Texas Commission on Virtual Education – March 30, 2022

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The Texas Commission on Virtual Education met on March 30 to discuss innovative online models in overview and to hear from entities using online models around the state. An archive of the hearing can be found here.

This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics taken up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the discussions but is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.

Opening Remarks

Chair Gore – Commission rules have been adopted
This is the second meeting of the Virtual Education Commission
Since that first meeting, have met 120 individuals, 45 organizations, across 15 states
Texas has the chance to become the leader in virtual education innovation
Will hear from many stakeholders about learning models that are a far cry from the emergency virtual learning response put in place due to COVID-19

Innovative Models Overview

John Watson, Digital Learning Collaborative

Currently run the Digital Learning Annual Conference; advise in many states and internationally
Digital learning can create opportunities and better outcomes for students
Need to support students who are struggling within the public school system
Successful implementation needs thoughtful laws in the state, support for districts, and for teachers/students
Are many types of online learning; one category is full time online schools, supplemental online courses, and hybrid schools
- All of these models deserve the committee’s support
Emergency remote learning was designed to be temporary with live video
While digital learning itself is meant to be permanent and often combines teacher support and student-lead learning; gives the student agency
- This learning is helpful to those across the states, but especially those who have previously dropped out of school
Digital learning requires teachers; a large number of students will choose the online option if given it
Of the states that allow this type of learning, more students are choosing hybrid options over full-time online school
Hybrid options are a good fit for a larger amount of students
Recommend the commission look at all the options on the table for all students
- Many school funding/attendance mechanisms and are not designed with students in mind
Recommend exploring and giving options, not requirements, to students
Is much to replicate from other states, but also room to innovate
West – Noted funding formulas are not set up to be in the best interest of students, clarify that? If students are not in the seats, we cannot teach them
- Funding systems in some states set on attendance requirements and not measuring learning in any type of way; not specifically talking about Texas
- Tend to see funding for attendance based on membership, daily attendance, or student counts
- The question is how that is translated into an online program; many schools and districts run into challenges of this
West – So you are saying there is not a school financing system set up to properly fund hybrid schools?
- Yes; for example Colorado funds hybrid schools slightly less than public schools
Tielle – Who receives the funding for these programs? Who has the accountability?
- Organization works with every type of school agency, support district supported online programs; do not deploy the program
- Accountability typically runs through the district; districts either run their own or have their programs administered through another entity
- In states with online charter schools, students have the option to enroll in that charter school and is no longer enrolled in their district
Bettencourt – Have most of the emergency virtual plans gotten close to planned virtual programs?
- Is all over the map; talking from a national perspective
Bettencourt – Is a major difference between learning reading and math online?
- Math has always been the most challenging subject in full time online and hybrid as well
- Hybrid schools are more likely to bring students into the school for supplemental tutoring
Taylor – Recommendations on how to fund these types of programs?
- Recommend funding these programs at the same level of in-person education; funding could be focus on competencies/outcomes
- Taylor – Our VSN focuses on students that pass classes
Taylor – See differences in cost differences in deploying online education?
- See initial costs, but do not see big cost differences especially in the long term
Taylor – Currently use ADA, would be more helpful to be by enrollment?
- Would make sense; students have different patterns of attendance for online school
Smith – Which student populations do full online versus hybrid online, etc?
- Every type of student uses supplemental online and hybrid serves those who have dropped out/at risk of dropping out or high achievers
- Full-time is particularly for those with disabilities or those who have fallen behind

