Virtual school loses half its students

Friday, June 20, 2008
By Lindy Bavolek
Southeast Missourian

Joanna Thomsen compares her experience with Missouri's virtual school to childbirth: something she is glad she did but would never want to repeat.

"We went through a lot of work; the kids did a lot of growing. But by the time the year was over we were all totally exhausted and never wanted to go through it again," she said.

Her thoughts echo complaints raised statewide. In Missouri's Virtual Instruction Program's inaugural year, 3,200 students attempted the program, but only 1,800 completed it. Both the families the Southeast Missourian followed in November, the Thomsens and the Nanneys, finished the online courses but will not be re-enrolling.

"I attribute that mainly to people not knowing what they were getting themselves into," said Curt Fuchs, director of the program known as MoVIP. "It is a new program, and I think there were some mental ideas that it would be easier than it actually was. Online classes are not a fit for everyone."

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