The 2021-2022 school year will welcome students from Botetourt County Public Schools (BCPS) to a new education option: BCPS Virtual Academy. The online K-12 school will offer district families a tuition-free online learning option based in their own community.
“We are proud to begin a new chapter for public education in Botetourt County,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Jonathan Russ. “BCPS Virtual Academy will enable us to continue to provide the high-quality education that our students and families have come to expect, with the support of a leader in delivering online learning solutions.”
Stride Learning Solutions, a division of Stride, Inc. (formerly K12 Inc.) will provide BCPS Virtual Academy’s customized online school platform, standards-aligned curriculum, and teacher-led instruction to students in kindergarten through 12th grade. BCPS Virtual Academy students in grades K-12 will access a full course load across the core subjects of math, science, English/language arts, and history. Students will have the ability to connect with state-credentialed teachers during live instructional sessions. Outside of class time, students will have access to BCPS’s host of extracurricular activities, clubs, and student organizations.
BCPS’s decision to open a division-based online learning option comes at a time when many parents are looking for alternative education options for their kids. According to a recent nationwide survey conducted by Stride in partnership with third party research provider Qualtrics, 91% of parents agree that it’s important for their children to have multiple school options, including full-time online or a hybrid model that blends online and in-person learning.
“We are proud to support BCPS and the innovative solution they have designed for their community,” said Dr. Jodi Marshall, senior vice president of Stride Learning Solutions. “BCPS Virtual Academy will offer students a virtual education option that meets their unique needs, delivering a personalized education to students across the district.”
Stride, Inc. has more than 20 years of experience delivering online education to students across the country and has worked with schools and districts across all 50 states to help develop local solutions to meet personalized online and blended learning goals. For more information about Stride Learning Solutions, visit www.stridelearning.com/learning-solutions.
