Tulsa Public Schools launches enrollment for Tulsa Virtual Academy

(TULSA, Okla.) Tulsa Public Schools launched enrollment for its virtual school option – called Tulsa Virtual Academy – for students and families who are at high-risk for infection or who would prefer to keep their children home in the 2020-2021 school year. Tulsa Virtual Academy is a full-time virtual school offering that will be available for all students in grades pre-K through 12. Parents can enroll in the virtual academy for the 2020-2021 school year by visiting https://www.tulsaschools.org/enrollment/new-tps-virtual-academy and clicking the “Enroll Now” button. “Tulsa Virtual Academy will provide a high-quality learning experience that supports each child’s social emotional needs,” said Superintendent Deborah A. Gist. “Our students will have a flexible schedule that will include opportunities for additional tutoring, which will even allow some of our students to actually get ahead with this model.” Students in Tulsa Virtual Academy will continue to be students in their current schools, but will complete their studies virtually. If families choose this option, they will have the opportunity to return to in-person learning at the semester break if their preference changes. Every student – both in Tulsa Virtual Academy and in the district’s traditional schools – will receive Chromebooks in the 2020-2021 school year. Gist said: “Our team is working tirelessly to prepare Tulsa Virtual Academy to be everything our families need for their child to succeed during this unprecedented time, and we’re looking forward to supporting our families who need this option in the coming year.” In addition to Tulsa Virtual Academy, the district is also planning for a range of scheduling options that would be implemented as needed based on recommendations from local health professionals: learning in-person, a mix of in-person and distance learning, and distance-only learning. The 2020-2021 calendar was designed to allow for possible shifts between in-person and distance learning based on rates of COVID-19 infection in the community throughout the year. The decision about which type of schedule students and teachers will use will be finalized in early August based on guidance from the Tulsa Health Department. Gist said the district intends to make a decision on Aug. 3 about how students, teachers, and team members will return to school for the 2020-2021 school year. Tulsa Virtual Academy enrollment will remain open until Monday, Aug. 10. Visit www.tulsaschools.org/virtual for more information. Visit www.tulsaschools.org/back2school for more information about planning for the 2020-2021 school year.