Students with disabilities must have available to them a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and access to make progress in the general education curriculum. Prior to enrollment into one or more virtual courses, the IEP team must consider whether or not an online instructional delivery method is appropriate for the student to receive a FAPE. The student’s IEP team should also determine whether or not the student’s accommodations can be provided through virtual learning. The need for IEP team consideration should not inequitably deter a school from considering enrollment of students with disabilities.
Each student’s IEP must show documentation of these considerations for a student to be permitted to enroll in one or more virtual school courses (and subsequently receive a FAPE). This documentation needs to be addressed in the Accommodations section of the IEP as well as in the Prior Written Notice.
Students may access virtual classrooms in a variety of ways:
The GCS Virtual School Program (GSVSP) consists of academic courses that students take online to earn credits toward a South Carolina High School diploma. All classes are taught by experienced teachers who are certified in their respective subject areas. Students are responsible for logging on to read class material, complete assignments, and to take quizzes. Classes are semester-length and require a proctored exam at the end of the course. Each semester has a published start and end date, and classes are not self-paced. GCVSP is a program of Greenville County Schools and does not award high school diplomas. The IEP must be shared with the virtual school teacher. Please send the entire IEP via email to Laura Herd at lherd@greenville.k12.sc.us attached as a PDF formatted document.
The SCDE offers a virtual school program accessed by districts that allows student participation in high school classes in a virtual manner. These courses are accessed as part of the student’s regular high school program. The district retains all responsibility for access to the program just as if the class were in the physical building.
For students earning a regular state high school diploma, the IEP team must meet before the student enrolls in a virtual class to discuss and document in the IEP: 1) the provision of FAPE in a virtual setting, and 2) the accommodations needed in a virtual setting.
For students not earning a regular state high school diploma, the IEP team must meet PRIOR to class approval to determine if the class can be modified to the extent that participation of the student in class is appropriate. (Modifications are not always necessary. It is possible that accommodations, supports and services are sufficient.)
The full range of accommodations must be available to participants in virtual classes. This will be determined by the IEP team.
The IEP must be shared with the virtual school teacher. Please send the entire IEP via email to Wendy Oates at woates@greenville.k12.sc.us attached as a PDF formatted document.
The virtual school teacher is responsible for implementing the accommodations and modifications on the IEP for his or her class. The school district is responsible for any hardware or software necessary for the student to access the course.
To continue to the next section Adult Education Programs, click Next below.
Virtual School