October 17, 2008
***UPDATE! At the Coalition's request, the deadline for submitting the surveys (Parental and HS Students) has been extended until the end of the day, THIS SUNDAY, October 19th. So, please if you have yet to respond, do so this weekend. Please note that your spam filters may have caught the email from the LAB, so check your spam folders for an email from Allison Latarte. Coalition members are the most-informed families with children in these schools. It is important that every Coalition family participate, so that state officials get a proper understanding of how effective these schools are. We hope the start of autumn finds all of you and your students enjoying the school year. As you know, thanks to your efforts this past spring, Public Virtual Schools continue to thrive in Wisconsin. Again, congratulations!
One component of the compromise plan that the Governor signed earlier this year was an audit to be performed by the Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB). This WCVSF alert concerns that audit.
Please watch your e-mail in boxes for an important survey during the week of October 6. The Audit Bureau is going to be e-mailing a survey about virtual schools to all parents of virtual school students and also to all students who attended virtual schools in 9th through 12th grades in the 2007-08 school year.
This is not a customer satisfaction survey. It is not a chance to merely cheer lead or complain about your particular school. The findings of this audit will most assuredly be used to shape future legislation and regulation of our schools.
Remember, the survey is part of a performance and financial audit of virtual schools that is required by the virtual school legislation that was passed in March of 2008. The survey will ask some questions about why families have chosen virtual schools, about how virtual schools work, and about parent and pupil satisfaction with virtual schools, as well as some background questions about virtual school attendees and families.
Every virtual school family should take the opportunity to complete the survey. This is our chance to let people know why we have chosen virtual schools and why they are a desirable option. It is up to us to explain how and why virtual schools work for us. The survey is meant to help legislators understand what people who choose public virtual education think of virtual schools. In completing the survey, please be honest and forthright and look at the big picture. In answering the questions, you should be describing what you think of your virtual school experience overall, rather than focusing on specific immediate day-to-day issues or concerns that would more appropriately be addressed directly with the teachers or administrators at your virtual school.
The Legislative Audit Bureau obtained lists directly from the various public virtual schools and is planning to e-mail the survey on Monday, October 6th to all parents and all 9th through 12th grade students. The survey should be completed electronically, and responses are due by Friday, October 17th.
If you do not receive a survey in your e-mail, you can request one from the LAB and they will e-mail it to you. Requests for surveys from people who don’t receive them should be sent by Friday, October 10 to Allison La Tarte at allison.latarte@legis.state.wi.us.
Thank you for your help in telling the virtual school story, and do not hesitate to email us with any comments or concerns you may have Now that the school year is back in full swing, we’ll be keeping in touch more often. The next legislative session begins in January and, as always, we’ll keep you posted as to opportunities and threats we may face.
-The Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families
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