NC school board approves online charter schools experiment

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — North Carolina’s statewide school board is approving the first online schools run by for-profit companies and with the flexibility that goes with being charter schools.

The State Board of Education voted Thursday to allow online education giants K12 Inc. and Connections Education to run schools scheduled to open in August.

State lawmakers last summer agreed to a four-year experiment with two virtual charter schools, which would be the responsibility of non-profit boards but run by the companies.

Virtual public schools depend heavily on adults helping students with online learning. A proposal directing the operators to provide learning coaches if parents aren’t able to supervise students was dropped under pressure from Republican school board members and lawmakers.

The companies must provide computers and Internet access to families who can’t afford them.

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