Ephrata schools look at online classes

EPHRATA — Administrators in the Ephrata School District are discussing whether to offer online classes for students.

Superintendent Jerry Simon said some students in the district are already enrolling in virtual academies, schools offering an online education.

The district is considering its own options for online classes.

Some ideas are to offer remedial classes for students who need to retake a course, advanced classes for students looking for more challenging work and courses for students in home school, Simon said.

North Central Educational Service District has a program for online classes, but the district would want a program of its own, he said. It would likely contract for classes. The service district's program is called Columbia River Center for Online Learning. More than 80 courses are offered online, according to the center's Web site. The district covers Grant, Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan Counties.

"We're just kind of investigating at this point," he said.

Simon said online classes make sense.

Ephrata High School Principal Dan Martell said schools in larger districts offer online educational opportunities.

"We have had some of our constituents asking about that," Martell said.

Some children in the district are not in school now who might otherwise be taking classes online, he said.

The district needs to look at what fits best with the Ephrata School district, Martell said.

Washington Virtual Academy is one online option available to students in the state. Offered through Steilacoom Historical School District No. 1 in Steilacoom, Wash., the kindergarten through eighth grade education is tuition-free, and the curriculum is approved by the state, according to the school's Web site.