Innovative Models in Practice

Panel 1

Dr. Danny Lovett, Committee Member, Region 5 Education Service Center

Program started with superintendents looking for certified Spanish teachers
Over last 15 years have had a successful distance learning Spanish program
Hire employees in Region 5; are our employees, but are certified teachers of record for their districts
All funding goes to the district, they contract with us for the teachers
For the class, there is a teacher and educational aid
Is a live remote class; offer Spanish 1-4 starting in jr. high through high school
Program is now much more effective in terms of delivery of service and delivery method
Have very little turnover with this program
At our largest have employed 10 teachers and 6 districts; have served up to 1,500 students per year
Limiting factor of growing the program is finding certified teachers
Most remote participating district is Spring Creek ISD in the panhandle
Teachers are teaching up to four different districts; some are dedicated to our largest district Port Arthur ISD
Costs districts 80,000 for a district to employ an FTE; that is no profit for the SC
Quality has greatly increased over the years; experience of the teacher is a great value
Overviews the hiring process; try to hire teachers who have at least 5 years of successful classroom experience
Is possible the service center pays more than a district; getting experienced teachers
Students are still in a brick-and-mortar classroom with an aid, but coordination is the number one challenge
SC teachers note they benefit from this program by having more time to cultivate their craft
SC teachers note that students behave better and want to compete with each other
Commission needs to concentrate on special education students; one teacher notes online program is better for her special education students
All the classes are recorded so students can watch the recording if they miss class or if they feel they need to watch again; and used by the teacher to review their work
MOU is that the class is recorded; and is shared with the class, principal, and if needed a counselor
Recordings have also been used to resolve discipline issues
This program was made to fill hard to find teaching positions; can see this used to fill upper-level math and upper-level science positions
K King – Used the VSN to fill these types of positions in the past; what other classes could this be used for?
- Do not see why history could not be done this way
K King – Do you believe that in-person instruction is better than this?
- A great teacher in-person is as good as it gets; this is not a replacement
- This is a good place holder for districts who do not have those teachers
- Are a lifeline for smaller school districts
Little – Do students have access to the teachers after class?
- Teachers say they have better access now; kids are more comfortable reaching out
Tielle – Could help us because of the nation-wide teacher services? Could see districts partnering with each other?
- Yes, is no reason why school districts could not copy this model
- Other service centers have done something similar over the years
Tielle – How many students are in the classroom at a time?
- Try to keep it like a standard classroom 20-25; have had more at times

Panel 2

Summer Reel, Guthrie Virtual School

Guthrie CSD is about 130 students Pre through K-12
Virtual school was built of out necessity to find a qualified Spanish teacher
Were the smallest provider to participate in the VSN in 2011
- Enrollment went up as a result
At height, were serving 900 students
Had 12 courses in the catalog and have since built 5 health science classes
Posted 97% success data last semester; are serving 550 students this semester across the state
Flexibility of our online courses is key and is one of the best things we offer
We send out surveys to every student, parent, and stakeholder at the end of every semester
Rarely get negative comments on the content of the class
Are many misconceptions with online learning such as increasing the ability for kids to cheat and that classes are less effective
Provides a personal anecdote of their daughter’s success from virtual learning
K King – Does virtual learning have a place before third grade?
- Have expanded our program to the jr. high
- It can be an option, but proceed with caution
- Recommends loosening the limits on how many virtual classes a student can take; or at least put it into local control
West (to Reel’s daughter) – What age did you start virtual learning? How long did it take you to get used to it?
- Summer before freshman year; was able to figure it out pretty quickly
West – Need to consider this, but need to come up with policy that addresses all parts/needs of the state
Taylor – Have direct contracts outside of the VSN?
- Yes, work off an interlocal agreement for certain districts
- Price and services are the same; only thing that is different is how we handle invoicing
Smith (to Reel’s daughter) – What element of the virtual class was important?
- Communication with the teacher and an easily understandable structure of the course
E Morales – Cost per ISD per student?
- Charge a flat rate; charge $300 per student per semester
- The district has to supply someone in the class to watch over the students
E Morales – How many courses do you offer?
- Are listed as Guthrie CSD in the catalog; have 12 courses
E Morales, Reel, and Reel’s daughter discussed the classes she has taken with Guthrie
E Morales – How did attendance drop from 900 to 500? Are able to take students in mid-year that would be one of the most helpful things we could get out of this?
- Has fluctuated throughout the years; are used as a supplemental for districts
- Yes
Tamarez – Cheating is an issue; have any data or methods to limit this?
- Do have assessments; incorporate “Google proof” into our assessments
- Relationship with the students in the classroom is very important
Little – What about downloading one of those proctor programs during assessments?
- We do not use those because we are limited by bandwidth and older devices
- Need to think about all the students you serve

