Mom says virtual school was virtual waste of time, money
(This entry has provoked a lot of response. Please note that the mom in question responds to some of the comments under the name “Cobb Mother.” Thanks, Maureen)
I just hung up with a Cobb mother – a former CDC employee – whose child attended the Georgia Virtual Academy. (The girl is now back in a public elementary school, but the mom is not happy there and plans to send her to a Catholic school next. The child had been in a Catholic school in the past, but the mom could no longer afford it due to divorce.)
The k-8 academy is the only virtual charter school in the state, operated under the umbrella of the education management company K12 Inc, the nation’s largest online curriculum provider. The online school paired up with an existing state-approved charter school, the Odyssey School in Newnan, and opened here in 2007. The state pays for the students who enroll in the Georgia Virtual Academy. (Please note that the academy is not the virtual high school run by the state.)
More virtual schools are seeking to open here now that we have a state law entitling them to local and state school monies, thus making Georgia a very lucrative place to do business.
I have read postings to Get Schooled praising the Georgia Virtual Academy, but they have been from parents who say they are homeschooling. This mom says she did not intend to homeschool and that the academy was never presented to her as a homeschooling program until after she enrolled her daughter.
Here is her experience told to me both via an e-mail and a phone conversation:
After hearing the media coverage, reviewing the web site of the Georgia Virtual Academy and attending the meeting they had at the Buckhead Library on Pharr Rd, I entered my fourth grade daughter in the lottery for the Georgia Virtual Academy. She secured a spot.
The entire time we were led to believe that this was going to be a true virtual computer learning environment where there were going to be interactive computer lessons online, that a teacher would be available constantly from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm with a Web interface, similar to a commercial one like “Go to Meeting 123.”
I had no reason not to think this was possible because 25 years ago I had been the teaching assistant for a mechanical engineering class taught from the main campus at Purdue University to students in Indianapolis. So surely, this could be done and even easier 25 years later.
Although boxes of books are mailed to you in the summer, you are absolutely not allowed to log on and start until the day classes start. The Thursday before the Monday class was suppose to start, I get a call from the teacher. She tells me that she has 120 students, and that she is only required to call each student and their coach (parent) every six weeks and talk to them for 20 minutes via the telephone. She then went on to say that she had 48 hours to respond to any question e-mailed to her. I was like what, “Where was the virtual, real time in this?”
I was informed that when school started on Monday we would log on and take a placement test and go from there.
On Monday, Aug. 21, we spent over two hours trying to log on to the school, followed by hours on hold. My daughter took a simple six-question multiple question test and we were directed to the math book.
I was basically told then that this was homeschooling and that I was on my own. When I called — and after hours of holding — the school rep said, “Didn’t you understand that you are the coach, and it is like homeschooling.”
I told them no. I was told it was a virtual school. Not homeschooling. This is an absolute sham and a corporate rip-off of the taxpayer dollars that paid for my daughter’s spot in the school.
Since the state did not cover music, art and foreign language in the Georgia Virtual Academy, I was suckered into paying $1,400 in tuition for their Private Virtual International School for these courses. I had to fight with them to get my money refunded for these courses. This sham needs to be exposed.
Parents do need options. My daughter is in the local public school and was headbutted in September by a boy because he would not share a jump rope. In October, a girl pushed a boy and he knocked my daughter into a fire hydrant. My daughter ended up with a concussion.
My daughter is a straight A student. She should not have to put up with these kids who don’t have any restraint. We need to have the vouchers as Eric Johnson has proposed, so the parent can decid how or where they want to spend the money.
I would love to hear from other parents. I looked at the available CRCT scores for the Georgia Virtual Academy. In 2007-2008, they trailed the state in math by a disturbing margin. Is the school working for you and would you call yourself a homeschooler?
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73 comments Add your comment
LSH
November 6th, 2009
1:42 pm
So, the kid goes to one school- the mother is not happy, the kid goes to a virtual school- the mother is not happy, the kid goes to another public school, the mother is still not happy. And now a Catholic school is going to make her happy?
