State Committee Recommends More Money for Virtual Students

By Michelle Wirth

Atlanta, GA – Following a recommendation from a committee with the Georgia Charter Schools commission, the state could soon spend more money on virtual charter school students.
The committee is recommending that Georgia spend about $5800 per year for each student who takes classes online. That's about $2400 more than they're currently receiving. Mark Peevy heads the Georgia Charter Schools Commission:

"If it is approved as proposed, we believe that this new funding level will provide the groundwork for a competitive virtual school market in Georgia."

Georgia Families for Virtual Public Education President Renee Lord says a funding increase would improve the quality of education for the state's six thousand cyber school students.

"The schools will be able to lower class sizes, increase the amount technology in the hands of our students, and several other opportunities will be available to our students."

But Lord says the state should consider funding virtual students at the national average, which is about $6500. The Georgia Charter Schools Commission will vote on the recommendation next week.