Original Link: http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2011/07/25/37mct_tnvirtual.h30.html?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mrss
This is just as much of a political issue as it is an educational issue. This virtual school is a for profit business that uses online access to recruit students throughout the state of Tennessee and will use state obligated funds of over $5000 per student to pay for it. Sounds to me like more of a money making business than an actual "good idea", which is exactly what the state of Tennessee Republican politicians are saying. The funny thing about this plan is that if a student in grades K-8 wanted to enroll in the virtual school in the state of Tennessee it would cost just about the same as it would to go to a community college and the state will pay the bill.
To top it off, only 4% of the funds will go to the school district that was awarded the contract. The other 96% of the funding will go to the COMPANY. With the issue over tax cuts, public funding reduced, and smaller government continue to surface in congress, this idea is another way of cutting diminishing the value of teachers and unions in this country. If these politicians truly wanted to make education better they would make the program free for any student and not allow companies to benefit from this kind of thing.
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