Reform bill has good news for virtual charter schools

Among the little-noticed provisions of the complex, sweeping school reform bill that’s rocketing through the Idaho Legislature is one that would double-fund virtual charter schools for their existing computers; here’s a link to my column from Sunday’s Spokesman-Review taking a look at the issue.

SB 1184, state schools Superintendent Tom Luna’s reform bill that passed the Senate on Thursday and is awaiting consideration in the House, sets a goal of a 1-to-1 ratio of computers to high school students, phased in over several years, and it shifts money out of the state’s teacher-salary fund to pay for the purchases. But school districts that already have reached that 1-to-1 ratio will get the money as discretionary funds, to use for whatever they like. Here’s where the double-funding comes in: Idaho already has paid for one computer for every student at virtual charter schools, which are online charter schools in which students study at home and are issued computers and other materials. Idaho has three of those, with more than 4,000 students enrolled; all three would qualify for the new discretionary money.