Virtual High Schools: Who Pays for Courses?

Most often, a student's local school district will pay for the courses. In some instances, however, a student must pay (typically because he/she has already failed the course).

Why does it matter?

Students who most need access might not be able to afford it.
Students who fail courses because of personal choices such as lack of attendance benefit from being held accountable for their actions.

Highlights:

North Dakota requires the student to pay for the courses
Fifteen states look to the local district for the funding
Nine states fund directly from the state.
Information was not available to address this question in three states.

Methodology: This information was collected from state statutes, rules and regulations, and state education agencies, and will be updated as new policies and programs are enacted.

Sources for all data points are available through this link.

Last updated: December 3, 2007

Research conducted by Melodye Bush and Michael Colasanti. Please contact Bush (303.299.3631 or mbush@ecs.org) or Colasanti (303.299.3672 or mcolasanti@ecs.org) with comments or questions about this database.

	Who pays for courses (district/school/student under certain circumstances)?
Alabama	State funded

Arizona	State funded
Arkansas	State funded
California	Local district
Colorado	Local district



Florida	State funded
Georgia	State funded
Hawaii	State funded
Idaho	For courses offered during the school day, the school district pays for the course. For courses outside of the regular school day, the student is responsible.
Illinois	Local district

Iowa	Local district

Kentucky	Local district; however, the student pays a fee if the course is taken for credit recovery.
Louisiana	State funded

Maryland	Local district

Michigan	Local district

Mississippi	State funded
Missouri	Local district





New Mexico	Local district; however, a home school student who enrolls in less than one-half of the minimum course requirements may pay up to 35% of the cost of each unit.

North Carolina	No information available
North Dakota	Student. However, scholarships are available and are awarded to most of those who apply.


Oregon	No information available


South Carolina	No information available
South Dakota	Local district, which is reimbursed by the state.

Texas	Local district; however, students may have to pay the enrollment fee if they are enrolled in a course load greater than that normally taken by students in the equivalent grade level in other school districts and if they do not qualify for accelerated funding under section 30A.154. Also, students who are not enrolled in a school district or open-enrollment charter school as a full-time student may be charged enrollment fees.
Utah	Local district

Virginia	The state pays for all Early College Scholar students (the Early College Scholars program allows eligible high school students to earn at least 15 hours of transferable college credit while completing the requirements for an Advanced Studies Diploma). For all other students, there is a tuition charge.

West Virginia	The local district, but students may have to pay if the course is already offered in their schools.
Wisconsin	Local district