The state’s Charter Schools Review Board approved four new remote academies this week, allowing more brick-and-mortar schools to offer online instruction. The move comes as North Carolina officials push for a separate funding overhaul for the state’s standalone virtual schools.
The newly approved programs are operated through existing campuses and allow students to attend classes virtually. Monday’s vote brings the total number of remote charter academies across the state to 21.
The programs are distinct from North Carolina’s standalone virtual charter schools, which operate entirely online. The state previously had two pilot programs operating entirely online, and the board has approved two additional standalone virtual schools in recent weeks.
Supporters say the remote academies help schools serve students who cannot attend classes in person, or who remain on waiting lists for seats at physical charter campuses.
But some members of the review board questioned whether the growth of remote programs is driven by educational needs or by the ability it offers schools to enroll more students — and collect the state funding tied to each one.
“I see it as a money grab for a lot of schools that are doing it,” board member Stephen Gay said, adding that he does not believe in the remote model.
Board Chairman Bruce Friend, whose own school recently received approval for a virtual spinoff, bristled at that characterization.
“If it’s a money grab, then we need to weed that out from the get-go,” Friend said, “not make that a generic comment that applies to those involved in this learning environment.”
The board approved requests from Central Wake High School, Triangle Math and Science Academy, Jackson Day School and Phoenix Academy.
Bryan Setzer, a director at Triangle Math and Science Academy, said the school hopes the virtual program will help students who need flexible schedules or have health concerns.
“We have a mission to educate and give students opportunities, and we’re going to do it in a thoughtful way,” Setzer said.
North Carolina’s two original statewide virtual charter schools have struggled academically for much of the past decade. Still, some review board members said demand for online learning remains strong.
“This is the future,” said vice chair John Eldridge. “If this is what parents want … we’ve got to find a way to do it the best way possible.”
Board member Eric Sanchez said regulators need a clearer picture of what effective virtual schooling looks like before approving new programs. “If we’re talking about money grabs and we’re talking about exploding something that there’s no accountability [for] whatsoever, how do we know at the end really what is good?” Sanchez said.
The expansion comes as the State Board of Education has asked lawmakers to overhaul how standalone virtual programs are funded. The board included the request as one of its legislative priorities, citing roughly $25 million in cash reserves held by the state’s two original virtual schools.
Those schools — North Carolina Virtual Academy and North Carolina Cyber Academy — have been designated “continually low-performing” since their 2015 launch, though N.C. Virtual Academy exceeded growth expectations in 2023.
The millions in balances have drawn scrutiny over transparency and whether public dollars are being sufficiently reinvested in students.
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