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Students flock to online classes, easing transportation costs
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Related Topics: WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Online classes are gaining popularity at area schools as students and officials realize that time at a home computer offers flexibility without costing upward of $4 per gallon.
In Fairfax County, rumblings of all-online summer school have spread as officials consider the potential savings in coming years. A wholesale switch from the conventional setup would allow buildings to close for the summer, said Mike Kowalski, the district’s Online Campus administrator, saving the district hundreds of thousands of dollars in busing and energy costs.
The district currently offers courses from health to Advanced Placement French, with the goal of allowing students flexibility to take more classes and participate in opportunities outside school, Kowalski said.
“There’s been a cultural shift in the attitude toward online learning,” said Wendy Gilbert, director of the MarylandOnline college consortium. “Before it was this pariah. ... But now there’s been time for research to show that in some ways, online courses are even more interactive than face-to-face classes.”
MarylandOnline’s 16 member schools have seen consistent double-digit growth in online enrollment since its start five years ago, up to 206,500 students in 2007.
“And in the short, short term, there are these gas prices, too,” Gilbert said, adding that anecdotal evidence points to significant enrollment gains.
In Montgomery County, recent revisions to the district’s strategic plan encourage 18 online Advanced Placement classes offered through the Maryland Virtual Learning Opportunities Program. In past years, students have chosen from two Web-based options: health and technology. Although all Montgomery high schools offer AP classes, offerings vary. Online options save students from driving elsewhere or forgoing the class altogether.
And if fuel prices continue to blow past expectations, so might online solutions.
“I’ve got some ... off-the-wall ideas,” said Montgomery County school board member Steve Abrams. “What if high school seniors did one day a week telecommuting, or what if we had a rotating schedule depending on area? What would that do for transportation costs?”
lfabel@dcexaminer.com
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Examiner Reader said:
There is talk about the new GI bill but it is really just an incentive tool to keep soldiers in the Army. I am getting ready to retire after 21 years and my daughter applied for the scholarship also and was told there wouldn't be any funds available for her also. I spent my time in Iraq and in Desert Storm and from what I understand retirees will not be eligible for any of the new benefits if you retire before August 09 anyway.
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Examiner Reader said:
This isn't a race issue, it never has been and never will be. This is a legality issue. They broke the law. Why can our government find 17 Russian students who disappeared and revoke their visas with no problem because of their illegal actions in this country. No American born child who resides in the U.S. with illegal parents is being denied in-state tuition. They are a legal resident when they turn 18 years of age as they were while they were a minor. From that moment on they can take care of their own issues without the parents input. The ACLU is screwing the American public and paying them to do so.
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Eric S. said:
Next they need to do something about college books. College "act" like they will buy your books back, but they change what edition the classes use so they do not have to buy your books back. I consider this a scam. Its too bad college are run like business' and not educational institutes.
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Examiner Reader said:
Haha! That's what you get for voting for the Democrats in office. I guess they're learning the hard way. I know Towson continuously had increases in tuition. I learned my lesson, not it's time for these students to learn theirs. They should also know, their tuition is to pay for the high paid U of MD administrators. They need to cut some fat out of the bureaucracy. The more people feeling the pinch, the more people that will be forced to call for some major changes...
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Examiner Reader said:
University of Baltimore is raising its parking fees for students based on usage up to as much as ten times depending on usage. Some students could pay as much as $800 more
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Jimmy James said:
I moved to VA to work for the Government. My family must still pay out of state tuition! Giving in-state benifits to illegals is wrong! Keep them out of schools, hospitals and out of our infrastructure until they are here legally AND employed!
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The Minutemen are coming!!!!!!!!! said:
ACLU is wrong with their opinion, based on Virginia law the AG of Va. is correct. Once again the ACLU is supporting illegals while citizens suffer.
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Examiner Reader said:
How do illegal aliens pay taxes?
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Provocateur said:
You have to concede that if the instate tuition is based on their parents having paid Maryland taxes for a set period of time, then they are due it. Many illegals pay taxes whic thaey can't reclaim.
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Examiner Reader said:
The tax burden is on the taxpayers. The illegal immigrants are here by trepassing our border. Now they want us to pay for their college while we could not even afford to pay for our own children . Of course, ACLU can pay for them anytime but don't raise our taxes to support those who are here illegally.
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Examiner Reader said:
Oh this is great, more ILLEGAL ALIENS trying to get something else out of this country for free that we have to pay for. New flash, go back to your third world countries, you are not wanted or needed here.
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AntiBVBL.net said:
What the AG is saying about domicile is that, as a matter of law, a person who is undocumented cannot establish “domicle” in Virginia because he/she cannot legally have a “present intent to remain indefinitely in Virginia” if they have no legal right to be here. So, if the parents cannot prove domicile (because they are not present lawfully) neither can the dependent child, regardless of his/her citizenship status and actual residence in Virginia. The only “out” is for the citizen child to become legally emancipated and financially independent from his/her parents — working and paying taxes, holding a VA driver’s license, registering to vote, etc. Then, a year after emancipation, the child’s domicile would be considered separately from his/her parents. Pay attention here, there are US citizens denied in-state tuition because of these domicile laws. This is WRONG. US Citizens should not be required to pay out-of-state tuition because their parents can't prove domicile.
