Parents, students urge Rock Hill board to reverse decision to close Virtual Academy; board asks staff for rapid cost and program review

Parents and students urged the Rock Hill Schools Board of Trustees on Jan. 14 to reverse or delay the district's decision to close the Rock Hill Virtual Academy, saying the program has been a "lifeline" for many students with disabilities and those who have otherwise struggled in traditional classrooms.

Student William Mueller told the board he has autism and has attended the Virtual Academy since sixth grade. "The virtual academy has definitely changed my life," Mueller said. "I'm able to focus on my sport and not get anxious. I don't have to worry about getting bullied ... I have time to learn skills that will help me be independent." His mother, Danny Brown, said the program produced academic improvement in multiple children in her family.

The parents said they were surprised and upset by what they described as a sudden decision announced by district staff in December. Parent Dani Brown told the board the virtual program serves a high share of students with individualized education programs and medical needs; she said roughly 38% of students in the academy have IEPs and that the program has a high graduation rate for its students. Other parents said the academy currently enrolls about 240'00'50 students and that many families will seek non-district alternatives if the program ends.

Why it matters: Parents and students framed the closure as an equity and safety issue. They told trustees the Virtual Academy provides a sensory-friendly, stable learning environment for students who are bullied or who otherwise cannot thrive in brick-and-mortar settings. Several parents said the program also led to substantial academic gains for students with past low performance.

Board response and requested follow-up: Board Chair Miller and several trustees acknowledged shortcomings in how the district informed families and promised additional review. Vice Chair Hutchinson and other trustees said they regretted communication missteps; several trustees said they had not fully understood the facts behind the decision and asked the superintendent and staff to prepare a focused briefing. The board requested that staff provide, before the board's next meeting on Jan. 28, a written staff report that includes: the current enrollment and roster, the annual and per-student operating cost of the Virtual Academy, which funding sources were used to support the program (including prior ESSER allocations), and options for continuing some form of virtual instruction. Superintendent and staff agreed to assemble the material and to schedule small-group briefings for trustees and stakeholders before the next public meeting.

Public testimony summarized: Testimony included multiple personal examples of students who improved academically and emotionally in the Virtual Academy. Parents and students asked the board for creative options rather than an immediate shutdown, including restructuring, reallocating funds, or exploring partial parent-paid models. Several speakers said they were prepared to seek charter or private alternatives if the district did not provide an acceptable option.

What the board said it will do next: Trustees asked staff to put a staff recommendation and detailed cost breakdown on the agenda for the late-January meeting. Chair Miller and trustees also said they would schedule small-group sessions (without a quorum) to review data and options, and encouraged parents to submit written questions in advance so staff can prepare answers.

Ending: Board members thanked the students for speaking on their own behalf and said they would try to provide answers quickly. Parents asked for timelines; the board set a path to receive staff analysis before the next regularly scheduled meeting and to continue the discussion in public at the Jan. 28 meeting.

"The Virtual Academy is not just an alternative; for many of our students it is their school," parent Dani Brown said during public comment.