Online classes not so popular in Dist. 203
Online classes aren't drawing as many students in Naperville Unit District 203 as officials hoped they would.
Forty-eight students are taking online classes this year through a consortium with Indian Prairie Unit District 204 and Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200, but District 203 was hoping about 90 would participate, said Jennifer Hester, chief academic officer.
Enrollment so far has shown a variety of students - athletes, musicians, club members, honors and advanced placement students and those with medical or social/emotional difficulties - are interested in online courses. But not all of them are jumping at the opportunity.
"We're working with staff to provide education about value of online learning for college and career success," Hester said.
Online classes launched last fall through a consortium called Expanding Learning Opportunities, which was created to engage students in a new way of learning that's personalized and innovative.
Since the program began, District 203 students have taken 517 courses online. Thirty-nine students signed up last fall, then 36 more in the spring. Summer enrollment has been the highest, with 280 students, and now 48 more are taking virtual classes.
"Dollars are tight and this is very expensive per class per hour," school board member Jackie Romberg said. "Hopefully enrollment will go up."
District 203 has spent $100,618 on Expanding Learning Opportunities since the consortium started.
Courses offered this fall through the consortium include consumer economics, government, health, U.S. history and video game design.
The largest total of District 203 students - 21 of them - are taking U.S. history online this fall. Seventeen students have enrolled in online consumer economics, seven are taking health and three signed up for video game design.
Because the number of District 203 students in each online class is low, there's value to offering the courses in partnership with the two other districts, said Kip Pygman, director of Expanding Learning Opportunities.
Even with three districts providing students, nine classes the consortium could have offered - business law, web design, African American literature, introduction to music theory, algebra II, health, sustainable energy, advanced placement human geography and psychology - did not attract enough interest to be feasible this semester.
Indian Prairie Unit District 204 has had the highest student enrollment among the three districts. Of 261 students taking online classes this fall, 212 are from District 204 - compared to 48 from District 203 and 10 from District 200.
Positive word-of-mouth from students could help expand online course participation, Hester said.
Naperville North High School senior Abby Radar, who took consumer economics online during the summer, gave the course a positive review when she told school board members about it Monday. She called the class "easy" for someone who's willing to take responsibility and stay honest.
"You have to be motivated; you have to read the passage," Abby said. "I know my parents were concerned because I could Google the answers to the questions rather than actually learn them and absorb the material."