I think this mother had unrealistic expectations of this virtual school. Teaching a class is not like holding a business conference. A teacher with 120 students (standard or even low by public high school teachers) could not possibly be interacting constantly with all the students at the same time from 8-4 without a break. In a real classroom, the teacher does not usually answer every kids question- there is not enough hours in the day. The teacher does not provide feed back instantly- it takes a few days or even a week or more to get papers graded. A teacher needs time to plan lessons.
The teacher was calling was setting up guidelines of what parents could expect. Parents could not rant that it took the teacher hours to answer an email, the parent could not be on the phone every day discussing the progress of the child. If the teacher got just one email from every student every day, she would be answering 600 emails a week. Just like in public school- there are many students and only one teacher- they have to divide their time among the students.
Maureen Downey
November 6th, 2009
1:44 pm
LSH, I have to add one fact here; This mom had her child in a Catholic school in the past but had to take her out for financial reasons tied to divorce. So, she has been happy with a school, just not one she can afford. Hence, her support for vouchers.
Maureen
AT
November 6th, 2009
2:40 pm
I have to disagree with this mom. We are doing GVA, and it is most definitely presented as a homeschool program. When you enroll, you are asked who will be the learning coach. The school calls to answer any questions and explain how the program works. Their website even tells you how much time to expect utilizing the computer and how much is adult directed. It is very upfront. They have numerous meet and greet sessions, as well as Q & A sessions. If this mother feels she was misled, I am inclined to believe it is because she did not pay attention and do her due diligence. I also have to contradict her statement that you are not allowed to start the courses before the start day of school, as it is simply not true. We did, and in fact started a week before the official start date of school. We have had no problems logging into the school, certainly nothing even remotely close to 2 hours. As far as the teachers, she was upfront and said that she will reply within 24 hours of receiving an email, but it is usually much faster. And if I absolutely must reach her immediately, I can always reach her by phone. She always let us know if she will be out of the office, but otherwise she is available all day. While conferneces with the teacher are scheduled once every six weeks, there are several interactive live classrooms various times of the month. As far as her claim that she was suckered into the Private Virtual International school for art, music, and foreign language, I am leery of that claim since I’ve never heard of them nor was I approached in any manner to sign up for their services. In short, this school works for me, and yes I would call myself a homeschooler. The program has been adjusted to my daughter’s advanced learning curve, something I don’t feel she would have gotten at a traditional school. Overall, we are very happy with the program.
Pam
November 6th, 2009
2:41 pm
Cobb mother,
You need to get prepared a onslaught of attacks from public school parents. When you give reasonable and specific details of how public schools don’t work you will be hated and attacked.
JB
November 6th, 2009
2:50 pm
Having one daughter in GVA, I can assure you that it was presented as a home-study school, and the parent/guardian is responsible for being the learning coach. If you don’t have the time to teach your child, don’t sign up.
AT
November 6th, 2009
2:55 pm
Also, as a side note, the fact that you highlighted that the mother was a former CDC employee, is that supposed to make her appear smarter than the average person and therefore the words coming out of her mouth hold more weight? It doesn’t mention her job title at the CDC, nor what she does now, so I am left to believe that its mention is for appearance sake only.
Marie
November 6th, 2009
3:01 pm
Looks to be like she should be prepared for an onslaught of attacks from people who favor charter/virtual schools… But, anyway, my heart does go out to this mother for her predicament. I do want her to be aware that in Cobb County, transfers are also permissible (in addition to NCLB and school choice) in the case where a student feels unsafe in a particular school environment. I would encourage the mother to look into this and see if she can get her daughter into a better environment without having to pony up for Catholic School.
Matt Arkin
November 6th, 2009
3:14 pm
Maureen,
I am sorry to hear that this parent had an experience that did not meet her expectations for the week or so that she was enrolled in Georgia Virtual Academy this Fall. With each teacher responsible for 65-70 students, it is logistically impossible to have one of GVA’s highly qualified and certified teachers available “real-time” for every individual student every hour of every day. Despite this, students and learning coaches are far from “on their own”, with teachers available via phone and e-mail, frequent online class sessions, and regular open-office hours and assemblies where teachers and/or administrators are available real-time.
