Virtual Pilot School

The Indiana Department of Education has selected Hoosier Academies to operate a two-year virtual pilot charter school. The Indiana Virtual Pilot School (VPS) will include funding for up to 200 students, equally distributed across grades 1 through 5 for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years. However, because this is a pilot program, the Indiana Department of Education cannot guarantee funding for the school to continue beyond the 2010-2011 school year.

Hoosier Academies was selected directly by the Department of Education to operate the virtual charter school pilot program pursuant the authority granted to it by Indiana State budget.  Ball State is not the sponsor or authorizer of the pilot program.

The Indiana Virtual Pilot School (VPS) is focused on serving students with specific needs, specifically students with medical disabilities or circumstances that prevent a student from attending a traditional school and/or a virtual charter school is a better alternative than traditional schooling. Families will be asked to indicate their reason for selecting the VPS. At least 75% of students enrolled in the VPS must have previously been in an Indiana public school during the 2008-2009 school year.

Families interested in the Indiana Virtual Pilot School must first attend an Information Session to better understand the program and to ensure that it is consistent with the family’s beliefs and philosophy concerning education. We offer two types of Information Sessions:

• In-person Information Sessions are hosted monthly at the Learning Centers. During these sessions families will review the academic model and the K¹² curriculum (including the online systems), and can have their questions answered. For a complete schedule, visit our events page.
• Virtual Information Sessions are available online, at your convenience. You’ll get all the same great information as you would during an in-person session, but you don’t have to leave the comfort of home to attend! For a complete schedule, visit our Virtual Information Sessions page.

In an effort to serve as many students as possible, the Indiana Department of Education has allowed the Indiana Virtual Pilot School (VPS) to extend open enrollment for the 2009-2010 school year through Friday, February 12, 2010.

As applications are received, Hoosier Academies will actively manage the process to ensure we are in compliance with the following regulatory requirement as outlined by the General Assembly:  At least 75 percent of students enrolled in the virtual charter school will have been counted in the September Average Daily Membership count for the previous school year, as submitted to the department via the DOE-ME form.

Applicants will be seated in the VPS until we reach our maximum capacity by grade. Once reached, applicants will be placed on the wait list and notified once a seat is available.