MCPS Virtual Academy applications open

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Anonymous wrote:ESSER funds run through 9/30/24. It was pretty clear VA would continue next year. It's the year after that's in jeopardy.

Or really, the first year after 2024 when there's a budget crisis.

Really, who told you this?

Did you think ESSER would be ongoing? Haven’t you been paying attention to the board’s budget meetings?

Can you show us where MCPS has said they are shutting down VA in 2024?

Can you show us a budget for the 2024-2025 school year showing the VA being funded?

If you listened to the Board meetings you would hear its a long-term project. There is no budget for the 2024-25 school year yet. So, can YOU show us where they are shutting it down? Why do you think it needs to be shut down? Can you show us the information where the kids in VA are not doing as well as those in person?

I never said it needs to be shut down.But if you’ve been paying attention to board meetings, then you should know that they still don’t know how they’re going to balance the budget when ESSER funds end.

If it's important to them, they will find the money, just like they do for all their other pet projects. I hope they keep VA and the free tutoring.

I think that’s true, but we don’t know how important it is, particularly to the board members. And particularly as VA enrollment numbers drop. And as the budget gets harder to balance.

My expectation is that VA numbers statewide will drop to a level that will make it impractical for individual districts to continue their own virtual programs.

Right- it would be more efficient in the long run for the state of MD to run a virtual program (other states do this). I haven't really seen any indication that the state plans to do this, but with the change in admin, who knows.

It wouldn't work at all.

Of course it would— MSDE could operate it themselves with additional funding, or they could outsource it to K12. I’m inclined to say it would be better for MSDE to operate it, but that probably depends on the total number of students across the state.

I'm inclined to agree too, and would urge anyone who is interested in a virtual option beyond the next school year to not put all their eggs in the MCPS basket and advocate to the state as well. There are very very few examples of individual districts offering virtual outside of the pandemic, whereas many states had a program in place previously.

MCPS has been clear they are funded next year. K12 and those other virtual equal in any way to what MCPS offers and in terms of virtual, its the best option as its live teaching.

You may not want it as you want to justify how bad you felt it was but VA and what happened during Covid are very different and VA is a good program for those who want virtual. It’s far better than anything else we looked at.

Sorry if I wasn’t clear- it’s not funded beyond the 23/24 school year, right? And it was created in response to the pandemic. MoCo in general has some budget challenges ahead and it would be good if vulnerable families have a backup plan in case MCPS VA doesn’t continue beyond then. But I can see why, if you really like MCPS VA specifically, you would worry that a state option may be subpar. I would just hate to see families with no publicly funded option available at all and have to turn to a private online program. A state option would benefit vulnerable families elsewhere in the state too.

MCPS overall is also not funded beyond this school year. That's how the annual budget process works.

Ergo MCPS simply must be planning to shut down entirely after next year.

or so simple minds would have us believe.

It will be fine. Virtual is the future and this is a chance for MCPS to lead the way, maybe they could market the Virtual Academy to other districts and make some money too.