GVA has been and will continue to be very clear regarding our model of instruction (not homeschooling, but “public schooling at home”) both in our charter and our information sessions. We would be happy to have you attend a GVA information session for prospective parents. I think you would find that we are very upfront with setting expectations for parents regarding their role as “Learning Coaches” and the accountability required of every student and parent to participate in this public school. Despite the high expectations and responsibility that is required of these parents and students, over 85% of eligible students from last Spring chose to re-register for this Fall.
It is unclear why CRCT scores from two years ago (GVA’s first year of existence) were used in this post. GVA’s most recent CRCT results from 2008-2009 show that the school made double-digit gains in Math in just one year (significantly outpacing state gains) AND made AYP. Many students come to GVA because they have fallen behind academically at their own school: for example, in 2007-2008, over 83% of 8th graders enrolling in GVA were more than 1 year behind in Math, and over 55% of 8th graders were over TWO years behind in Math. The results from GVA’s second year show that students that stay with the school show significant academic gains – a trend that we expect to see continue strongly in our third year (and a trend that has been shown repeatedly by K12 virtual academies in other states).
We certainly do not expect that the GVA model (or virtual education in general) will be the right fit for every family. The good news is that we are already seeing the strong academic benefits and parental satisfaction for the students that GVA and virtual public education ARE the right fit for—students that aren’t getting the education that best fits their needs in a traditional “brick and mortar” school.
Matt Arkin
GVA Head of School
Mom says virtual school was virtual waste of time, money | Get … School’s Rate
November 6th, 2009
4:29 pm
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Georgia Virtual Academy Learning Coach
November 6th, 2009
5:21 pm
GVA has the best teachers in the state teaching our students. My GVA middle school students have live virtual classes several times a week taught by the best teachers in Georgia. The teachers, students and learning coaches take a team approach to education and it works.
dgroy
November 6th, 2009
5:34 pm
Hate to be negative here but, me thinks the “Mom” is lazy and wanted a babysitter and what was the purpose in “Mom” stating she “worked for the CDC?”
Terry
November 6th, 2009
7:41 pm
I am in agreement with the need for vouchers.
Sarge
November 6th, 2009
10:15 pm
As with many issues in contemporary society, it seems that, rather than deal with the issue in a tried-and-proven manner, we are in a constant quest to re-invent the wheel. We feel that, somehow, if we (rhetorically speaking) stir the paint with a slide rule rather than the traditional stir stick, the paint will be better-stired. The result, more often as not, is snake oil…in this case, tax-funded snake oil. Fueled by the mistaken notion that the snake oil side of technology can somehow better those tried-and-proven education methods of past, we fall prey to those who, like the carnavel barker, would convince the believing public. Get the education elite and their politics out of the classroom, put this virtual nonesense where it belongs…in the dumpster labeled “STUPID STUFF”, and let the teachers teach. IT’S THE ONLY WAY…THERE IS NO BETTER WAY.
ScienceTeacher671
November 6th, 2009
10:28 pm
I thought that if you were Catholic and couldn’t afford Catholic school, the diocese would work with you so that your children could receive a religious education…but maybe that was back in the olden days, or maybe the mother isn’t Catholic?
Crimson Wife
November 6th, 2009
10:57 pm
I tend to agree with the previous comments that the mom must not have been paying attention when she signed her child up. I looked into the K12 run California Virtual Academy and it was very clear that what was offered is a home-based independent study program. If she wanted live web-conference classes, those are available from private schools but at a pretty hefty price (for example the Stanford Online High School charges $12k/year).
Warrior and Mom
November 6th, 2009
11:06 pm
It sounds like this mom needs to get 2 jobs and put the student in daycare. I work 2 jobs and have two kids w/o help.
Tom2
November 6th, 2009
11:27 pm
The problem is government school teachers answer to everyone but those who pay the bills. Privatize this mess and most of these problems will vanish. No private business could survive with such poor service. And with widespread competition, the cost would be a fraction of expensive government education.
