Virginia Virtual Academy pitches full-time online partnership to Manassas City Public Schools

Representatives of the Virginia Virtual Academy described a proposed partnership with Manassas City Public Schools on Tuesday night, saying the online school could enroll local students and return state funding to the district while adding seats for out-of-division applicants.

The presentation, led by a Virginia Virtual Academy representative identified in the meeting as Miss Sloan, outlined how the academy — which the presenter said began under 2010 legislation enabling multi-division online providers — would operate in partnership with Manassas. "There are students who we know that will do very well in an online setting," Miss Sloan told the board, noting the academy has a wait list and would prioritize offering seats to divisions that sign partnership agreements.

The proposal matters because state funding follows students, the presenter said: Manassas City currently has 57 residents enrolled with Virginia Virtual Academy; if Manassas were to partner with the academy, those students would be returned to the Manassas City enrollment roll and the district would receive the associated state funding. Miss Sloan gave a…