COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Education

December 21, 2012

TO:  Division Superintendents

FROM:  Patricia I. Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT:  Contracts with Multidivision Online Providers

As specified in § 22.1-212.23 of the Code of Virginia, school divisions may enter into contracts with approved providers to offer multidivision online courses and virtual school programs. The following information should provide guidance to divisions when working with approved multidivision online providers.

• Eighteen multidivision online providers have been approved to offer instruction in partnership with school divisions. These organizations may only offer the approved courses listed on the provider Web page at https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/amop_public/.
  
  
• Approved multidivision online providers may offer online content and resources as well as instruction led by a teacher of record. All instruction must be led by highly-qualified teachers who hold a Virginia teaching license and who are endorsed in the content area in which they are teaching. School divisions may elect to use online content and other resources from organizations which are not on the approved list when the division’s teachers provide instruction.
  
  
• School divisions report information about virtual courses and teachers via the Master Schedule Collection. Approved multidivision online providers must make teacher licensure information available to school divisions to meet these reporting requirements.
  
  
• The Code of Virginia requires that school divisions provide information on local division Web sites detailing virtual and online learning opportunities for students. This information should be easily accessible by students and families.

School divisions should review the Department of Education Web page at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/virtual_learning/virtual_schools/index.shtml for information on providers, courses approved by the Department of Education, and key responsibilities of stakeholders before entering into a relationship with a multidivision online provider.

Questions regarding multidivision online providers should be directed to Mark Saunders, educational technology specialist, at mark.saunders@doe.virginia.gov or (804) 786-0307.

PIW/TM/ms