Hundreds of kids flock to state's new online schools

Linda Shaw:

Washington's two newest online schools didn't know how many students to expect when they announced they would open their virtual doors this fall. Leaders cautiously hoped for 250, maybe 300 as a start.

They were low — way low. As school starts, the two public schools are happily struggling to handle double and triple that number.

Insight School of Washington, the state's first fully online high school, stopped accepting students after 650, and has 1,000 more who've expressed interest. The Washington Virtual Academy, a K-8 based in Steilacoom, has 652 students registered, and another 500 in the application pipeline.

It's another spurt in the growth of online learning in Washington state, where more than 9,000 students took one or more online classes last year.

Going to school via computer is "not for most kids," said Bill Finkbeiner, executive director of Insight School, a partnership between a Portland company and the small Quillayute Valley School District in Forks. "Most students are going to do better in traditional high schools. But there are a significant percentage of students who don't fit in to a regular high school and, for many of them, this is a good option."

Posted by Jim Zellmer at September 11, 2006 12:32 PM
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