Juju
November 7th, 2009
5:32 am
I love the idea of a virtural school for some kids. Some kids need this isolation from others. Some kids should not be around other people.
Does anyone have experience with GA Virtual
November 7th, 2009
7:21 am
Does anyone here have experience with GA Virtual School which is administered through the state DOE? I am wondering how high school classes through GA Virtual have worked out for people whp may be reading this board. I am interested in having my daughter take a class through them next summer.
ATL parent
November 7th, 2009
7:24 am
Cobb mother is on verge of having a emotionally damaged child–a divorce combined with 3 going on 4 school changes and the daughter is only a fourth grader.
Settle down Cobb mom. Put the child in a school and stick it out, the she needs stability.
Old School
November 7th, 2009
7:46 am
We have a “virtual high school” class that is administered by a certified teacher and a parapro. It is available for students who are too far behind or cannot handle the regular classroom but are not the severe discipline problems in our alternative school. Before the current teacher took over, cheating was the norm (that “teacher” actually helped them cheat) and there were cases where students took and successfully completed challenging courses like physics in 3 days! That has completely changed and all students are closely monitored, violators dealt with immediately and firmly, and the success rate is really good. Additionally, the students are actually learning. They graduate at the same ceremony as the other students but their diploma is from the online school and not the brick&mortar one.
Maybe that’s the best arrangement: a school within a school with an honest instructor.
d
November 7th, 2009
9:06 am
Tom2, if we privatize public schools, that would save you about $1,000 a year in property taxes (at least that’s about what my school tax portion of my bill is.) Let’s say you have 2 kids…. could they get a quality education for $500 a year each? The answer is no, of course not. Terry, based on the same numbers, do you really feel you deserve the welfare (voucher) of $5,000 per child when you pay only $500 per child (based upon the numbers I gave earlier)? Vouchers = WELFARE for the rich. How? Well, the answer lies in simple high school economics. If you give people more income (the voucher) they will want more of the good or service (private education)…. this will drive prices up so only those who could have afforded the education prior to the vouchers will still be the only ones who can afford it, but now they get a taxpayer scholarship on top of it. Hardly seems fair to me.
Public education is the great equalizer. Just look at the article about the student from Wheeler that Maureen posted earlier. This is proof that our public (or if you wish to be derogatory “government”) schools can work…. A major problem lies in the fact that there is student and parent apathy across the board. Private schools can get rid of a kid who isn’t doing the work necessary and guess what, their scores look great….. Public schools don’t have the luxury of that. They must teach (or try to teach) every child who comes through the doors. Believe it or not, most of the public school teachers I know do a great job at this, but the old saying comes to mind… “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” The kids have no accountability, and accountability produces results.
Tim
November 7th, 2009
9:19 am
The obvious observation is that there would be, uh, virtually, no market for this kind of
tommyrot if our tax dollars were being used to provide an adequate a quality public school
system. Funny how kids from my era did just fine with the public schools….
Kids now don’t know Nebraska from the Netherlands and textspeak is the official language.
Badger
November 7th, 2009
11:02 am
No need for vouchers. If you don’t like the school your child is in then get involved and change it or move to an area that has better schools. I see no reason to allow your little hoodlum to move to a better school so that he are she can make every effort to lower the standards of that better school. It has been proven over and over that when parents are involved in the school the the students get a better education. Oh I forgot, inner city schools…Parents don’t want to be involved, they just want to pump out more babies, get high, and conduct their criminal activities without the anchor of a child.
educateyourself
November 7th, 2009
11:14 am
Educate yourself.
US census and GPS mapping: Big Brother at your door….
http://educate-yourself.org/cn/censusgpstagging04nov09.shtml
Edge
November 7th, 2009
11:18 am
I think the real problem this mother had with public school is being glossed over here. There is a real chance of violent behavior in public schools because the system us afraid of getting sued when they try to deal with real disruptive behavior. With many new “EBD” special ed. kids everyday in our schools that are protected by legislation, that real danger is magnified. We had a name for “EBD” kids when I was in school…we called them jerks with bad parents. This is not a special education matter. This is a counselor/DFACS matter. What happened to the rights of all of the other students to get an education. I am a firm believer that your rights stop where mine start. Get the violent and disruptive kids out of public school and there will be no need for most of this mess. Even the best teacher cannot teach when they are forced to deal with the discipline problems 80% of the time and teach 20%.
