State: Politico's company wants 'virtual charter school'

TALLAHASSEE -- Over the past two decades, William J. Bennett has established himself as a leading moralist, educator and television pundit with solid conservative credentials.

Now he wants to help educate some of Florida's schoolchildren.

Bennett's company is talking to Florida education officials about setting up a "virtual charter school" that would offer curriculum through the Internet to home-schooled children.

"We're not ready to make an announcement," said Jason Bertsch, a vice president of Bennett's K12 company. "(But) we are in talks with the state. We're very optimistic that this will happen."

The for-profit company, which developed the line of Internet-based curriculum for home-schooling parents, already has established a charter school in Pennsylvania.

Bertsch said K12 wants to start a smaller version of the Pennsylvania school in Florida, possibly as a pilot program. The company wants to help the state hire teachers -- most of them certified -- for the program. Those teachers would contact the students and parents regularly by phone and e-mail, although the parent or guardian would guide the student much of the time.

If the state partnered with K12 to open a charter school, then taxpayers would pick up the tuition costs as they do for other charter schools, Bertsch said.

According to the company's Web site, prices for the program range from $125 for a single semester course to $895 for an entire grade during K12's pre-enrollment period. The company offers courses for grades K-2 this year and plans to add three grades a year until 2004, when it will add the four high school grades to the program.

Florida Education Commissioner Charlie Crist said the discussions, which he described as "preliminary," were being handled by his staff. One of his top aides met Wednesday with Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan to discuss the idea. Crist said he hasn't talked to anyone at K12, including Bennett.

"I respect him, but I haven't spoken to him," Crist said.

Bennett served as education secretary and chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities under President Ronald Reagan and as the United State's drug czar under former President George Bush. He co-wrote the 1999 book The Educated Child and authored The Book of Virtues.

Bennett drew attention in 1999 when he warned parents that "there is no good evidence that most uses of computers significantly improve learning." He launched K12 late last year.

Maureen Dinnen, president of the Florida Education Association teachers union, said the state needs to think carefully before it commits to a partnership with K12.

"I think we have to be very careful about where we spend public dollars," Dinnen said. And she worries about what Bennett will bring to the table.

"He has very definite ideas of education. He is not at all in favor of unions," Dinnen said.

In starting up K12, Bennett has tapped into a grades K-12 "e-learning" market that the company estimates will reach $6.9-billion by 2003. But if any of his personal views went into K12's development, it isn't obvious from descriptions of the courses.

Second-graders do learn about the history of Christianity, but they spend about the same time learning about Islam and ancient Roman mythology, according to the company's Web site.

Joy Lynn is the president of the Home School Fellowship of Central Florida. Although some home-schooling parents may be wary if the state's money and regulations are involved, Lynn said many parents, especially those new to home schooling, may welcome the structure K12 would offer.

"I think it's the way to go," Lynn said.

Her county, Pasco, mails out packets to parents that include information about the laws ruling home schoolers and names of leaders in the home-schooling community, but Lynn said the state pretty much leaves home schoolers alone.

"This could be a really good thing. I don't think they (parents) would turn their noses at it."

- Times researcher Deirdre Morrow contributed to this report.

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