Panel 3

Dr. Chris Bigenho, Virtual Learning Academy Lewisville ISD

Are a part of the VSN catalog that provides supplemental online services
Pre-COVID, were losing about 100 students a year to full-time online courses because we did not offer that option
Funding is tied to successful completion of the course; if the student gets anything lower than a 70, then it is like they were not even there
Started the program with one course in 2009; offered 15 courses in 2018
- Have opened it up from 7-12 grades
Have served 135 school districts and charters since 2009; have authored 37 courses in the VSN catalog
Are currently 50 adjunct teachers and numerous teacher class designers
Need to build out our science and elective classes
Students note that online provides them flexibility and less stress
Courses are all half-credit, but have accelerated blocks
Had 200% growth in Fall 2021 and had half of the enrollments in 2022 due to students wanting to be back in the classroom
- By now, enrollments are going back up
Asian students were taking courses at 2X campus rates
Are aiming to get these demographics to all be the same
Have previously been at a 95-97% success rate; are at 90% now due to some external factors

Students note that online provides them flexibility and less stress
Courses are all half-credit, but have accelerated blocks
Had 200% growth in Fall 2021 and had half of the enrollments in 2022 due to students wanting to be back in the classroom
By now, enrollments are going back up
Asian students were taking online courses at 2X campus rates
- Are aiming to get these demographics to all be the same
Have previously been at a 95-97% success rate; are at 90% now due to some external factors

Other measures are AP scores, doing well; have more AP courses now
When that gets reported, we’re not a reported campus, a lot of work to get this together
In this case 97% of students taking a course online in VLA were successful in taking the next course in sequence in class
Don’t have classroom data on this, going to be asking for this next time, ran a data series in the fall with the entire team
Taking a look at how things are going, learned there are variations among teachers and courses, found problems in courses as well; can discover these though this method
Not everyone campus implements the program in the same way; have a couple campuses implementing success coaches
In other campuses had someone taking attendance, etc., but weren’t a success coach; went out and talked with these campuses and it immediately turned around
VLA approach incl. ESL courses that have soap opera study, have studios setup next to tools for teachers like E Glass, starting to roll out a replacement for language labs
Have scheduled times where teachers are in buildings, but outside of those hours, can be in the building, can be in the home, etc.
Highlights module and pacing guide attached, students are paced with assignments due, etc.
Trying to increase amount of teacher face time, recordings are available for students who are not able to attend during scheduled times
Had some trouble with students moving from online to classroom specifically with language studies, difficult to go from one structure to another
Shares testimonials from parents in support of the coaching experience under VLA
With local component can tailor approach to community, could leverage outdoor learning experience; simply say that learning period will be at the outdoor learning center that day
Important that parents, legislators, etc. know what the models are, seven operating schools currently, one of them is very different
Need to think about funding model, e.g. alternatives to funding just due to students being in the classroom, need to think about how we can fund this better or easier
Full-time local, accountability, attendance, burden of attendance, statewide online, all things we need to think about
Smith – You mentioned a special education teacher, can you speak on that?
- First time we’re doing this, using Webex for remote needs currently; have a meeting scheduled tomorrow
- Can’t do this the way you do it in person, SAS presents in very different ways depending on campus, wealthier campuses mean testing goes up and you have a higher special education population
- Knowing that we have under-representations and over-representations, we’re looking at the model
Francis – To what extent does the regularity burden of the classroom approach clog the process
- A lot of reasons students go online, could be that they are better online; for some students classrooms are toxic environments
- In moving to an enrollment model, you have the success data in all other areas
Francis – They’re unwilling to let virtual students be virtual
Francis – Can talented students break the seat time barrier and move to competency?
- Yes, if the students are really gifted then it can become competency; provides examples
Tielle – If an enrolled student takes an end of course exam, where does the accountability lie?
- VLA has to report success data, grade and report goes back to the local community
Tielle – Success and lack of should go back to the campus?
- Would be careful with this, students take STAAR, access special education, etc. at the campus; would need to look at how accountability works if a student is 100% online
Tielle – If students from my district take algebra and succeed great, but if they don’t then another campus’ work is affecting my district
Sen. West – Do you have any thoughts on how funding for online schools should be treated? Should they be treated the same as ISDs? John Watson spoke about states with fully online schools, should they be funded ADA?
- This is where we should look at other ways of funding, if you are 100% synchronous there isn’t a lot of difference from ISDs
- But it is important to keep asynchronous and then consider how funding can equate to ADA
- Not tying funding to success or not for brick-and-mortar, treating online different for some reason; need to look at alternative funding
Sen. West – We have weights in public education to account for differing populations, do you have demographics issues with virtual education?
- Would like to see data on hot spots during the pandemic that districts were able to pull back afterwards
- VLA program is a public school, but you do run into access issues, such as in remote rural areas
- Very complicated, worth continuing the conversation

