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Astoria SD 1 board weighs district‑sponsored K–8 virtual charter with OpenEd to draw back homeschool students
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Summary
Board members reviewed a proposal to create the Lower Columbia Virtual Charter Academy (K–8), a district‑sponsored, tuition‑free virtual charter run in partnership with vendor OpenEd. The plan aims to increase enrollment and recover funding lost to post‑pandemic declines; the board asked for ESD input on SPED and specialist capacity before deciding.
A board member presented a proposal to establish a district‑sponsored K–8 virtual charter academy in partnership with OpenEd, telling colleagues the move is intended to recover students and state funding lost after the pandemic. The proposal would let families register for the Lower Columbia Virtual Charter Academy through the district and would admit in‑district students as well as applicants statewide.
The board member framed the effort as a response to falling enrollment, saying, "at the end of the pandemic coming back to school, the state lost 20,000 students," and noting the district has lost roughly 150–200 students since the pandemic and tracks about 180 local homeschool students. He and others described the charter as a way to reconnect homeschooled students to district programs while increasing average daily membership (ADM) revenue.
Travis Osborne, principal of the virtual charter in the 3 Rivers School District, told the board that his program grew from 101 students at launch to about 424 at midyear and described operational lessons for Astoria. "We started with a 101, in the first semester. At midyear, we now have 424 students," Osborne said, adding that the vendor (OpenEd) provides curriculum choices, teacher‑of‑record services and a district liaison who supplies weekly attendance reports. "Attendance, they send us attendance reports weekly, but I also check it weekly and then we work together," he said.
Presenters outlined roles and responsibilities: the district would register students, track attendance, provide special education, English learner (EL) and 504 services, and maintain administrative oversight and Division 22 compliance (attendance verification, engagement logs and records of student–teacher contact time). OpenEd would supply curriculum, staffing, marketing and a "virtual wallet" for families to buy devices or supplemental curriculum; board members discussed a vendor‑covered wallet amount of about $2,500 per student.
Board members pressed on staffing and service capacity. District staff said they expect to hire a registrar to manage enrollments and at least one special‑education teacher for the virtual academy if enrollments reach the projected 350–400 students. The presenter estimated the fiscal effect, saying, "350 kids brings $1,750,000 into the district," and noted a common charter contract provision — a 15% administrative pass‑through — to cover administrative services and reimburse the district for specific supports.
Questions focused on ELL assessment logistics (the ELPA screener must be administered in person), how SPED services would be delivered (cooperation with neighboring districts or the ESD was discussed), and admissions rules for out‑of‑district students (charter schools open statewide but districts can deny transfers under local rules, subject to appeal). Board members asked that the district consult the Education Service District (ESD) about specialist capacity — speech, occupational therapy and other contract services — before the board commits further.
The board member said staff will prepare a formal charter application and return it for board action, probably in May or June. No formal vote was taken at this meeting; members asked for additional information on ESD supports and the projected SPED workload before a decision.
Next step: district staff will follow up with the ESD on specialist capacity and bring a completed charter application to the board in May or June for formal consideration.
