

The argument its safe to go to school is subjective and fortunately we each get to decide that for our kids/families. What you decide is safe for your family, may not be safe for another family. You may decide your cut off for being what you consider careful is to be vaccinated, and others may not. There are no guarantees that just because you are vaccinated you will not get covid. There is no social distancing, very limited testing, no quarantine, and if you are in an older school, just portable air filters. MCPS is NOT following CDC guidelines. If that is good enough for you, great, but its not good enough for us.

Why do you care whether virtual is handled by counties or the state? You've never provided a coherent explanation why it makes sense to keep virtual with the counties after the pandemic is over. The vast majority of students interested in coming back will come back at that point- those that remain virtual are likely to do so for a while. And it's not like they wouldn't be able to return in-person. Kids transfer schools all the time.

Why do I care? Because I'm a taxpayer interested in an efficient use of public funds. Because I'm a resident of Maryland interested in what's best for kids across the state, not just in MoCo. And because a school district is going to have a hard time creating policies that work equally well across in-person and virtual students- with testing being the clearest example. And there will probably be more.

The whole point of virtual is that where you are physically located doesn't matter. Why would we artificially break virtual students/teacher/administrators up by county?

You pay taxes, VA parents also pay taxes. It’s purely selfish to think the taxes can only be used for your kids. Before the state provides such option, MCPS should not stop VA. Now go lobby for a state virtual school before talking about mcps stoping VA.

Is that your concern? That MCPS would stop VA before the state creates a state-level program? If so, I'm with you on that. MCPS should keep VA until there's a state program.

But I do think it should transition to a state program as soon as practical. If it was really a priority, I think MSDE could set it up for the 2022-2023 school year. But realistically, it probably wouldn't happen until 2023-2024.

Stop talking. Do some actions if this is what you truly concern with. Nobody cares about your ideas until it becomes real.

[Anonymous]

Get rid of VA poster. You want to advocate for something. Here's a few ideas since you don't have kids in MCPS or really get it.

Advocate for covid safer schools. Advocate for MCPS to follow the CDC guidelines regarding school safety.

Advocate for physically safer schools and bringing back SRO's.

Advocate for more services for kids with behavioral issues, mental health issues, health issues and SN. Having one SLP per school is shameful. Having one reading specialist per school is shameful. Having no dyslexia services is shameful. Advocate for kids whose needs cannot be met in the publics, for MCPS to pay for privates or create new schools to support their needs. There are only a few programs for ASD. There are no programs for kids with language disorders. There are no programs for kids with ADHD. There are not health clinics at the schools (or maybe 1-1 have them I'm not aware of). And, there are only parenting supports - Linkages to Learning for low income and only select families get their support, not all.

Advocate for a better curriculum because their replacement curriculum sucks. Advocate that schools go back to basics and teach reading, writing, spelling, and grammar. And, math facts (they waste so much time on strategies). Advocate they teach handwriting and keyboarding. If they give every child a chrome book, they should teach them to type.

Advocate for every ES and MS to have gifted programs for all those who qualify.

Advocate for the school buildings that are falling apart to be replaced. Some of the buildings our kids go to school in are health hazards. Some schools have had multiple renovations and others haven't had one.

Advocate that the free lunches stay for all students after the federal grant runs out.

Advocate for free before and after school care for low income at our schools to help out families. Advocate for summer school and not just three weeks, all summer.

Advocate for higher pay for subs, support staff (like bus drivers and cafeteria workers) as their pay is embarrassing and why we cannot get positions filled.

And, lastly, advocate for the return to text books. This no text book teaching is a joke. So many kids struggle as they aren't being given enough materials to be successful in class, especially math. And, a few novels in English class would be nice too. We haven't had a novel in years. What kind of English class doesn't read novels? Only in MCPS.

Of course, MCCPTA and MCEA should be doing all this, but they failed our kids as much as MCPS has.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every county, or at least he bigger ones have VA. Googling to see it, even Baltimore City has one. At some point, if you have 10-40K students in VA, you'd have to create a entire new school system, vs. separate schools like each county did now. If that poster wants to go through the state, fine, however they can argue all they want but MCPS has been clear that they are committed to keeping VA.

Doing it through the state makes no sense except if you mandate each county use the same exact curriculum so kids can move in and out of VA to in person easily. Although the state taking over the curriculum may not be a bad thing if they brought textbooks back.

I get why it there might be substantial value to making it easy to go to/from virtual during the pandemic. But we're nearing the end-game on COVID, with the 5-11yo vaccines rolling out. Of the kids whose parents choose to keep them in virtual next fall, I think it is safe to assume *most* will never return to their old in-person schools. So there's very little benefit to keeping the virtual curriculum aligned with the physical schools that happen to be geographically close to the students.

It is striking how little anyone here seems to contemplate the prospect of a vaccine-escaping variant.