Panel 4

Kurtis Indorf, Emily Sullivan, Raquel Zapata, Michelle Mendenhall, Great Hearts Online

Launched Great Hearts Online last year under the flexibilities granted by Commissioner Morath
- Currently operating under SB 15
- Serve students grades K-8
Great Hearts Charter Network has 15 schools across the state; currently adding 2 more brick and mortar schools
Launched full time virtual academy in January 2021 while schools were doing distance learning programs
Plays promotional material for Great Hearts Online
Serve 508 students across the state; 20% students are on free and reduced lunch
Would love to engage in a policy conversation to open up online enrollment to more students
Is the most diverse school in the Great Hearts Network; 4% students under 504 and 17% are English-Language Learners
In the last hearing, Commissioner Morath noted that leadership decisions matter; kept this in mind when opening Great Hearts
Opened up the virtual school because there was a lack in a high-quality online education, lack of community, and curriculum was not where it needed to be, and flexibility was needed
Instead of thinking parents were just something to deal with, embraced parents in this program
Hired a separate team and hired majority of Great Hearts teachers to build the program
Curriculum is largely the same as brick-and-mortar schools; have to make some differ
Overviews the hybrid synchronous and asynchronous
Students learn online and with concrete materials the school sends them; it is an expensive option, but we think it is best
Have small classes no more than 15 and work to have in-person meetings to build relationships
Have small tutoring groups; have “houses” of students that compete against each other
Asynchronous learning includes science projects, electives, and flexibility for students to pursue things outside of school
Parents noted they have interacted with the teachers more than in brick-and-mortar schools; parent engagement is 88% positive
85% of families reported they were; 100% teachers reported positively in terms of satisfaction
If had been included in accountability, would have scored a 92 in Domain 2 School Progress
NWA math assessment last year; 72% above the national average 80% above the national average in reading
- Students outperformed the state average in STAAR
Raquel Zapata and Michelle Mendenhall, Great Hearts Online – Speaks on their children’s’ positive response in the GHO program
Emily Sullivan, Headmaster Great Hearts Online – Overviews their career with Great Hearts
Tielle – Do you have English Language learners? Do you have those starting below grade level? Do you identify those who need intervention?
- Yes, SB 15 does put eligibility
- Would love to have more local control to expand enrollment beyond those who have passed a STAAR in the past
Chair Gore – Is a 15-student class? Does online cost more?
- Great Hearts Online is currently the most expensive out of all the Great Heats programs
Lovett – Total FTE teachers for 508 kids? What percentage are certified?
- About 60 staff members; a lower percentage are certified
- Most have master or higher degrees
Lovett – Where do your teachers come from? Require them to be local?
- Come from across the state
Bettencourt – Was with HD Chambers discussing talent pools; how has the search for talent gone?
- Brick and mortar schools struggle to hire quality professionals
- Online positions have been easier to fill since the talent pool is larger
West – Lower numbers of certified teachers is intentional or cannot find them?
- Certification is an asset, and is required for special education and ESL, are looking for masters and PHD
West – Is there an unemployed workforce of certified teachers?
- Do not think so
Bettencourt – Includes alternative certification teachers?
- Yes
Lovett – Are there challenges in teaching the TEKS and “classical liberal arts” education?
- Ensure we are teaching to the state standards

Panel 5

Michael Hinojosa, Dallas ISD

Apple helped us start the online school you are going to hear about today
3-5% of students who excel in online learning
Agrees with the Governor and the Commissioner that we need to get a majority of students back in the classroom
Will open an online school next year based off of SB 15 that will serve about 1,000 Dallas ISD students

