Virtual Schools Right Answer for Many Students

Virtual Schools The Right Answer For Many Students
By MARILYN BROWN | The Tampa Tribune

More than 1,100 Hillsborough County students attend public school classes from their home computers.

Another 63,000 plus take classes from Florida Virtual School.

The numbers, though soaring, remain a small percentage of total student enrollment. It's the effect on families that is striking.

Marchicia McBride of Riverview works in her home office from 5 to 9 a.m. handling reservations for Hilton Hotels.

By then her daughter, Jasmine, 12, has left her nearby bedroom with its hot pink walls, "Girls Rock" bedspread and scads of pictures; taken out the family's dog; showered; downed her breakfast; maybe traded her pajamas for jeans and taken over the computer.

Jasmine is in seventh grade at Hillsborough Virtual School.

She constantly is in touch with dozens of classmates and her six teachers - zipping in and out of chatrooms, instant messaging, e-mailing, scrolling through and completing assignments, recording her voice for a Spanish lesson.