Classroom Technology News in Brief

First Virtual School in Mass. Opens, Covering All Grades

By The Associated Press — September 14, 2010 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Massachusetts has launched the state’s first virtual school, the first in New England to serve students from kindergarten through high school.

Students enrolled at the Massachusetts Virtual Academy, which began operating this month, take all their classes online and have a learning coach, who could be a parent, to make sure they complete their assignments. They are expected to spend the same amount of time on classwork as students in traditional schools and will be required to pass the statewide assessment.

The Greenfield-based academy, which expects enrollment this first year to reach 250, plans to target students such as those with medical or social issues that might prevent them from attending a traditional school, students who leave schools because of bullying, and children from military families who move frequently.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the September 15, 2010 edition of Education Week as First Virtual School in Mass. Opens, Covering All Grades

Events

College & Workforce Readiness Webinar Data-Driven and District-Ready: What EdWeek Research Tells Us About the CTE Market
Discover how to sharpen your positioning in a fast-moving market of CTE with actionable strategies grounded in EdWeek Research Center data.
Classroom Technology Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: The Rewiring of Childhood With Jonathan Haidt
Jonathan Haidt, Catherine Price, and Adam Swinyard join Peter DeWitt on how to get students off devices and back to the basics of childhood.
Professional Development K-12 Essentials Forum Getting Professional Development to Stick
Join this free virtual event to explore best practices, funding, format, and timing for teacher and principal PD.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Classroom Technology This School District Wants Students to Turn Off Their Phones and Sleep
Parents and students are learning about the importance of device-free bedrooms.
6 min read
Image of a student using their phone in bed at night.
Getty
Classroom Technology Opinion What If Ed Tech Does More Harm Than Good?
An influential new book delves into the research on how ed tech affects learning.
10 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Classroom Technology Do Student Cellphone Bans Improve Academic Achievement?
Researchers recommend continued examination of cellphone policies, which are still relatively new.
4 min read
Students at Washington Junior High School use the unlocking mechanism to open the bags their cell phone were sealed in during the school day as they leave school for the day on Oct. 27, 2022, in Washington, Pa. Citing mental health, behavior and engagement as the impetus, many educators are updating cellphone policies, with a number turning to magnetically sealing pouches.
Students at Washington Junior High School use the unlocking mechanism to open the bags their cellphones were sealed in during the school day as they leave school on Oct. 27, 2022, in Washington, Pa. A new study suggests that cellphone restrictions in school don't seem to boost student achievement or attendance.
Keith Srakocic/AP
Classroom Technology From Our Research Center What Happens When Schools Restrict Cellphone Use
New survey sheds light on how cellphone restrictions are improving student behavior and engagement.
5 min read
A student takes notes on their cell phone during class at Bel Air High School in Bel Air, Md., on Jan. 25, 2024.
A student takes notes on a cellphone during class at a high school in Bel Air, Md., on Jan. 25, 2024. The vast majority of educators say their school districts now have policies that restrict cellphone use during school hours.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week