By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

Fayette County high school students will soon have access to 600 courses via the Internet, making extra course work or make-up courses available before and after school, even at home, Stuart Bennett, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, told the school board Saturday.

“Fayette County will be the first system in Georgia to do this,” Bennett said. “Fayette County will take the leadership role in this.”

He estimated that the program will be piloted with about 60 to 100 students. The software is being currently loaded into the district-wide computer system and will be ready for student sign-up in October or November, Bennett predicted. Everything from German and 12th grade analysis to English and vocational classess will be offered.

Bennett explained that internet classes will be a way to offer more credits to students. “About 30 percent are having trouble getting everything they need in a six-period day,” he said. “It's hard to get the requirements in, in four years,” he added, noting the more stringent state graduation requirements in place.

“Our biggest goal is accountability and meeting state graduation requirements,” he said.

Superintendent Dr. John DeCotis said the courses are accredited regionally, and the staff is looking into getting state accreditation as well. “We are looking at guidelines, and we also need teachers to be trained,” DeCotis said.

Students would be allowed to take only one extra course at a time, DeCotis said, and they would have to pay a fee for the course.

“I saw 100 courses right off the bat we could use,” Bennett said. “There are different levels of instruction, some with higher level thinking... it's an excellent curriculum.” He estimated the intial cost would be around $30,000, which is already funded in the technology budget for software.

The state of Georgia offers a virtual high school, but according to DeCotis, the program is “more expensive and involves more red tape.”