Autauga County Schools launch K-12 virtual school

Students in the Autauga County will soon have a new option when it comes to obtaining their education.

Officials with Autauga County Schools say they are expanding its virtual program to a soon-to-be K-12 virtual school for students desiring an alternative educational setting.

The district says it has offered the online format for secondary students for several years, but the expansion will now include students from all grade levels.

Officials say the tuition-free remote instruction model can enroll students from anywhere in the state.

“We’ve seen the interest in our virtual program growing for several years now,” said Lyman Woodfin, Superintendent of Autauga County Schools. “While we believe there is tremendous value in the traditional, on-campus learning model, we also recognize the online shift in education that seems to work better for particular student populations. Families are seeking flexible and personalized educational models, and we are proud to support these families by providing innovative approaches to help students discover their passions while mastering the curriculum and skills necessary for success beyond high school.”

The district is making use of ESSR funds to open the school as the system must pay all start-up costs, including personnel costs for the first year, as state and federal educational funding is paid in arrears.

Autauga County Schools is partnering with Edgenuity, which is an online learning resource that teaches kindergarten through 12th grade in core, elective, credit recovery, technical, and career subjects. All teachers will be employed by Edgenuity initially with the goal of hiring additional district employees in future school years.

Gloria Jerkins, a 20-year educational veteran of the district and the virtual school’s newly named principal, will be one of only two employees of the new school until it’s fully established.

The district says it is also hiring a Special Education teacher to service virtual school students. Once the school reaches an enrollment of 250 students, ACS says it will receive state funding for all school positions the following fiscal year.

The school district says the virtual school will maintain the same curriculum standards outlined by the Alabama State Department of Education as the district’s brick-and-mortar campuses.

Enrollment applications are now open for families interested in virtual schooling.

To learn more about or apply to attend the district’s virtual school, click here.