Proud GVA Parent!!
November 7th, 2009
11:52 am
I have been a GVA parent since GVA started in Georgia. I love the program and how it works! This mother obviously did not bother to do in research before she enrolled and because of her lack of knowledge she has decided to attack a program that has 5,000 students in the state of Georgia. I am sorry that she had such a bad experience but when changing to any school virtual or not it is important for parents to do their research to determine what is best for their children.
One of the best qualities that GVA has is that parents are involved 100% with their children’s education and still have the support of state certified teachers to help them with their children. The materials supplied for both the child and the parents are very involved and make it so that parents can teach their children. Everything is provided to help parents teach their children. And the children are given all the resources and handouts that they need so that they can learn and practice. To date my school supplies for the past 3 years have been pencils, paper, notebooks, binders and a white board, even though the school provides a hand held whiteboard for the kids. I do not have panic attacks trying to figure out how to buy supplies for the school and the teachers, and I do not have to spend a fortune in school clothes to make sure my daughter is up to date with the trendiest clothes. Now my time is spent actually teaching my daughter how to write, understand and comprehend novels and get an education that will help her when she gets to college.
If anyone is curious, I have an Associate’s Degree in Secondary Education, a Bachelor’s Degree in History and a MBA. I am very happy with the materials they provide because it is so much more involved and thorough than the brick and mortar provides.
Donna
November 7th, 2009
11:57 am
I am the President of Georgia Families for Public Virtual Education. I took on this responsibility because I have a son with three illnesses and he was falling through the cracks in the brick and mortar school system. I want my son to become a responsible and productive adult and if he had stayed in the regular school this would never have happened. Public Virtual Education is not for everyone and we don’t say that it is. You should have the right for your child to learn the best way that they can. My son is making high grades now where as he was falling in the regular school. GVA was and still is a God send to our family as it is for many others. Not only special needs children but also gifted children need this. If you as a parent are not willing to get in there and work hard right along side of your child then this is not for you and your child. I firmly believe that all children should be treated for their needs whether it be special needs, gifted needs or just regular children. Our school doesn’t cost your family one red penny and if you have a problem with teaching your child along with some wonderful teachers than this is not for you. We have a great curriculum and we are a great school and if we all work together it will only get better. This is not only my opinion but that of many other parents who love this school and are willing to work hard for their child. Thank you GVA and the whole staff for the support and the care you have for our children.
drew (former teacher)
November 7th, 2009
12:02 pm
Edge, you are correct, but in these days of “no child left behind” political correctness, very few schools have the means or desire to address the problems you describe. My experience in education has led me to believe that most schools could perform their job quite admirably if they could simply rid themselves of the 10% or so of students who have neither the desire or the discipline necessary to “do school”.
Those parents who feel that the environment of their local brick and mortar public schools is not conducive to learning (i.e., lack of discipline, crowded, bad teachers etc.), should feel blessed that they’ve got this option.
And all those calling for “vouchers” just need to hop on board, because this is basically a voucher program that pays for your child’s education. The catch is that your home is the “school” and “you” are the teacher. I wish this had been around ten years ago, when I had to foot the bill for my daughter’s home schooling. Anyone that’s home-schooling their child should be thrilled with this option, and they’d be crazy not to take advantage of it.
Mike
November 7th, 2009
12:35 pm
I think Pam, the mother and the child should all craw into a bubble and live happily ever after.
If your public school is not right for you or your child
A. Get involved and do something about it
B. Make enough money to send your child to the school of your choice
C. Move.
D. Shut up.
Public school mom
November 7th, 2009
12:47 pm
If parents want to home school or virtual school their children that is certainly their right. But never, never ask the taxpayers to pay for it until every bricks and mortar school in the state is in perfect condition, all public school teachers (and I mean warm body, in person teachers) are adequately educated, trained and paid, all the trailers are gone and every student has a seat in a real classroom, and the DOE has a really big surplus of money..
