More NC charter schools are opening online programs. What are the pros and cons?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Board approves Pine Springs spin-off and other remote academies amid demand
- Eight remote academies enroll 4,201 this year; NC Cyber and NC Virtual have 6,500
- Board raised oversight and rigor concerns, rejecting or delaying some requests
North Carolina’s charter schools are expanding their digital footprint with more schools winning state approval to offer virtual learning to students.
The N.C. Charter Schools Review Board approved Pine Springs Preparatory Academy’s request on Monday to spin off its 3,685-student, virtual program as a standalone charter school.
The Review Board also approved requests Monday from two brick-and-mortar charter schools to operate remote academies as part of their educational programs.
“This is school choice,” said John Eldridge, vice chair of the Review Board. “People are choosing all kinds of different options. They’re looking at homeschool options. They’re looking at virtual options.
“The virtual option is not going away. If anything it’s grown exponentially.”
State education officials blamed internet issues for causing first audio issues and then part of Monday’s meeting to stop streaming on YouTube.
A decade of virtual charter schools
The state’s first two virtual charter schools — N.C. Virtual Academy and N.C. Cyber Academy — opened in 2015 as pilot programs ordered by state lawmakers. Despite being labeled as low performing during most of their tenure, the Review Board gave them five-year renewals in January.
A third statewide virtual charter school — N.C. Connections Academy — was approved by the Review Board to open this year.
Since 2024, other charter schools have been allowed to operate remote charter academies. Remote charter academies with more than 250 students can apply to become their own charter schools.
This school year, 4,201 students are attending eight remote charter academies. That total doesn’t include the 6,500 students at N.C. Cyber Academy and N.C. Virtual Academy.
Three more charter schools haven’t begun the remote academies previously approved by the Review Board.
On Monday, the Review Board approved requests from The Franklin School of Innovation in Asheville and The Mountain Community School in Hendersonville to start remote academies.
Dogwood Virtual School becomes newest charter school
The bulk of the state’s 4,201 remote charter academy students attend Pine Springs Preparatory Academy, which has more than 5,000 students between the brick-and mortar students at its Holly Springs campus and the virtual students.
On Monday, the Review Board unanimously voted to convert Pine Springs Prep’s virtual academy to its own charter school called Dogwood Virtual School. Bruce Friend, who is the chair of the Review Board and superintendent of Pine Springs Prep, recused himself from the vote.
”If we added up the two virtual North Carolina public schools and this school, this should tell you about the public’s demand for having the opportunity to take online courses for various reasons,” Eldridge said.
Pine Springs Prep leaders cited multiple reasons for splitting off the virtual school, including how the online population is two times as large as the brick-and-mortar enrollment.
Additionally, Pine Springs Prep leaders cited how the virtual program and the brick-and-mortar school serve different populations. Most of the virtual students are economically disadvantaged and enter not being academically proficient, unlike the brick-and-mortar students.
“Most of the students who are coming to us have needs that are just different from the population of students that are attending in Holly Springs,” said GeRita Connor, the executive director of Pine Springs’ virtual academy.
For instance, Connor said they’re helping high school students who may be taking five or six years to graduate. Conner said the virtual academy is attracting students who haven’t had success in a traditional school environment.
Concerns about remote learning
Even with the approvals, there were some concerns raised Monday about the expansion of remote learning.
“I have huge concerns about these virtual schools,” said Review Board member Eric Gueckian. “In general. I think we need to do a better job of tracking.”
Review Board member Eric Sanchez said he’s concerned they’re giving students an option that may let them take a less rigorous path.
“If you can take this somewhat easier path then more and more kids will opt into it, even if it doesn’t actually increase results or prepare them for the next steps in their journey,” Sanchez said.
The concerns helped lead to the rejection Monday of Alamance Community School’s request to start a remote academy. The Review Board also delayed votes Monday on approving remote charter academies for Cardinal Charter Academy in Cary, Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls in Wendell and West Lake Preparatory Academy in Denver in Lincoln County.
But Review Board members said they’re hopeful that Dogwood Virtual School can be successful since It will still be overseen by the same board that governs Pine Springs Prep.
“This school has more than demonstrated that it’s capable to meet the needs of students,” Eldridge said.
