UNT to petition Texas Education Agency for virtual charter school authority

Families of students across Texas who are looking for an alternative to traditional brick-and-mortar schools may soon have an online option to consider.

UNT will submit a Public Senior College/University Open Enrollment Charter School Application to the Texas Education Agency for discussion at its Sept. 12 meeting in Austin.

According to the TEA, charter schools are subject to fewer state laws than other public schools with the idea of ensuring fiscal and academic accountability without undue regulation of instructional methods. Like school districts, charter schools are monitored and accredited under the statewide testing and accountability system.

UNT will be seeking permission to operate the "New Texas Academy, the UNT Charter School," an online charter school that would enroll students from across the state in kindergarten through seventh grade when it opens possibly as early as January 2004. In its first year, UNT expects an enrollment of not more than 2,000 students at the academy, subject to state charter provisions.

"Texas has many wonderful public and private schools now," says UNT System Chancellor Lee Jackson, "but in a state this large not every child has access to the best choices or the ones that fit all the unique circumstances of Texas families. UNT's strong College of Education, our statewide Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science, and our stature as an innovator in online college education make us a logical sponsor of a high-quality virtual school curriculum available to all interested Texas students, regardless of their residence or income levels."

Nearly 200 charter schools exist in Texas – some of which are already using computer-based curricula for part of their program. As Texas' first charter school using a computer-based curriculum in all grades supplemented by other materials and group activities, the New Texas Academy of UNT would join the more than 120 virtual schools in the United States, which range from small programs to statewide high schools.

Since the academy intends to add a grade each year of operation– growing from a K-7 program in its first year to a K-8 program the second, and so on – enrollment after the first two years could grow to 4,500 students with a projected enrollment of about 7,500 students by the fifth year, when it will be a K-11 program. This enrollment growth will be conditioned upon receiving appropriate charter authorization from the State Board of Education.

Currently, about 4.2 million students attend kindergarten through 12th grade in Texas. UNT recognizes that this specialized type of program will appeal to a small proportion of families across the state. Some statewide virtual schools report attracting only 0.01 percent to 0.12 percent of the overall student population in their states, which is why UNT expects this charter school will attract a small percentage of students when viewed from the perspective of any one school district, Jackson says.

Families choosing the New Texas Academy program will be required to make a significant commitment, especially for younger children, to provide supervision, be available for teacher interaction, travel to required testing sites, submit attendance records, and present non-computer supplemental materials to the student. There will be no tuition or financial obligation for students, as all required computer and Internet resources will be provided to families.

While UNT will hold the charter for the academy, an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with a board of directors, who will report to the UNT System Board of Regents, will oversee the administration of the school.

After consideration of several proposals, members of that board of directors have recommended K12 Inc. as the service provider for the academy's curriculum, subject to approval of the TEA, compliance with state regulations and negotiation of an acceptable contract. K12 Inc., which is directed by former U.S. Secretary of Education William Bennett, offers a nationally acclaimed curriculum.

K12 will provide each student with textbooks and workbooks and other traditional resources, as well as a computer, printer and Internet access to the school's web site. The program combines those tools, used in the home under the guidance of parents or other responsible adults, with instruction and assessment from state-certified teachers. The entire program is created from research-based educational practices and the state's grade-level specific requirements.

Although the academy will be run separately from UNT, it will provide an opportunity for the UNT College of Education to expand its professional development and research program related to online education.

"We believe the academy will serve as an exemplary model for other virtual schools, while enhancing UNT's already strong reputation as a leader in education," says Jackson.

BY KELLEY REESE kreese@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• Regents approve 2004 budget, 2 percent raise pool for faculty, staff
• UNT announces tuition task force, seeks to create guaranteed tuition rates
• UNT offices moving to, from and within the Hurley Administration Building
• UNT Observatory to provide up-close view of Mars
• New Fouts Field scoreboard, videoboard to be finished in time for first home game
• Agreement links UNT, Ukranian university
• Faculty members honored at annual convocation
• Dance, theatre arts tickets on sale soon

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