Massachusetts is planning to establish virtual schools that will allow students to attend class from any place where they have Internet access. The first MA district planning to launch such a program is Greenfield, in the western part of the state. The Massachusetts Virtual Academy at Greenfield, which is due to open in the fall of this year, will accept up to 600 students statewide. For content and infrastructure, the district has partnered with K12 Inc., a Virginia company that runs public virtual schools in 25 states. Unlike many other virtual schools nationwide, the Greenfield virtual academy will be geared to students in grades K-8, rather than high school.

Other Massachusetts virtual schools are expected to follow, enabled by a provision of the education law enacted by the state earlier this year. To encourage innovation, the law gives local school committees authority to create public schools that operate almost entirely in cyberspace.

About 40% of school districts in Massachusetts currently have at least one student enrolled in an online class. State leaders see virtual schools as opportunities for students who need more challenge in school, have social or medical problems, are incarcerated, or are at risk of dropping out. Many supporters of virtual learning believe, however, that a blend of online and face-to-face learning is the best solution for most students. "Online learning is a tool that allows students to enhance their education," says state Senator Stanley Rosenberg, who supported legislative approval of the Greenfield virtual school. "But it's important for them not to spend 12 years at home looking at a computer."

Source: Virtual Schools Soon a Reality in Massachusetts