Until that happens, parents who want this option should simply pay for a private company to educate their children.
I can see limited exceptions for children confined for long periods of time due to illness or some type of disability or in instances where a school does not have sufficient resources or students to justify offering a special course such as certain AP or IB courses..
zoe
November 7th, 2009
12:57 pm
GaVS (the school run by the DOE) is a great option for students that want to get ahead or take AP classes not offered at the home school. It is well worth the money, especially now that most middle schools are not allowing 8th graders to take Math I. The claim is the new “honors” math “supposedly” prepares students for taking AP Calculus as seniors and instead of taking Math IV their senior year, students on the Honors Math track will take Calc. IMO, if your child seriously wants to go to Georgia Tech, MIT or Cal Tech- I would consider having him/her take a math class over the summer through GaVS. I know when my daughter is old enough, if her school system still isn’t allowing students to take Math I in the 8th grade, we will be signing her up to take it though GaVS, that way she can take Honors Math II her freshman year in High School. Also, if I am not mistaken the EOCT and AP scores for most classes offered in GaVS are actually much better than the state average, not as Maureen said about the same as the state average. GaVs is really for self motivated students though since work is due weekly, not daily and if student has a tendency to procrastinate, it can hurt on Thursday night when things are due.
ATL parent
November 7th, 2009
1:29 pm
@Mike—amen brother.
Badger
November 7th, 2009
1:51 pm
Basically it comes down to low income, non-working moocher parents(mostly of the non white persuasion demanding they get the same that a working involved parent gets. I say no-way. I work hard for my child to have what they have. I don’t want your mooching child or you around at all. I especially don’t want my tax dollars paying for you.
Jan
November 7th, 2009
3:23 pm
@ScienceTeacher671
Those were indeed the good old days. But the Archdiocese of Atlanta decided about 10 years ago that a Catholic education was no longer a mission of the church and that parents needed to pay for the cost of their child’s education. There is still a small church subsidy (I believe about 9% as compared to upto 75% for Catholic schools in the midwest and northeast) for all active Catholic families. And the multi-child discount was discontinued. It drove several very active and stauchly Catholic families from our parish school. There is also limited financial aid, but you need to be very poor to get it. But I have no regrets about sending them to Catholic school; my kids are worth the sacrifice.
Caleb
November 7th, 2009
3:59 pm
Meanwhile our government wastes money on video games.
http://hegesonic.blogspot.com/2009/11/game-review-layoff-by-tiltfactor.html
Momto 4
November 7th, 2009
4:25 pm
Badger, I pay taxes for your child to go to school, that is not the issue. In fact, all the parents of GVA children I know are homeowner’s paying taxes. Quit judging people without really knowing what you’re talking about.
Renee Lord
November 7th, 2009
4:34 pm
Georgia Virtual Academy has been a wonderful choice for my family. My children receive a world class education using K12’s tried and proven curriculum. It is the perfect fit for my family but certainly not every family. Choosing to enroll in GVA requires a large commitment of time from the learning coach (parent) but certainly not the amount of time required to homeschool a student.
I am thankful Georgia has provided this option for students and families.
S White
November 7th, 2009
5:26 pm
Badger – I’m of a “non-white persuasion” and I don’t have any children. Yet I’m a homeowner, which means my tax dollars are paying for your child to go to school. So who’s really the “moocher parent”?
Get a life!
Linda
November 7th, 2009
6:19 pm
Any schooling associated with the government will be tainted. Get off the dole and pull your kids out of public school programs of all types. Homeschool or private school… those are the responsible choices. The government wants to dumb your kids down.
Badger's conscience
November 7th, 2009
7:17 pm
Badger–why so much hate—you give white people a bad name.
Sarge
November 7th, 2009
7:22 pm
Juju, I hope you’re not serious. Being around other people is what education is all about…learning to interact, on various levels, with the world. Very true, there are some (unfortunately, a great deal more than some) who, by their very presence, impede the learning process. The answer, the ONLY answer, lies in removing the “impeder”, not the rest of the class. This is one of the failings of public education; what has turned public ed into nothing more than a tax-subsidized babysitting service. It’s a broken record, however…the day teachers are allowed to COMMAND the classroom will be the beginning of real educational improvement.
