Q: At the Portland World Forestry Center on Aug. 12,  North Bend’s Oregon Virtual Academy (a K-8 grade online public charter school) had an orientation meeting. The purpose was to invite prospective Portland-area students to register for North Bend’s Virtual Charter Academy School, which is sponsored by K12, a for profit company. After the meeting, these students and their parents were given free tickets to attend the Portland Zoo. I thought North Bend School District public funds are used for North Bend students and not used to educate Portland area students?

A: The public funds are used for North Bend students. In fact, ORVA, which received approval necessary to become a charter school that could draw students from throughout Oregon, has yet to receive any state money.

North Bend Superinten-dent BJ Hollensteiner said the academy won’t see dollars from the Oregon State School Fund until spring, as administrators prove enrollment.

She noted that the district did not plan for the extra students, because officials were unsure whether it would exist. She explained that ORVA needed the State Board of Education to approve a waiver that would allow it to enroll students from outside the area. Normally, charter schools draw 50 percent of students from their sponsoring districts, in this case, North Bend. Without the waiver, the school would not have been viable. It was granted in June.

She added that K12 Inc., is the company that provides curriculum to ORVA and a number of other online schools throughout the country.

Randall Greenway, the vice president of school development for K12 Inc., agreed. No North Bend School District funds were spent on the Discovery Day event at the Forestry Center. K12 footed the bill for the event, which drew about 120 parents and children. Discovery Day was one of many information sessions K12 and ORVA have put on to interest families in the virtual school.

“We’re doing information sessions all across the state to let parents know about this educational option,” Greenway said.

School starts Sept. 3. Greenway said the academy has gained about 300 applicants, of which 124 have been approved to attend. They come from 62 different school districts all within the state of Oregon. 

— Jessica Musicar, Staff Writer