1. How can a small school district finance an online high school? OR…the tale of two online schools in school districts in California Case Study: How can a small school district finance an online high school? OR…the tale of two online schools in school districts in California Rob Darrow - robdarrow@cusd.com Coordinator, Instructional Resources Clovis Unified, Ca Virtual School Symposium, 2008

2. Questions for you  Opening an online school?  Operated an online school less than 3 years?  Operated an online school more than 3 years?

3. Share: How do you fund (or hope to fund) your online school?

4. Two California School Districts  Kings Canyon Unified  Dunlap Leadership Academy - 2008  (Students: 9700; Teachers: 439)   www.dunlapleadership academy.com/ www.dunlapleadership academy.com/  Clovis Unified  Cal Online (2000-2005)  (Students: 37,000; Teachers: 1752)   calonline.cusd.com calonline.cusd.com

5. Yosemite Kings Canyon Park

6. Kings Canyon Unified  Geographically – 600 square miles that cross two counties.  Almost 10,000 students, K-12  3000 high school students.  Three distinct areas: Orange Cove, Reedley and Dunlap.  Orange Cove and Reedley have a high school…but Dunlap does NOT.

7. Kings Canyon Unified  Dunlap…the one area of the district without a high school.  Where’s Dunlap? Population: 131

8. Dunlap Leadership Academy  Why? KCUSD

9. Dunlap Leadership Academy  Why? KCUSD

10. On the bus…you would see…

11. Dunlap Leadership Academy

12. Dunlap Student  “Because I didn’t want to ride the bus two hours to the other high school and I get headaches when I ride buses for that long.”

13. Financing the School

14. California Finance How public schools are funded  1 student in school 1 day = 1 ADA (or FTE).  Cannot split ADA

15. California Finance  ADA (“seat time” - 240 minutes each day)  Independent Study (student gets hours based on work and physically meets a teacher once a week).  Charter 1 student in school 1 day = 1 ADA.

16. California Finance ADA Differences Per student, per year  Kings Canyon - $5900  Clovis Unified – $5,000  Sierra Unified - $8,000

17. Dunlap Leadership Academy Financing

18. Dunlap Leadership Academy 30 students - ADA  30 students X $5900 = $177,000 per year.  Special program funding - $650 per student (or another $20,000)  Total Income: $197,000.  Round up to $200,000

19. Share: What are the Cost Items for an online school?

20. Dunlap Leadership Academy Personnel  Principal – Part time (shared with school across the street)  Secretary/lab aide and campus aide  8:00-2:00 each day – 30 hours per week.  Custodian (part time – shared with school across the street).  Total Personnel Cost: $169,000  (Total Income: $197,000. )

21. Dunlap Leadership Academy Computer Lab  Cost for hardware: $40,000.

22. Dunlap Leadership Academy Course Content and Teachers  Provided by Advanced Academics. Cost: $400 per student per course.  5 courses per student.  $400 X 30 students X 5 courses = $60,000.

23. Dunlap Leadership Academy Supplies  Supplies = $5,000.

24. Dunlap Leadership Academy Income and Expenses  Income by ADA: $197,000.  Personnel: $169,000  Equipment: $40,000  Content and Teachers: $60,000  Supplies: $5,000  Income – Expenses = - ($77,000)

25. Dunlap Leadership Academy Asst. Supt. Business Cost Per Student ADA = $6550  30 students = $7400 per student.  60 students = $5017 per student.  120 students = $3609

26. Why go to the computer lab?  Why students go here: “because I like seeing the other kids and I have friends here.”

27. Share:  Questions to ask about these figures…any issues?

28. Clovis Unified  Unified in 1960: one high school / intermediate school, 4 elementary schools

29. Clovis Unified  District motto: “Be the best you can in mind, body and spirit.”  In 2008: 28,000 students – 12,000 in high school.  6 high schools, 5 intermediate schools and 32 elementary schools.

30. Clovis Unified Superintendent : 2000  “One of the things CUSD is doing to prepare for the future are ‘Virtual Classrooms’ – CUSD teachers are in the process of designing curriculum for a virtual classroom where students can take courses on the Web...”

31. Clovis Unified Cal Online  First classes: June 2001 Find Mari pic

32. Clovis Unified Cal Online ADA = 0  Budget: $250,000  Funded from 2000-2006 by 12 different grants and funds over 6 years – no ADA or General Fund.

33. Clovis Unified Cal Online Expenses  Personnel:  Coordinator, assistant  4 part time teachers –  TOTAL: $180,000

34. Clovis Unified Cal Online Expenses  Materials: (textbooks, lab kits, etc.): $6,000  Teacher cell phones: $4,000  New Course development: $20,000

35. Clovis Unified Cal Online Expenses  Content (FLVS): $30,000  Jones Knowledge: $4,000  Total Yearly Costs: $244,000

36. Clovis Unified Cal Online Enrollment = 100  Courses: Algebra, English 9, English 11/12, World History, U.S. History, AP Government, Economics, Art History, PE  Florida Virtual School and self developed

37. Clovis Unified Asst. Supt. Business  100 students enrolled.  $244,000 Costs  Divide out: $2440 per student

38. Clovis Unified - Cal Online Ended in 2006  No finance model worked for part time students

39. 2020 Visions Report (2006)  $1 mil to start up an online school Bellsouth Foundation (2006). Anderson, A.B., Augenblick, J., and DeCesare, D., and Conrad, J.

40. Online School Finance Challenges  Economy of scale: Need money or students  With full complement of courses, how do you reduce costs?  Contract content out?  Own teachers?  Develop own content?  Get more students?

41. Lessons Learned: Via research and experience  Get all district admin on board  Talk with all “stakeholder” groups in establishing your online school (counselors, special education, etc.)  Identify budget income for 3 years  Lack of money = no program

42. Questions… Comments…Thoughts

43. Contact Information  Rob Darrow – robdarrow@cusd.com robdarrow@cusd.com  http://robdarrow.wikispaces.com http://robdarrow.wikispaces.com