Online charter schools a big hit

Online public charter schools made their debut in South Carolina this year, and students can't get enough of them.

The number of students enrolled in these cyber schools is projected to double by the start of next school year, and the three existing online charter schools are full with waiting lists.

"Wherever these things start, they are always a popular choice and they grow every year," said Tim Daniels, superintendent for the S.C. Public Charter School District, which serves as an alternative means for charter schools to gain approval.

The three online schools enroll about 2,400 students, and two more will open next year, which could push the total online charter school enrollment to at least 5,000 children. Each of the five schools is distinctive from the others, and Daniels said more options mean better matches for students and schools.

"We're known to be picky in who we give a charter to," Daniels said. "We've turned a few down. The goal is to have a number of choices, and we want quality choices."

An increasing number of states are offering virtual charter schools. An estimated 173 online charter schools served 92,235 students in 18 states as of January 2007 compared with 86 such schools with 31,000 students in 13 states in 2004-05, according to the Center for Education Reform.

Thirty-four states, including South Carolina, also offer online learning programs, most of which are designed to work with existing schools to provide additional courses. The state Department of Education's Virtual School Program fits into that category by offering online courses to about 13,000 students. The classes are meant to be supplemental; students can't earn a diploma through the Virtual School Program.

Despite the demand for the online charter schools, the state charter district's schools may shut down within the next two years because of funding inequities, Daniels said. They don't receive any local funding, which means they don't get anywhere near the amount of money that schools approved by local school boards receive, he said.

"If we're going to be a leader in the field, we're going to have some sort of fair funding, and all the statewide charter schools are pushing for that," he said. "I'm worried because we're headed for some disconnect between what people want and not being able to offer it."

The funding formula was established when the General Assembly created the statewide charter district. Daniels said charter school supporters took what they could get at the time but are fighting for change because the lack of money will cause them to struggle financially.

Provost Academy, one of the charters that will open this fall, is backed by EdisonLearning, a company that has worked with struggling schools in Charleston and other in-state districts. Jeff McCoy, chief of strategic partnerships for EdisonLearning, said he's seen students who weren't getting what they needed in traditional brick-and-mortar schools and would've benefited from this type of school. He was enthusiastic about the number of virtual charter school options being offered to the state's students.

"We think the more options, the better," he said. "You can't ever provide too many resources. The demand is here, the interest is here."

MORE INFO

For more information on the state's online charter schools, go to sccharter.com. South Carolina's five online charter schools include:

• Insight School of South Carolina accepts high school students and provides a general college prep curriculum.
• South Carolina Calvert Academy will accept kindergarten through eighth-grade students and has an older, more established curriculum offering.
• South Carolina Connections Academy accepts kindergartners through high school seniors and emphasizes face-to-face meetings and mingling with other local students.
• Provost Academy South Carolina will serve high school students and focus its curriculum on math, science and technology.
• South Carolina Virtual Charter School serves kindergarten through 12th grades.

Reach Diette Courrégé at 937-5546 or dcourrege@postandcourier.com.