Cyberschools approved: Georgia kids can have full K-12 experience

Kaplan and Provost follow the state’s first and largest virtual charter, Georgia Cyber Academy, a K-8 cyberschool of 5,000 , in serving public school students online.

“I think it is going to be a wonderful opportunity, especially for kids who have some very unique special needs,” said Ben Scafidi, state charter commission chairman. “These virtual schools are a lifeline to them.”

Georgia's virtual charters won't receive as much state money as other charter schools.

The commission set state funding at about $3,500 per pupil, minus a 3 percent administrative fee. That is more than the $2,900 recommended by state staff, but far less than the $6,500 recommended by the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, which pushes for equal funding for all charters.

“The costs are pretty equal to a lot of brick and mortar schools,” said Allison Powell, vice president of iNACOL, of virtual schools. “You don’t have the transportation or building costs, but you still have to provide Internet and computers. You have personnel. A lot of states will fund them at the same level.”

Georgia's virtual charters also are eligible for additional federal funds. The commission, however, did not offer them the controversial local matching share of tax dollars that other commission charter schools get. The principle is known as "the money follows the student"; that is, when a student leaves a school district to attend a charter school, the state takes the money allocated for that student away from the local district and gives it to the charter school. The issue is at the center of a legal battle that is now headed to the state Supreme Court.

Angela Palm, policy director of the Georgia School Boards Association, said she was happy to see virtuals funded without the local share. "It would have been detrimental to all of the other students that are in the public school district."

Tony Roberts, CEO of Georgia Charter Schools Association, however, said he hopes the commission will be revisit the issue. "While I think that amount is low and may hamper the ability of the virtual schools to show the best results ... I hope when these terrible financial times are past that the commission will reevaluate these funding levels and increase them."

Two other petitioners were denied charters Friday, including Georgia Cyber Academy, which also was proposing a virtual high school.

Funding virtual charter schools

Allison Powell of the International Association for K-12 Online Learning said she would like to see “equitable” funding for virtual charter schools in Georgia. Powell said a quality school requires a minimum of $6500 per student.

Georgia's funding: $3,500 per pupil in state funds only, which could mean fewer teachers and electives.

Among states funding virtual and brick-and-mortar charters equally: Pennsylvania, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, Colorado, Oregon (has frozen virtual growth), California and Idaho.

Georgia's home-schoolers are likely candidates for virtuals because they offer free curriculum and teaching support. Some already attend them. Many, however, may not bite when the schools open, says Charlene Peavy of the Georgia Home Education Association. “I would not recommend it,” she said. “Once you sign up, you have to do what they tell you to do. That takes away from the beauty of homeschooling. You can design a curriculum to fit your child’s needs.”

Here's a breakdown of metro Atlanta home-schoolers in the 2009-10 school year provided by local school districts.

Gwinnett: 3,806

Cobb: 3,316

Atlanta: 521

Fulton: 1,635

Forsyth: 1,481

Hall: 1,161

DeKalb: 1,540

Statewide: 42,000