HELENA – The Montana Digital Academy is apparently a victim of its own success as a state committee recently learned it would need an additional $420,000 next fiscal year as it has already spent nearly 85 percent of its $1.168 million program allocation for FY 2012 and has enrollment nearly three times of what was estimated in 2010.?
In a report to the Legislative Finance Committee, lawmakers were told the initial appropriation for the online program was based on 2,500 enrollments a year or 5,000 for the biennium. The actual enrollment for Fiscal Year 2012 is 6,915 and is expected to grow by 5 percent to 7,260 for FY 2013.?
The department has received a $123,800 federal Title II grant to complete FY 2012. However, if enrollments live up to estimates, the appropriation for 2013 will not cover costs.?
Lawmakers were told at their March 8 meeting the program would need an additional $420,000 or enrollment would have to be limited to fewer students. A more detailed report on the program is expected to be presented at the Finance Committee’s September meeting.?
The Montana Digital Academy was created by the Legislature in 2009 with federal stimulus money through House Bill 459. It makes distance learning opportunities available via computer for free to school-age children through public school districts in the state and offers licensed instructors. It also emphasizes core subject matters required under the accreditation standards, offers advanced courses for dual credit in collaboration with the Montana university system, and enrichment classes.?
According to the report by Fiscal Analyst Robert Miller and Fiscal Specialist Barbara Smith, in the fall 2011 semester, original credit courses accounted for 61 percent of the total classes. Of those, 3 percent were taken as advanced placement.?
Fifty-seven percent of the students in the classes attended schools with less than 500 students.?In the smaller schools, the most popular courses were world languages (30 percent), while at schools of at least 1,500 students, English Language Arts were the most popular class (31 percent).?
Robert Currie, the academy’s executive director, said the initial request to Legislature for funding was made in 2010, prior to the academy opening doors.?
“Obviously the need was significantly greater than that,” he told the panel on Thursday. “Basically we took the charge that we felt you had given as a body to serve all Montana students.”?
Dennis Parman, deputy state superintendent and digital academy board chairman, told Montana Watchdog it was thought the online classroom would have 500 enrollments its first year.?
“We really had no idea we’d see the level of participation we’re seeing now,” he said, adding “We have no reason to suspect the interest will back off.”?
Currie said 160 high and middle schools and more than 100 teachers in the state are participating in the program. He later said that the state has about 43,000 high school students.?
Parman said he expected several more high schools to join in the program.?
He said the online classes provide flexibility, but are not easier than being in a classroom with a teacher for a certain period of time during the day.?
“There is not a bell that rings that says ‘Go do your online class,'” he said, adding that students are dropped from the class if they do not log on regularly.?
Parman said schools are warned the classes are to supplement their curriculum and not supplant.?
“In other words, don’t get rid of your English teachers,” he said.?
Rep. John Esp, R-Big Timber, told Currie he may want to consider digital academy opportunities elsewhere, such a free programs offered by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.?
Currie said one of the most valuable assets of the academy was the use of the Montana teacher.?In a response to a question from Sen. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, Currie said the digital academy board was hoping for a supplemental appropriation from the state.?
Currie told Montana Watchdog he was optimistic after speaking with lawmakers.?
“I look at all the good we are doing for students across the state,” he said. “This program has filled so many needs for so many students.”?
He said the word “cap” has been used in the past and said if additional funding were not approved the program would have to be reduced from 7,000 enrollments to 4,000.?
Currie attributed the program’s popularity to it being organized and operational quickly. He said about midway through last year several school counselors, and principals said there was a need a solution to provide credit recovery clases to get students back on track for graduation.?
He said a “good chunk” of the enrollment came from small schools challenged to provide a broad curriculum to students, adding the academy offers five language programs online and some schools cannot do that.?Parman said schools in Montana could not start digital academies cheaper than what is offered by the state, and estimated the savings for school districts was more than $2 million.?
And while the classes are free, Parman said some superintendents have asked him if funds run short, how much would the academy charge for classes. He said the fact the classes are free is not specified in the statute.?
“Some lawmakers have expectations the classes would be offered at no cost and that is where we would like to stay.”