Conroe ISD will apply to the State of Texas
The Conroe ISD Board of Trustees approved an application to the state that would allow the district to continue its virtual school option through 2025 after Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Education Agency to waive requirements for online learning and allow districts to establish their programs.
If approved by the state, Conroe can continue offering virtual instruction options for students in grades 3 through 12 as part of the Texas Virtual School Network.
The district launched its online program in 2022 under Senate Bill 15. The bill gave school districts and charter schools the ability to set up their virtual learning programs.
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However, funding under that bill ends in September.
Last month, Abbott directed TEA Commissioner Mike Morath to waive specific requirements for school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to be able to provide full-time virtual instruction as part of the state’s Texas Virtual School Network.
TEA’s waiver authority will allow school systems providing full-time virtual instruction to receive full funding for each student in grades 3 through 12 who successfully complete the school year, Abbott’s office said in a news release.
Conroe ISD Deputy Superintendent Bethany Medford said the district’s online campus has about 130 students enrolled, with about 30 waiting for enrollment pending the approval of the application.
Metford said the district would be reimbursed for the program through the network.
The state network provides students and schools with access to online courses and instructors. The TEA administers the network, sets standards for and approves courses and provides professional development for online teachers, and has fiscal responsibility for the network.
“Texas wants to see all of our children succeed and receive the best education possible,” Abbott said in the release. “Many parents across our state have found that the best fit for their child’s education is through virtual instruction.”
