“It was a nice experience being in brick and mortar,” said Shelly. “It just was not right for our family.”
So the Tidwells returned to virtual school with the Ohio Virtual Academy, based near Toledo, which has seen its enrollment grow to about 8,400 students in nine years.
It is one of Ohio’s 27 online schools offering education to students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
The e-schools are public charter schools that receive taxpayer dollars. They are operated by sponsors that might be a for-profit corporation, a school district or other educational entity.
Because the online charter schools are public schools, there are no tuition costs. Charter school students are counted as part of the funded enrollment base for school districts and payment to the e-schools are deducted from the foundation payment of the school district where the student lives. That cost is $5,718 per pupil, but e-schools receive more for special education students.
For the rest of the article, go to E-schools offers flexibility, backers say
