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MADISON — State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster and Cooperative Educational Service Agency No. 9 administrator Jerome Fiene recently announced the launch of the Wisconsin Web Academy, making online courses available to students throughout Wisconsin.

“Virtual education is an innovative reality in the 21st century and an effective educational strategy for some students,” said Burmaster. “The Wisconsin Web Academy will ensure that all children in our state, regardless of where they live, will have access to quality online courses taught by appropriately licensed educators.”

The WWA was made possible by state law that requires the Department of Public Instruction to provide equitable access to high-quality online education by offering online courses to school districts, cooperative educational service agencies, charter schools, and private schools located in this state.

“CESA 9 has been providing online courses for students throughout Wisconsin for more than eight years through our Wisconsin Virtual School,” said Fiene. “We are excited to build upon that experience as we partner with the DPI to offer more courses to more students and schools via the Wisconsin Web Academy.”

The WWA offers more than 70 online, high school level courses in content areas such as English, social studies, science, business, and mathematics. WWA offers elective courses as well, including foreign language, information technology, career planning, and life skills. Advanced Placement courses in 22 subjects and online test preparation programs for the ACT, SAT, and PSAT are provided through the WWA, as are middle school courses in science, mathematics, social studies and language arts.

“The Wisconsin Web Academy will help school districts provide more options and educational opportunities as they work to provide a quality education for all of their students,” said Burmaster.

The WWA operates as a supplemental online course provider, which means that students taking courses through the academy remain enrolled in their home districts. They also receive credit for their WWA courses through their home district.

“Wisconsin Web Academy educators are trained and certified to teach high-quality, interactive courses, all of which are aligned to Wisconsin’s academic standards,” said Fiene. “Students who have taken Wisconsin Virtual School courses over the past eight years have consistently rated the content and their teachers as excellent.”

Students interested in taking courses through WWA should contact their local school district.

Enrollment in WWA online courses for the 2008-09 school year will begin on Aug. 18. Districts interested in offering courses through WWA should contact Dawn Nordine at CESA No. 9, (715) 453-2141, ext. 231, or dnordine@cesa9.k12.wi.us.