Updated at 6:20 pm

BY SARAH ROSS

SALEM- Following the presentation of a report on virtual schools from the State Board of Education, the House Committee on Education is poised to bring up the topic in 2011’s legislative session.

The Board was tasked by the Legislature in February to create a report on developing a governance model for virtual schools, developing a proper funding model for these schools, and determining what percentage of special education children are currently educated in virtual charter schools.

Jan McComb, Professional Staff for the Board of Education, presented her findings to the Committee regarding the percentage of special education students. The Board determined that the number of special ed students attending virtual schools is lower than the number attending traditional charter schools, but more children with autism and emotional disabilities attend virtual schools than traditional charter schools.

“The Board believes that computer based education can and should become a critical part of our education in Oregon in the coming years,” said Duncan Wyse, Chair of the State Board of Education, quoting a previous report to the Legislature.

Weise noted in his testimony to the Committee that in terms of governance, non-profit and charter schools should be approved by the State Board of Education and “cannot be purely free market without significant government oversight,” since state dollars are involved.

Part of the recommendation by the State Board of Education was to place a mandate on school districts to require up to 3 percent of their student body to attend virtual charter schools, if parents and students wanted to pursue that option. This mandate was decided on by the Board in August and presented to the Legislature so that it can be put in bill form.

Wyse also recommended that the Board should have the power to raise this limit to 5 percent in the future.

As far as how much funding should be granted to these schools, Wyse mentioned that the Board decided that 90 percent of per student state funding will go to the charter school. The remaining 10 percent should be split between the “home” and the “sending” districts.

“We also encourage all districts to provide these options to their students beyond the requirement,” said Wyse, adding that virtual learning is a valid form of education and that he hopes all schools will negotiate with providers.

A legislative proposal, or a series of proposals, for the next session will be influenced by these recommendations, according to Rep. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, Chair of the Committee on Education.
“We’ve been wrestling with this issue for a long time,” said Gelser. “The families in particular in this circumstance really need to know what our resolution is on this issue so they don’t have to take time away from their families to watch the Legislature.”

Because of this, Gelser said she hopes to get something passed early in the 2011 legislative session.