Oklahoma virtual charter school says proposed rule changes could shut it down completely

Insight School of Oklahoma, which bills itself as Oklahoma’s only alternative education virtual charter school, said Wednesday proposed rule changes from the Oklahoma State Department of Education would effectively shut down its operation.

A public relations agency distributed a release to media on behalf of the school, which offers classes for grades 6-12. Also known as ISOK, the school said it serves more than 1,150 students in unique situations, including teen parents, students recovering from addiction, students who have been expelled from other schools, students with special needs and students with jobs who require flexible schedules.

The public, tuition-free school said it’s the only alternative education virtual charter school recognized by the Education Department, which now is under state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters. A spokesman for the department told The Oklahoman that on Wednesday morning, ISOK representatives were in the Oliver Hodge Building, which houses the Education Department.

The spokesman, Dan Isett, said he also first saw the ISOK news release on Wednesday morning. ISOK lists an office in Midwest City as its mailing address.

Why the Oklahoma State Department of Education wants to change rules

According to a rule impact statement posted on the department’s website, the purpose of the proposed change “is to update the alternative education rules in order to improve the quality of alternative education, comply with best practices for alternative education, and comply with 2019 updates to the governing statute that the State Department of Education has not previously addressed in rules.”

One of the proposed rule changes would require students to be “physically present, in person, and on site in the alternative education program for a minimum of 4 hours and 12 minutes a day or 756 hours in a 165-day calendar.” Another proposed change would require a certified teacher to be “physically present, in-person, and be present in the Alt Ed classroom for all program hours identified in the alternative education plan.”

More: What to know about four new potential charter schools in Oklahoma City

ISOK’s website indicates its curriculum is provided by K12 — a for-profit education company that provides programs for both online and blended education — and includes offerings from Stride Learning Solutions and Middlebury Interactive Languages.

“Our virtual learning model is critical to meeting our students’ unique needs,” said Jennifer Wilkinson, a former state Education Department official who’s now ISOK’s head of school. “These proposed rule changes would eliminate a successful option from parents’ choices. Our innovative approach enables students who are most at-risk of dropping out to complete their high school education.”

How the public can comment on proposed rule changes

A hearing on the proposed rules is scheduled for Nov. 15 in the Oliver Hodge Building. The Oklahoma State Board of Education would have to approve the changes before they would take effect.

Isett said any decision about the proposed rule changes is a few months away.

“In the rulemaking procedure, we’re in the public comment phase,” Isett said. “We need to know what the public has to say and go from there. We’re in the middle of that process.”

Public comments about the proposed change can be submitted to rules@sde.ok.gov until 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 15.

“Virtual alternative education enhances parental choice and gives families options, enabling Oklahoma students to thrive,” ISOK Board of Directors President Cindy Friedemann said. “We are working to ensure Insight students can continue to receive a consistent, effective educational experience.”

Robert Franklin, the chairman of the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board, said he’s been trying to reach Walters for two weeks to discuss the proposed rule changes, but has been unsuccessful despite leaving multiple messages.

"Just tell us what's happening. That's the piece that's confounding," Franklin said. "Help me understand where we're going. Give us a chance to get in alignment with the state Board of Education about how we can serve the most vulnerable students. We say we're looking to create more choices ... but for students who are terribly at-risk, who have struggled and are just trying to hang on and need a different approach, we're going to throttle that backward? That seems contradictory, but maybe I am missing something." Franklin said.

He added: "If the state superintendent would reach out and say, 'This is the concern we have, then we'd have a clear pathway and could have a conversation."

Franklin sent a letter to Walters on Wednesday, through the Education Department's legal department, asking that the proposed rules be rescinded.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Insight School of Oklahoma says rule changes could shut it down