In 2010, Virginia became the 28th state to create a formal policy for the establishment of full-time multi-district virtual schools — online education through which students anywhere in the state are able to work full-time with their teachers and curriculum over the Internet, rather than in a traditional classroom. But equitable funding — which is widely variable from school division to school division — has remained a challenge. This paper looks at virtual school funding around the country, considers the challenge of funding online education through a system designed for bricks and mortar schools within geographic boundaries, and offers a solution for Virginia policymakers.
