Springfield Public School’s Launch Virtual Learning system is now providing virtual learning services to most of the school districts in Missouri.
Earlier this month Launch celebrated its 400th partner school district, Springfield Lutheran High School. Launch began over a decade ago as Springfield’s solution to online learning, in 2017 it began partnering with additional schools. It has mostly partnered with public school districts but has seen recent growth in serving private and charter schools.
In a statement Launch said it “serves tens of thousands of students each year with more than 120,000 course enrollments.”
Director of Launch Virtual Learning Dr. Nichole Lemmon said Launch employees about 400 teachers who work virtually but are based in Missouri. They provide full coursework and individual classes depending on the need and fill unique niches, providing access to classes students may not otherwise have. Dr. Lemmon said “for example, the only Japanese certified teacher in the State of Missouri works for us so we’re able to offer Japanese as a world language to the whole state.
The program is under the governance of the Springfield Board of Education, and students receive Springfield credits and a public-school diploma. Dr. Lemmon said that most online education services are for-profit businesses. Its basis in a public school is important to Launch’s mission, as is a generous funding model. “What makes Launch really unique, and actually really appealing to school districts all over the state,” Dr. Lemmon explained, “is they retain the state aid for any student enrolled in Launch and then they pay Springfield Public Schools’ tuition for that student to take courses with us.”
She also says Launch and students across the state benefit from MOCAP a Missouri law that ensures online access to education for Missouri students at no cost to the student and parents. “That program continues to grow year-over-year,” Dr. Lemmon said, “in just this year alone we saw over a 20% increase in full-time enrollments coming through just that program.”
Dr. Lemmon says the structure and mission of Launch are mostly unique to Missouri. She says Launch wants to keep education local while still serving the needs of its partners and providing the transparency that comes with public education.