Susana Cordova, Deputy Superintendent Dallas ISD

Dallas ISD has increased the number of “choice” options for our students
Our hybrid school and the future online school will serve our extremely diverse student population

Dr. Olga Ramero, Dallas Hybrid Prep

Overviews their career with Dallas ISD
Dallas ISD opened the first hybrid online school; will prepare students for post-secondary
Data shows students in public university 79% are taking at least on hybrid or virtual class; data is similar for vocational or community colleges
Overviews the process in opening Dallas Hybrid Prep in 2021; in Spring 2022 are focusing on expanding
Enrollment is currently 60 students grades 4-6; will have 150 next year
10 families are re-capture from home school or other environments
School invested in buying every student two devices; a Mac and an iPad
Have no transportation restrictions for students
Students come to the building twice a week to have hands on learning and have separate enrichment time
Scores are taken from the mock STAAR given in February; at least half meet or are above average
Are performing above the district norm in terms of trust and professional development
Need to support online and hybrid learning to support future workforce needs
Need help form the commission on curriculum and teacher development among other things
Richard, Dallas Hybrid Prep Student – Presents their experience as a student on a hybrid schedule
Teacher, Dallas Hybrid Prep – Discusses their ability to spend more time planning their lessons due to the hybrid format
Kim Strange, Parent Dallas Hybrid Prep – Overviews their student’s positive experiences with DHP
Bettencourt – Great to see Dallas ISD take the lead; is there an eight-grade cohort?
- Hinojosa – Not yet, will add grades; has been very effective for students who are autistic
Bettencourt – What are your stats for third grade reading? Would love to get that data to compare
- Ramero – Are outperforming our district and our cluster of schools
Little – How much parent support do you have for these students?
- Hinojosa – Have received overwhelming community support
- Ramero – Have a strong PTO; would like to have a parent answer
- Strange – Parent support is different than other schools; puts a stronger sense of accountability and partnership on the parent
Tamarez – What will it take to cover the 3-5% of the student population?
- Hinojosa – Are currently incubating this idea, once we have a funding stream from the state, we will replicate this

Panel 6

Justin Louder, eLearning Texas Tech University

Was established by legislation in 1993 to provide education for those not served by brick-and-mortar schools; were a private program
HB 3 established us as Tier 1
Are designated as a special purpose district Are a K-12 education provider
Offer a college-ready curriculum
Have served over 500,000
Have about 1,000 full-time students who are not paying tuition; have 500 students are paying tuition
Supplemental program is the largest offered; students taking a couple classes from us while enrolled elsewhere
- Serve 15,000 students under this program a year
Serve thousands of students with the international program; are in process of starting program in Europe and Dubai
Administer credit-by-exams about 25,000 per year
When the COVID pandemic hit, we did not have to change the way programs were administered
All teachers are Texas certified; have 53 part time teachers and a number of administrators
Teachers’ main priority is teaching; do not have additional duties
- Have a waiting list of 30 teachers waiting to teach with us
Do not want to be a competitor with school districts, which is why supplemental is so popular
Model in HB 3 limits ability to get funding unless student successfully completes
Is some confusion where we fit in for SB 15
K King – There has been a lot of conversation on completion funding; speak more on that? Think its wrong that a state agency is not accessible to all
- Problem with completion funding is because a student is transient; funding model is based on a year’s completion
- There is a partial model being discussed, but we are not privy to that information
- There is no ability to recoup any costs if the student leaves
K King – But don’t you just not refund them if they did not complete?
- Have a 30-day refund policy
K King – Do not understand partial completion funding; would be a good topic to come back to

Lisa Leach, Instructional Design eLearning Texas Tech

Are completely asynchronous; but have synchronous office hours, tutoring, intervention classes, etc.
All students receive the same curriculum which is written specifically to the TEKS
Have quality control stops for all courses and they are reviewed annually
Lovett – Asks about the population they serve and want to serve?
- Would like to have a mechanism that opens up the supplemental program to all students, right now
- Would to be reconsidered to be included in SB 15’s eligibility criteria

Carey Moorey, eLearning Texas Tech

Are able to meet the different needs of our students; provides anecdotes of students who have thrived in this program