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Data & Information

Connecticut

Connecticut has an Adult Virtual High School (CT AVHS) and had a second small state virtual school, CT Virtual Learning, which closed at the end of SY 2012-13.

Fully online schools

Connecticut does not have full-time online programs.

State virtual school

The Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium (CTDLC), an organization within the Department of Higher Education, in partnership with the SDE, operates two statewide online learning programs. The Connecticut Adult Virtual High School (CTAVHS) is a statewide online program that provides students enrolled in Connecticut’s Adult Credit Diploma Programs the option of earning credits online. This program is funded in part with state dollars and in part with Title II (Workforce Investment Act) dollars through the SDE’s Bureau of Adult Education. In 2012-13, CT AVHS CT AVHS served an estimated 2,400 course enrollments in SY 2013-14.

Connecticut Virtual Learning Center (CTVLC) was operated by the CTDLC and was considered the state virtual school. CTVLC was launched by the SDE in 2008 to offer supplemental online courses to public high schools. CTVLC had about 135 course enrollments in 2012-13, before ceasing operations at the end of the school year. Startup funding of $845,000 and two years of operational funding (for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years) were provided by an appropriation from the General Assembly, but the second year was later retracted due to state budget constraints. Without an annual appropriation, CTVLC offered courses for $320 per semester course enrollment to all public school students ($199 for credit recovery courses), and $350 for private high school and homeschool students ($220 for credit recovery courses). Funding CTVLC through course fees has affected course enrollments. School district budgets must be submitted a year in advance, leaving districts with little opportunity to budget or plan for the use of CTVLC online services.

District programs

The Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (RESC) has a partnership with Massachusetts-based Virtual High School Global Consortium (VHS) to provide reduced-rate VHS membership to school districts serving 74 middle and high schools. VHS had 1,645 course enrollments through these district memberships during SY2012-13. In addition, the Virtual Learning Academy, an RESC program, offers online credit recovery and special needs courses for grades K-12. Courses are provided through student licenses for $450 annually, and students can take as many courses as desired during that period.

Online learning policy history

Connecticut passed its first online learning legislation in 2010 as part of the high school reform act, Public Act 10-111. The high school reform formally includes online learning as an option for earning high school credit, as well as for middle school students taking high school courses for credit. For online courses to meet high school graduation requirements, a district board of education must adopt a policy for granting credit. The new legislation also requires districts with a dropout rate of 8% or higher to establish an online credit recovery program as of July 1, 2010. Each school in the school district must designate an online learning coordinator to administer the credit recovery program. Beginning in 2013, the law directs districts to provide student support and remedial services for students beginning in 7th grade, including online learning options.

The requirements of PA 10-111 are unfunded and currently have no formal monitoring process by the State Department of Education (SDE). The SDE has formed a committee to look at the use of technology, data collection, and organization.

last updated October 9, 2014

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