School district's expansion of its online distance education program will generate funding
05/29/2019
Lyon County will pilot an online distance education program during the 2019-2020 school year.
On Tuesday, the district’s school board approved hiring an online distance education coordinator dean of students to oversee the new program.
“The way students learn has changed dramatically over the years,” Director of Secondary Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Jim Gianotti told the school board. “We desperately need someone to organize, maintain and run a distance ed program.”
For the current school year, the district is using Edgenuity, an online learning platform to allow students who are behind to recover credits, students who are ahead to accelerate credits and long-term suspended students to stay on track. The program is supervised by the district’s adult education supervisor, but “it has become a necessity to find someone to help manage and maintain this program,” Gianotti said. The district will continue using Edgenuity as it expands its online distance education program.
The expansion of Lyon County’s pilot program will coincide with White Pine County School District discontinuing its online distance education academy. White Pine’s academy is used by students from throughout Nevada, including 27 from Lyon County. There are about 200 students in Lyon County who attend online, virtual or charter school programs across the state. Students who opt to attend the online program but qualify for free or reduced lunch will receive a district-issued Chromebook to assist with accessing the program.
Lyon County School District received $7,671 in state funding per student this year. If the district can capture half of the 27 students who attend the White Pine distance education program for the coming school year, the district will collect about $107,000 in state funding – enough to pay for the new dean of students. The salary range for a dean of students, including benefits, is between $77,000 and $104,000, Gianotti said.
In addition, any additional students who enroll in the program will generate revenue for the district’s general fund. Gianotti estimates the district will enroll about 50 students in the program next year – a net gain of about $280,000 to the district, he said.
“It’s going to more than pay for itself and in the future could bring in quite a bit of money for Lyon County,” Board Chair Neal McIntyre said.
By Amy Alonzo