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Online courses could pay off for all

The school district would get state funds, graduation rates could improve and families that homeschool could sign up.

By EDDY RAMIREZ
Published November 22, 2005

INVERNESS - Citrus students will soon be able take history, biology, even Latin and FCAT prep courses online.

Beginning in January, high school students can enroll in one of 10 online courses that will be taught by state-certified teachers from Citrus County. The courses would be free to students.

School officials hope the move to online courses will bring more state dollars to the school system, ease overcrowding at the high schools, and raise graduation rates among certain student groups, including those who are expelled or have trouble fitting in with other high school students.

"This will be a lifesaver for some kids," administrator Rich Hilgert told the School Board on Tuesday.

The decision to offer online courses was reached earlier this year when the district was approached by representatives of the Florida Virtual School, the only publicly funded virtual school in the state.

Over the years, the virtual school has taken in more students than it can serve. By offering districts a chance to join the online franchise, the virtual school hopes to trim waiting lists. Citrus is the smallest of 10 school districts that have partnered with the virtual school.

For Citrus, the move can prove to be a profitable venture.

The state gives districts $3,760 annually for each student enrolled in a school. Ninety Citrus students are currently enrolled in one or more online classes through the Florida Virtual School, but Citrus schools don't collect any money for those students.

By offering online courses taught by certified teachers, the Citrus school system stands to collect as much as $940,000 from the state the first year. That's if every one of the 10 courses available next semester enrolls 25 new students. School officials are targeting families with homeschooled children, but say the courses will be open to any student, including those attending all three high schools.

It will cost the district $20,000 the first year and $15,000 in subsequent years to offer the online courses. Those figures don't include pay for 15 teachers needed for the program. For now, the district is proposing paying teachers $100 for each student who completes a course with a D or better. Each class would enroll as many as 25 students.

Students will have to receive permission from parents and a school counselor to be able to sign up for one online course the first semester. The course will count as one of the four courses that students can take each semester. That means a student can leave campus early after completing the first three periods, an option that school officials hope will free up classroom space and reduce waiting lists for popular courses.

School officials said they would consider lending computers to needy students, but those students must have access to an Internet connection. Students could also take the courses in a public library or a school's media center.

School officials could not offer assurances that the costs won't exceed revenues from the state.

"I'm not sure what kind of response we will have," Hilgert told board members.

The district will use a state grant to cover teacher salaries and the annual fee the first two years. The board asked staff to submit a report with an update in June.

In other school news:

Board members will vote in December to give themselves raises. They would earn $30,598 a year. This proposed salary is based on the recommendation of the Florida School Boards Association, which issues salary guidelines for all 67 school districts in the state.

Last year, Citrus board members voted down a raise because the district had not settled contract negotiations with the teachers union. The new salary is almost $1,800 more than the current salary. It's also $298 more than a beginning teacher's salary, which is $30,300.

The board elected Lou Miele as chairman and Bill Murray as vice chairman during an organizational meeting. Miele, Linda Powers and current board Chairwoman Pat Deutschman are up for re-election next fall.

The board also decided to retain its longtime attorney, Richard "Spike" Fitzpatrick, for another year. This will be his 28th year serving in that role.

[Last modified November 22, 2005, 19:05:36]