Reply to FCPS Fall 2021 - Possible to Partner with Virtual Virginia?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'm a current VAVA parent.  I think it is a good idea in many ways, but I do not think this would work across the board.

First, VAVA operates off the curriculum of a private online school, K12, which is extremely rigorous.  I think most kids who have been effectively out of school for 18 months would be drowning in it, and I think most parents who have the bandwidth to offer as much support as K12 requires have probably already unenrolled from their public school system.

K12 for elementary schoolers involves an incredible about of parental involvement.  When you enroll, they tell you that your child will need 5-6 hours per day of your support.  Your child has a designated "learning coach" (usually a parent) who is the person to work through all the lessons with him/her.  Since we have multiple children in the program, it often takes me much longer.

The program can provide a great education, but it is not for the faint of heart and it is definitely NOT appropriate for a child who is already behind.  Children have to apply for the program and they only get in if it is determined that they are a good fit.[/quote]

THANK YOU for this detailed explanation. I don't think all these people who are touting VAVA as an option have any understanding at all of what it entails. They think it's like the current virtual school, only better, and it's a completely different way of doing things and its own curriculum.  Greatly appreciate this information.  VAVA is an alternative to/a type of homeschooling, not  an alternative to regular public school.[/quote]

+2 with thanks. While challenging, it sound like VAVA might be a good solution for parents who want more control over their kids' daily schedule, as opposed to being tethered to the public school schedule, which can be difficult when you are working from home.[/quote]

VAVA parent again.  Yes, I would agree with it being an alternative to homeschooling and not an alternative to regular public school.  I also agree 100% that the people saying that this should be the default option have no idea what the program entails or how academically robust it is.

To the +2 poster, I would disagree that it is a good option for working parents who want to keep their own schedule.  The program is simply too time-intensive.  It would be more akin to working parents taking on a separate, 5-6 hour per day job.  If your child is transitioning out of LCPS or FCPS or similar, they are not used to doing things like using textbooks and doing real writing assignments.  They are also likely behind, even if your school claims they are not.  Since all of the K12 lesson modules are pre-built, there is absolutely no learning curve whatsoever.  There is no way for them to go in and modify assignments for you.  I am in all of the school's discussion groups, and many new VAVA parents were having meltdowns early in the year because the workload was so intense and their child was unable to manage much of it on their own.

Another route is to register as a homeschooler and then purchase individual K12 classes through K12 and/or through Keystone Academy a la carte, as independent study.  That way, you have 12 months to complete the work and there isn't the same level of pressure on the parent.  Good luck.[/quote]

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