Board of Elementary and Secondary Education: proposed virtual school

 Johnston notes it has been ten years since a new virtual school was considered
Felix Commonwealth Virtual School
Board is sole authorizer of virtual schools 
proposed to partner with Arizona State University
proposal is for 4000 students statewide, opening September 2025
recommended conditions for the applicant group 

memo allows $14K which is maximum allowed at this time; virtual school can then seek higher amount once authorized
both other virtuals have recently requested such increases
Hills and Gardiner held public hearing on proposed school

Gardiner: a lot of expressed support came about adding a virtual school to schools that exist now
ability to have in person hubs "makes applications very unique"
10-15 people in total, relatively small, all comments public

Hills recommends bringing coffee cup and sitting back to let Ela process if you attend a meeting with her

West "one of very few" positives of pandemic "sparks innovations of designs in schooling"
Thinks we didn't see as much in Massachusetts
the state where the Commissioner otherwise bars virtual instruction?
fully competency based model
excited about "leadership team" with "deep experience in serving students in the Commonwealth"
concern over funding level: "would encourage that conversation"
not a cost saver in virtual schools
"focus on if the needs of the students are being met rather than if they have access to the same activities as other students who are enrolling in the model"
Johnston notes laws about equity of access; want to be sure that families truly can access that
do really want to make sure that access is equitable

Mohammed: competency based progression very intriguing
how does that change accountability of school
and how it will inform and provide
Johnston: pay attention to all our unique models in learning from and spread innovative practices

must create accountability plan in progress in model
"very student centered accountability plan"

Gardiner: blown away by positivity at public comment session
heard from all stakeholders
hybrid learning model and remote learning school her freshman year
remote learning provided for students who needed flexibility
do we know where hub sites might be? Lawrence, Holyoke, Allston might be
Gardiner: higher tuition than other virtual schools
are there other proposed avenues for financial aid? (she's misunderstanding how this works)
free public virtual school; tuition is paid by sending districts

Rocha: budget: 
concern as flagged by Brockton
meals as schools are where students get that
unique in that they'll use hubs as "school" sites as recognized by USDA for meals
Johnston: transparency in fulfillment of conditions
Board then is entity that removes conditions if grant is made with those conditions
if there are more applicants than seats, they'll need to have a lottery
certificate term is for first three years; 200 in first year

Stewart: hadn't heard of preconditions with virtual schools
Johnston: many are similar as they are around opening procedures and difference of this option
Stewart: proposed conditions feel like a lot
what happens if conditions aren't met?
can be met, extended, removed, or additional conditions can be imposed
that is all done by Board decisions
haven't seen any information and hard data on coming out of pandemic
"a lot was said about getting kids off screens and into classrooms"
not uncommon for new groups to bring out a lot of support
are they meeting the needs of students?

Fisher: concern around this is for number 4
"have trepidation and concern about only a few hubs"
in order to meet condition
"reasonable access is in the eye of the beholder...don't want to see kids on a bus for an hour, hour and a half"
"access is in the eye of the beholder"
"it does seem somewhat contradictory to what we were saying during the pandemic"
"it seems contradictory to the messaging we've been giving to districts"
need to see the hub, access across the state

Craven: a bus from East Boston "can take an hour," a METCO school "can take a hour"
interaction between conditions 3 about budget and 6 justification of per pupil tuition rate
"they asked for the foundation budget rate...we're not giving that to them in the certificate"
"much different model...things that a bricks and mortar school are usually responsible for"
Craven now reading aloud the section on funding virtual schools
"I'm super excited to see something different"

Johnston scheduling a time as soon as possible meeting with the proposed school

Hills: very supportive of this
struggle with what Fisher said
"law provides for this"
clarifies one thing: don't think Department should feel restricted on making changes within purview

certificate approved