Virtual Charter School in Oregon Seeks Residency Waiver to Help with Start-up Costs and Competition

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/09/06/ap4089019.html

Following the 2005 opening of Oregon Connections Academy, a K-11 cyber charter school, the state passed a law that required at least 50 percent of the students attending any virtual school to come from within the sponsoring district. Because Oregon Connections Academy had opened previously, it was grandfathered in, avoiding the residency constraints. A new virtual charter high school, which would be run by Insight Schools, Inc., seeks to compete with Oregon Connections Academy and is requesting a waiver from the residency requirements from the State Board of Education. School developers said the waiver is necessary to be able to draw on a broader pool of students to cover startup costs. Matt Wingard, a spokesman for Oregon Connections Academy, said the company thinks "more choice is good. If there is another school that wants to provide choice, we think that's great." Approximately 10,000 school children are educated in Oregon's 80 charter schools.

Source: Forbes
Date: 09/05/2007