The Pleasant Valley School Board approved changing providers for its cyber academy.

During the school board meeting on March 10, the school board decided to drop VLN Partners LLP in Pittsburgh and sign with the Seneca Valley School District in Cranberry Township, north of Pittsburgh. The contract runs for four school years: 2021-2022 to 2024 to 2025.

Students in the Pleasant Valley Cyber Academy will be switching to the Seneca Valley program next school year. Currently, there are 279 students enrolled in the school district’s cyber academy.

Seneca Valley uses a cyber education program by Edgenuity, which is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. The contract with PVSD states that Seneca Valley has obtained all necessary approvals to use the materials. Through the Seneca Valley Cyber Services Program, it provides the material and their teaching services to 67 other school districts in Western Pennsylvania.

Superintendent James Konrad said the cost to VLN costs the school district about $1 million a year, whereas Seneca Valley will cost the district $76,000. He explained that VLN is a for-profit company, while Seneca Valley School District is not.

“We paid an incredible amount for VLN,” he said.

Konrad said that PV teachers would be involved in the program as teachers of record, which could raise the overall cost of switching to Seneca Valley to about $126,000.

“I would use this in a modality where for approximately three hours for 10 or so (PVSD) teachers each week that they would be checking in with students,” Konrad said.

Like VLN, Edgenuity offers a self-paced program with online instructional materials and assessments. Seneca Valley will be providing this as well as teachers to assist the students with questions in an asynchronous learning platform. Pleasant Valley will provide a teacher-of-record to keep track of attendance and assessments.

“What I’ve found in my experience with feedback I received from not only students but from parents is a need for greater connectedness,” Konrad said. “So intent would be that our teachers are connected frequently with students in PVCA.”

According to the contract with Seneca Valley, there will be no refund if a student withdraws from the program after the season begins, but PVSD can assign the seat to a new student who enters the program.

PVSD agreed to pay an annual maintenance fee of $1,500 per school year, in addition to the cost of the program. PVSD is also agreed to pay for any training fees of its employees who will be involved in the program. The cost is $600 per person for half day training or $900 per person for full day training for teachers and guidance counselors, and $500 per person for half-day or $800 per person for full-day training for administration. After the first year, additional training sessions are $400 per course.

Seneca Valley will provide PVSD information regarding attendance and grade reports upon request. PVSD will handle enrollment of students and enforce compulsory attendance requirements.

As far as special education needs and individualized education plans, PVSD is responsible for identifying students with these needs and provide the information to Seneca Valley. PVSD is also responsible for developing any Individualized Education Program plans, as well as reviewing and updating any of these plans.