Electronic Course Program

The Electronic Course Program (eCP) provides full-time virtual educational programmes to grades 3-10 public school students, located in the US state of Texas. Founded in 2006, it is administered by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Through the eCP, districts and open-enrollment charter schools selected to participate in the program are given the opportunity to provide online learning options to Grades 3-10 public school students who are not required to be physically present on campus during instruction.

Participating schools (all using private partners) are:

• Texas Connections Academy @ Houston
• IQ Academy Texas
• Texas Virtual Academy

eCP participants began serving students in the spring of 2006. Currently there are two charter schools and one independent school district participating in the program for the 2010-2011 year.

The Electronic Course Program web site is at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=4826&menu_id=2147483665

More Details

The program allows participating public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to earn state funding based on successful completion for Grades 3-10 public school students enrolled in full-time virtual educational programmes.

eCP plans call for the addition of Grade 11 in the 2011-2012 school year and Grade 12 in the 2012-2013 school year.

ECP builds on lessons learned from the 2001-2003 Texas Virtual School Pilot (VSP) and the Investigating the Quality of Online Courses (IQ Pilot). ECP is being carefully monitored by the state.

References

• "A National Primer on K-12 Online Learning", iNACOL, October 2010, http://www.inacol.org/research/docs/national_report.pdf
• Electronic Course Program web site, http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=4826&menu_id=2147483665
• "Keeping Pace With Online Learning: An Annual Review of Policy and Practice", Evergreen Education Group, 2010, http://kpk12.com/reports/

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> United States
> Virtual schools