ATLANTA — Nearly all 16 Southern Regional Education Board states now have a state-sponsored virtual (online) school, and the remaining states are planning or beginning initial implementation, a new report shows.
SREB’s Report on SREB State Virtual Schools, August 2007, notes that little more than a decade ago, none of the 50 states used the Web to provide academic courses to middle grades and high school students. Today, SREB states lead the nation in the creation of state virtual schools.
"The number of students enrolled in state virtual schools throughout the region has climbed steadily each year," said Bill Thomas, director of SREB Educational Technology. "Online courses are growing because they fill students’ academic needs, regardless of where they live in their state.
"They are especially invaluable for students who need academic courses their school cannot provide, for those who need to retake a course — or for students who have schedule conflicts that do not allow them to take courses they want or need."
Based on information gathered from each state virtual school representative, the report provides a detailed update on the status of state virtual school efforts in every SREB state. The Educational Technology Cooperative has worked closely with the states for more than seven years, helping to set standards for quality online teaching and courses, and providing other resources that states need to create and expand a state virtual school.
For more information about the state virtual school in your state or the work of SREB’s Educational Technology Cooperative, contact SREB Communications or visit www.sreb.org.
SREB, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, advises state education leaders on ways to improve education. SREB was created in 1948 by Southern governors and legislatures to help leaders in education and government work cooperatively to advance education and improve the social and economic life of the region. SREB has 16 member states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Each is represented by its governor and four gubernatorial appointees.
