Applications for Plano ISD’s new Virtual Academy Program are now open.
The district’s board of trustees received an update on the program from PISD Director of Expanded Learning Pathways Stacy Singleton during an April 7 meeting.
The gist
The program will introduce a fully virtual and hybrid learning option for Plano ISD students starting next school year, according to the presentation. Students enrolled in the hybrid model will take both in-person and online courses, but no course will be a combination of in-person and virtual, Singleton said.
The virtual courses will be “fully aligned” with state standards, Singleton said, and include the following components:
A clearly defined scope and sequenceDirect instruction videos with captionsInteractive learning activities, including vocabulary practice, virtual labs, and problem-solvingexercisesQuizzes, unit tests and a final examProgress Tracking ToolsAdditional Tools including highlighter, read aloud, translation, calculator, reference materials, guided notes, glossary, transcriptOn-demand chat with tutorsWhat you need to know
Applications for the academy will remain open until April 30 and can be found on PISD’s website.
Students are required to have maintained 95% attendance in the previous school year, passed all classes in the previous school year and met standard on all STAAR/EOC assessments. Placement will then be determined by a lottery, the presentation states.
The hybrid model is only available to students living within PISD boundaries, and students cannot enroll in the fully virtual and also participate in athletics. Virtual AP and NCAA clearinghouse courses will cost $325 per semester.
Assistant Superintendent Courtney Gober added that students have to have attended a brick-and-mortar public school the year prior to going full-time virtual.
Quote of note
“Looking at the declining enrollment, this is an opportunity for a student to get folded into our district and receive our services,” trustee Elisa Klein said. “To stay competitive, our district does need to move to this type of model. Just having the option to do this is great for families.”