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Online Learning Opportunities
In July 2012, Senate Bill 289 was passed by Georgia Legislators and signed into law by the Governor. The new law established guidelines and expectations for how local school districts offer and provide notification to students and parents about online learning. While the legislation does not require an online course to graduate, it does provide an option for students to take an online learning option.
Below are some important points about Senate Bill 289.
- A student may take an online course even if the course is offered by Forsyth County.
- If the online course is taken in place of a course during the regular school day, there will be no cost incurred by the student or parent. If the course is taken outside the school day, the student is responsible for the cost of the course. Withdrawals from GAVS courses are only allowed in extenuating circumstances and students/parents are responsible for payment of all fees associated with the course incurred by the district.
- Availability of online courses during the school day is subject to the availability of personnel to supervise online students and the capacity of the school to accommodate online learners. Check with your school counselor for more details regarding availability.
Online Clearinghouse
Full-time and part-time online learning opportunities may be accessed through Forsyth Virtual Academy, Georgia Virtual School, or vendors and virtual schools listed on the Georgia Online Clearinghouse. The clearinghouse will assist parents and students in finding online courses, online course providers, and research guidelines that constitute high-quality online courses.
Request Online Courses
Requests are subject to counselor and administrative approval. Please use the Online Course Request portal linked below to begin the process of requesting an online course via Georgia Virtual School. Courses requests for GAVS classes for the 2023-2024 school year must be turned in by July 12, 2023.
Online Learning Notice:
Parents/guardians have been given the option to have their student participate in online instruction. Disclosure of student information in person or online is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The written consent of a parent or eligible student (18 years old or older) is required before personally identifiable information contained therein may be disclosed. Due to the changing nature of the pandemic, there is the potential for future Forsyth County Schools (FCS) and/or statewide virtual learning days. When your student is participating in online learning, our staff members would like to continue meeting with their classes using a live group feed online platform. This platform would allow students to participate in group lessons as well as to turn off their cameras and microphones when they choose to do so for privacy. FCS staff will continue to support and provide educational access to all students. FCS staff have been advised not to disclose any students’ specific program or disability information, and all live group sessions will be general in nature and focused on educational instruction. The online learning consent listed on the next page will let the school system know if your student is able to participate in live online learning sessions.
