Wake County's second round of Virtual Academy applications go live

Wake County Public School System students have a second chance to apply for Wake County's virtual learning school. The application closes on July 29 at 5 p.m.

Posted 1:42 p.m. Jul 26, 2020 — Updated 9:54 a.m. Jul 27, 2020

Maggie Brown

, WRAL multiplatform producer

CARY, N.C. — Wake County Public School System students have a second chance to apply for the district's virtual learning school. Applications reopened Monday morning and close at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The Virtual Academy can provide core classes online for students as an option for those at higher risk for coronavirus infection or for students whose parents don't feel comfortable sending them back to school during the pandemic. Students in the Virtual Academy won't have to come back into the classroom or adhere to the district's plans for reopening.

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Families who have already applied can also withdraw their application during the three-day window.

In the first application period, about 49% of the school district's enrollment applied to the Virtual Academy, or about 79,000 students.

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The Wake County school board last week voted for all students to start the school year off virtually. Then, pre-kindergarten and special-needs students will transition to in-person classes on Sept. 8. Other students will return to school "as practical," according to the board. When students do return, they will alternate in and out of school in cohorts on a three-week rotation to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Students enrolled in the Virtual Academy, however, will not have to return to school for at least the fall semester. The courses available through the district's plan to reopen and the courses available at the Virtual Academy "are not expected to differ significantly," officials said.

The district will assign specific teachers to the Virtual Academy once they see how many students are enrolled.