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CEAC raises questions about accountability and outcomes as virtual schools expand
Summary
CEAC members pressed KSDE about services and oversight for a growing number of virtual schools and programs, asking for disaggregated data on IEPs, state assessment participation and graduation outcomes; KSDE said districts remain accountable and will request updated data for January.
CEAC devoted a lengthy discussion to virtual schools and programs as members described rapid enrollment growth and uneven implementation of special‑education services.
KSDE presenters reminded the council that virtual schools must be affiliated with a district under Kansas law and that accountability for students’ services and outcomes remains with the enrolling LEA. The agency described a common practice: when families enroll in full‑time virtual programs, districts often create temporary service plans to preserve the underlying brick‑and‑mortar IEP so that students who return have their original services intact.
But members warned that virtual programs vary widely. Some provide live instruction and can deliver many services; others are primarily self‑paced and may lack consistent supports. KSDE said it is collecting updated data on how many virtual students have IEPs, how many tested this year and graduation outcomes, and that staff will make a data request to report back to CEAC. Julie Ewing, KSDE assistant director for assessments, offered to supply a multi‑year breakdown of virtual‑student assessment participation and graduation figures.
CEAC members also raised practical concerns: whether virtual students receive required services equivalent to brick‑and‑mortar IEPs, how truancy and attendance are monitored in remote models, and whether virtual enrollment can depress district graduation rates when students arrive with few credits. KSDE said districts should document service alterations in prior written notices and suggested using service plans to describe what can be provided in a virtual setting without altering the underlying IEP unless the team (including the parent) agrees.
Members asked for comparative data that separates virtual and brick‑and‑mortar outcomes; KSDE confirmed the state can disaggregate assessment and graduation data by virtual program and will provide that analysis if CEAC wants it for January’s meeting.
What’s next: KSDE will make a data request to update virtual‑program enrollment, testing participation and graduation metrics and will report findings to CEAC for further policy discussion.
