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| Still time to register for tonight's virtual education event; letter to editor from Times News |
November 20, 2008
There's still time to register for tonight's first ever forum on public virtual education. The event, entitled “Virtual Education – The Future of Learning?” will feature nationally recognized researcher and consultant, John Watson; Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna; and parents, students, and teachers of Idaho’s virtual education programs.
WHEN/WHERE
Thursday, November 20
Boise State University Business Bldg, B105
6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Register for this FREE forum by clicking here .
Parking instructions can be found on the registration site.
Also, you can download and share a flyer for the event here.
The forum will include:
• Parents, students, and teachers who will share their stories
• A panel of Legislators and policymakers discuss the future of virtual education policy in Idaho
• Displays from Idaho’s virtual learning programs
• Audience participation
• Free parking and light refreshments
This evening event is a coordinated effort on the part of all virtual educations programs in the state, including the Idaho Digital Learning Academy, Idaho Virtual Academy, Inspire Connections Academy, iSUCCEED Virtual High School, Idaho Digital Learning Academy, and the recently approved Kaplan virtual learning program.
The event is co-sponsored by the Idaho Charter School Network, the Boise State University Center for School Improvement, the Coalition of Idaho Charter School Families, and Boise State University’s Education Technology Department.
For questions, call the Idaho Charter School Network at 426-3257
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Times News Letter to the Editor
Gooding has tools to face declining enrollment
If McDonald's were to lose customers to Burger King, would they complain to the governor about it? Of course not. Successful ventures self-analyze and adjust when things go wrong. Yet when the Gooding School District recently realized how many students it has lost to the North Valley Academy public charter school, they wrote the governor asking for a bailout. Did the district first look within?
Like Gooding's superintendent who claims she has nothing against public charter schools, as president of the Coalition of Idaho Charter School Families, I have nothing against the regular public schools. Along with thousands of other Idaho families, however, my husband and I choose to customize our children's educations to fit their needs by educating them in a public charter school. Thousands more would love to join us but are prevented from doing so by legislative enrollment caps.
Very soon, at very low cost, technology will allow schooling to be customized for a child's maximum mental growth, much like a training regime for an elite athlete. Colleges of education, teachers, superintendents, textbook committees, the school buildings themselves - all of these are going to have to adjust to a new reality or risk irrelevance.
Gov. Otter should not propose any major changes in public school funding law. As Superintendent Williams noted in her letter, the Gooding School District is being given a year to adjust to funding discrepancies. Her district could use this time to soul-search. The technology is available for all schools to innovate. Gooding needs to figure out how to take advantage of it so their schools - and kids can compete.
BRIANA LECLAIRE
Meridian
Read online.
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| Coalition of Idaho Charter School Families PO Box 6236 | Boise, ID 83707-6236 | 877-792-5900 |
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