Why Internet High School Classes?

The Virginia Internet High School provides flexible, low-cost, and effective online instruction to school divisions throughout the Commonwealth. This statewide instructional network promises to end scheduling conflicts, overloaded classes, and in-school struggles with disruptive, unmotivated students. Virginia's public schools now have a practical means and the resources to teach all high school students in the most instructionally appropriate setting. Although time and distance are no longer obstacles to educating students, a number of questions remain....

Will at-risk, disruptive, or poor attending students learn well in VIHS classes?

These students will certainly learn as well, if not better, than in the convention high school. Most are quite capable, but spend their time in the conventional high school on non-academic pursuits.
Placed in a setting where they must perform academically to work their way back into the social community of the conventional high school, they tend to perform. Further, there are no passive learners in an Internet high school. Each student, by the nature of the medium, must be actively engaged to communicate his presence in school.
Instruction is almost exclusively one-on-one, with individualized feedback for each student. Consequently, low-achieving students receive the individualized, one-on-one instruction they require. And, for the first time, they may be motivated to learn in a timely fashion in order to rejoin their friends in the conventional high school.
In any event, instruction and student achievement in the conventional high school will improve significantly without the interference of disruptive students.

Why is an online option needed in addition to a local or regional alternative school?

The Internet high school offers scheduling and staffing FLEXIBILITY that traditional alternative schools can never achieve. A statewide online instructional network can accommodate from one to a hundred or more students for a single course. Drawing from students throughout the state, a section in almost every required high school course will be available.
New courses, elective courses, and even low-interest specialty courses will be added as demand warrants. With the advent of Internet classes, public high schools can offer every student a true choice when selecting classes and teachers.
Students can be scheduled into an Internet class rather than overload local class sections and teachers. In addition, excess staffing in the school can be contracted as online instructors.

Can all Virginia schools afford online high school classes for their students?

At $500 per course, schools can provide a full year of high school instruction for $3,000 per student. If schools were to give each student a $1,250 multimedia computer with printer, an Internet connection, and all textbooks, the total annual cost is less than $5,000.
Spreading hardware and support costs over three years, the average annual per student cost will be less than $3,800 which is comparable to the average per student cost in even the poorest Virginia school divisions.

Is online instruction adequate preparation to return students to conventional classes?

Comprehensive course completion exams based on the Virginia Standards of Learning are required in all Virginia Internet High School classes. In both VIHS 90-day and 180-day courses, students receive instruction to achieve the same learning objectives.

Do VIHS classes satisfy the 140 hour Standard Unit of Credit requirement?

Comprehensive course completion exams based on the Virginia Standards of Learning ensure that (1.) all VIHS classes are "comparable to 140 hours of instruction" and (2) students "have met the aims and objectives of the course." This is in accordance with the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia: Section §20-131-110. Standard and Verified Units of Credit..

What does a student need to enroll in the VIHS?

The student must, first, obtain permission from the local school division. Only locally designated Virginia public school officials may enroll a student in a Virginia Internet High School class. In addition, the student must have access to an online computer work station with printer. VIHS recommends a Pentium 300 MHz multimedia PC with 33.6 modem, 64MB RAM, 4.2GB HD, monitor, Windows 98, (priced at $1,050 10/15/98) MS Explorer web browser, word processor, and a deskjet printer (priced at $199 10/15/98). Students who will be working from their homes need to complete a full-day in-school orientation session before going online at home.

Please E-mail questions and comments to the Director