In 2004-05 the number of habitual truants dropped to 9.7 percent; in 2005-06 the number decreased further to 8.7 percent and in 2006-07 the number fell even further to 8.1 percent. In 2007-08 the number rose slightly to 9.1 percent and then made significant jumps in 2008-09 and 2009-10 to 14.5 percent and 15.5 percent respectively.

While it’s impossible to determine the exact reasons why there were significant reductions in the number of chronic truants and the subsequent (and equally significant) rise over the past two school years – there are a number of factors that I believe contributed to the decline and may explain why we are seeing the truancy rate creeping back up again.

In the early 2000s, members of the community took notice of the shocking number of RUSD students who were considered chronic truants.

This observation engendered a great deal of concern and spurred the creation of the Racine County Truancy Committee. The committee, which was comprised of individuals from a broad cross-section of the community embarked on a mission to turn those numbers around. The committee had two primary orders of business – create a comprehensive truancy plan for the school district (RUSD was only the second or third district in the state to actually ratify and implement a community developed truancy plan) and raise awareness of truancy as a problem, not only for the schools but for the community as a whole.

As a group, committee members were energized and highly motivated to find solutions to the problem of chronic truancy. There were no “singular” answers, no finger pointing and most importantly – no “turf issues.” Individuals with very different backgrounds and varying perspectives found themselves working closely together in pursuit of a common end.

Within the past year, RUSD launched the Virtual School online education program; the Racine United Way announced plans to collaborate with RUSD and the community to bring state of the art programming to at risk elementary school students and the City of Racine began development of the After School Zones partnership with a wide array of community and public sector agency partners.

For the rest of the article, go to Commentary — Despite efforts, Racine truancy rate is back on the rise 

But that’s leaving schools of all kinds, including virtual schools, waiting longer to start planning for the next school year.

Jeff LeMahieu is the Dean of Students for Wisconsin Connections Academy, a public virtual charter school based in Appleton. When he first scheduled a Thurdsday-night informational meeting for parents in Sparta, he thought he was going to have to worry about them missing a three-week open enrollment period.

For the rest of the article, go to Open enrollment extension affects schools too

The WCA Information Session will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 6:30 p.m., at Country Springs Hotel (2810 Golf Rd.) in Pewaukee. Students must apply online to WCA during the state’s Open Enrollment period, Feb. 6 through Feb. 24.

For the rest of the article, go to Wisconsin Connections Academy Parent Information Session

The virtual school, which is now open to enrollment, allows students with different academic needs to find an education outlet.

“I think you’re looking at students who maybe don’t fit in the normal structure of a school day to take that, or you’re also looking at students who get behind in credits,” Fredrikson said.

“Often kids don’t fit into a traditional school, maybe they don’t get along with their classmates, maybe they have some issues where they’d be needed at home,” high school counselor Linda Luedtke said.

For the rest of the article, go to Two Rivers Offers a Virtual High School

School board members unanimously approved the virtual school at their meeting Monday evening, with Leigh Stegemann and Dick Rohrer absent.

The district has offered online classes from a variety of sources and also has a distance learning lab in which students can take classes taught elsewhere, but it hasn’t before had a complete virtual school.

For the rest of the article, go to TR board approves virtual school

But the report also shows that Wisconsin has the seventh-highest number of charter schools with 225 (if you consider charter schools per capita, Wisconsin ranks third).

That’s a sign that Wisconsin’s law is doing what it was intended to do — provide local innovative educational programming while protecting local property taxpayers, Department of Public Instruction spokesman Patrick Gasper said.

“Clearly many communities are taking advantage of this option in Wisconsin,” Gasper said, adding that Wisconsin also hasn’t experienced “the fraud and abuse of public money that has occurred in other states.”

For the rest of the article, go to Extra Credit: National charter school movement critical of Wisconsin’s law

Wisconsin Virtual Academy will host the event from 6 to 9 p.m. at Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley, 2929 Allied St. Students and parents will be able to meet teachers and staff at the event.

For the rest of the article, go to Wisconsin Virtual Academy holds bowling night

“It’s very difficult,” her coach, Trudy Oltmanns, said. “From what I understand, she does not live close to any big training facility. The biggest commitment from her and her family is the time.”

Oltmanns, of Eden Prairie, Minn., has trained skaters for about 15 years and said the amount of practice needed to be competitive precludes many contenders from attending a regular school.

“Most of the kids at this level are home-schooled or do online learning,” she said.

The Fehrs worried at first about pulling their daughter out of a traditional school and letting her learn through a virtual school instead, but Rita has been able to keep up with her homework and online tests. Her parents also can track their daughter’s progress in online courses, and the virtual school will report Rita truant if she doesn’t keep up with her schoolwork.

For the rest of the article, go to Getting to the national skating championships took a commitment

And it’s all possible because of the Cameron Academy of Virtual Education, or the CAVE program.

The CAVE program is a virtual charter school that’s grown from six students seven years ago to 78 enrolled students between kindergarten and 12th grade this year. Superintendent of Cameron schools Randy Braun calls it flexible and individualized learning.

While a typical day for elementary kids at the Cameron Elementary School involves a trip to the cafeteria; lunch time and pretty much everything else isn’t on a set schedule for the Clark family.

For the rest of the article, go to Virtual academy offers unique and individualized opportunities

Here are some key facts about those who have taken out papers to run for school board:

– Greg Ardrey, 45, of 25 Sauk Court, Janesville. He is a manager for Alliant Energy. He was appointed to the school board in July 2008 and elected to a three-year term in 2009.

– Jack Champeau, 34, of 4522 Southwyck Drive, Janesville. He works for UW-Platteville as manager of the engineering program at UW-Rock County in Janesville. He has never run for public office. He is president of the governing board of the Janesville Virtual Academy, the school district’s online high school.

For the rest of the article, go to Four running for three Janesville School Board seats, so far