John Henry
November 7th, 2009
7:23 pm
Hey Badger—I am of the white persuasion, I am probably considered high income, I am a working parent who is involved and I also work hard for my child to have what they have. Guess what–I do not want my child going to school with yours. I don’t want my tax dollars paying for children of idiot’s like you.
James Highland
November 7th, 2009
8:44 pm
K12 Inc. is notorious for misleading the parents. The program sounds like a dream and then you realize you are in your own nightmare. This is pure homeschooling with a help desk. The parent is not a coach; the parent is the teacher and it takes hours to meet the restrictive requirements of the program on their schedule. Most students don’t last more than 2-3 years because the parents begin to lose their minds with the amount of work that is required to complete this program. Why a state is paying taxpayer dollars for homeschooling is a mystery to me. I did it for a year, started the second year and then gave up. This is not public education. It is pure homeschooling. Google this company and you’ll find a trail of lawsuits attached to it.
Fed Up In DeKalb
November 7th, 2009
10:39 pm
GVA and K-12 is a much better curriculum than I teach in my B&M School. I have looked into the program thoroughly and it’s top notch. Parents can be in control of their child’s education and ensure that their child actually learns. All information that I have received from GVA and K-12 tells parents that they are their child’s learning coach. It’s spelled out for you. Sounds like this parent didn’t do her homework. I am glad that Georgia has GVA and hope that it gets more options, as our B&M schools are failing our kids. Can’t wait to finish this year of teaching and use GVA for my own son. Our kids deserve better than what most B&M schools are offering them.
jim d
November 8th, 2009
7:10 am
This is what choice is all about. What works for one may not be a fit for another. Point being that that choice should be available just like any other God granted liberty in this nation.
Now lets PO a few folks. Some of y’all(mostly educators) seem to know what is best for everyone–You just need to get over yourselves and let people persue the education for their children that best fills their need. Most parents are quite capable of making those choices. Those that aren’t you may keep in your government controlled schools.
now hagd.
jim d
November 8th, 2009
7:11 am
Mo, got one hung at 7:11
GVA Mom
November 8th, 2009
8:26 am
I think some of these parents seem to have unrealistic expectations from the GVA experience. You can’t expect to receive your supplies, set your child in front of a computer, and walk away. If you expect your child to learn in a home environment, you are going to have to work with them.
I have two children in GVA. They work with a wonderful curriculum and excellent teachers. As their learning coach, I have the opportunity to guide their experience. I can tailor the lessons to meet my children’s individual learning style ands I can make sure that they have a proper understanding of the material. GVA is not for every family but, it is a wonderful option for those who are willing to put forth the effort.
Janet W
November 8th, 2009
9:44 am
Another GVA mom here – we’ve been in it since it started and love it. I was a homeschooler before so it wasn’t a big adjustment for us. I can understand it would be a big change for someone who had sent their child to a B&M school before. I have to agree that Cobb mom must not have been paying much attention at the Q&A sessions if she was unaware of her responsibilities in going with GVA.
Public School Mom – in case you are unaware – all property owners pay school tax. My husband and I have paid tens of thousands of dollars into our county system and none of our children have ever set foot in one of the public schools (nor will they). Why shouldn’t our kids have access to the same tax-payer funded education that your kids get?
The success of GVA and the demand for educational options (like online school and vouchers) is another serious indictment of the dismal failure of the entire public school system in the US, but that’s another topic.
Janet W
November 8th, 2009
9:52 am
Also @James Highland – you mention that most students don’t last more than 2-3 years in GVA because it is too much work. Since GVA has just started it’s third year, I don’t understand what students you could be talking about.
It’s true that GVA is not the right choice for everyone. Catholic school is not the right choice for everyone. Public school is most certainly not the right choice for everyone. A variety of educational options and opportunities *is* the right choice for everyone.