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Examiner Reader said:
No sparing match, if you are illegal you have to do it the right way! That simple! I would like to see a group take the ACLU to court and sue them for their quest to harbor illegals and to afford them the rights that should NOT be afforded to them.
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Examiner Reader said:
Once again, the ACLU steps up to the plate to defend the rights for anyone except law-abiding American citizens.
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Examiner Reader said:
um...illegal...hmm...wait something doesnt add up
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Carl said:
Mexicans have gotten everything they have worked for in this nation, and illegal aliens are here illegally. No bigotry here, just RAZA malcontents that should head back to Mexico, YES, YES, beat it, Americans are sick of YOU. WE are sick of giving money to foreign nationals who hate us anyway. Scram, vaminoss, beat it, leave,etc. P.S. don't let the fence hit you in the rear.
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Examiner Reader said:
“College students are no longer children, they’re 18,” Payne said. “They must obtain an education like other people from different countries: Go back, follow the rules, apply for a student visa and get in line.” AGREED!
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Examiner Reader said:
Perfect. Go back to what ever country your parents brought you from and get in line. You are old enough to know better and so were your parents. I know you think you are entitled to something here because other are getting away with it. We don't think you are. You at least have to wait in line at Ellis Island and promise to up hold our contitution, Protect my country with your life and learn to speak our language. Otherwise, our country will be just like your old country in a short while. It's the people and the attitude that made your country what is today. Other generations that have made up our country have become Americans. Do it correctly.
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Examiner Reader said:
A requirement for illegal aliens paying in state tuition is attendance at in state schools for two years. A US Supreme Court ruling forces states to provide primary and secondary public education to illegal aliens. Since the state had no choice but to educate them it's hardly fair to allow aliens to rely on that education to obtain another public benefit, i.e., in state tuition at public colleges.
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Examiner Reader said:
Congress really should be made up of college students. This would be a much better country. Now it is run by the older generation of racist, greedy, bigots who are peers to many of the racist hate-mongering bigots who tend to have a lot to say on these comment boards. If the Internet was like this 40 years ago the same people would be telling black people to go back to Africa.
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Examiner Reader said:
This legislation is doomed, illegals go home. We have only begun to fight against you. It will get worse for you before you leave. Do it legally or not at all.
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Examiner Reader said:
Why punish American taxpayers for the acts of the illegal alien's illegal parents? We have no legal or moral duty to lower our standard of living to accommodate the millions of people around the world who illegally entered into our country. Does America “owe” the citizens of foreign nations jobs, education, healthcare and money? NO! No money for school? too bad, how sad, perhaps your parents should have considered what would happen to their children when they broke our laws and broke into our country. No American should be forced to pay for services for illegal aliens, and we won't! Illegals Go Home!
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Examiner Reader said:
Peoples Republic of Maryland
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Have they registered fr the draft? said:
Have the folks at the rally registered for the draft as is required by law?
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Examiner Reader said:
The imigration service should have been there and arrested all the illegals to process for deportation.
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Carl said:
How can you charge an American citizen from another State "out of State"tuition but not an illegal who can be classified as "out of Country". I can't imagine why American citizens put up with this?
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Bobby said:
Gimme,taxpayer, gimme, gimme, gimme,etc. The "students" should be ashamed of themselves and so should the sociology, ethnic studies, "professors" who incite them to do this cr-p. No American citizen has ever been asked whether they want to be responsible for the schooling of foreign nationals, and RUDE, for nationals to boot. No respect for the American taxpayer who pays you "professors".
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Examiner Reader said:
I'm really sick of the demands of people who should't be here in the first place. The sins of the fathers... I hope that someday the insane interpretation of the 14th amendment will be rectified. Children of illegals should never have our most precious birthright just handed to them. But, be prepared for any of the three presidential candidates to continue the same trechery.
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Ex_OC said:
Yeah, it's not their fault they're here. But it's not our fault either! The fault is their parents'! Why do we have to pay for their parents' illegal actions? NO WAY. They are adults now. Each day that they remain is a violation of our laws. SO NOW IT'S THEIR FAULT. I'm sick and tired of their whining and entitlement attitude!! GO HOME!! Leave us alone!!
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Examiner Reader said:
I moved when I was 21 and couldn't afford the college of my choice because I wasn't a resident and the out-of-state tuition was too high. What did I do? I went to another college and paid my way. I didn't demand a hand-out. What is this nonsense?! Stop expecting freebies!! They're not even here legally, for crying-out-loud! I tell you, political correctness is KILLING this country.
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Examiner Reader said:
“The vast majority of these kids were brought here by their parents,” said Del. Saqib Ali, a Montgomery County Democrat. “We shouldn’t penalize them for the actions of their parents.” Ali added that a country willing to let illegal immigrants fight in its wars should also offer them “full and equal access to higher education,” especially when their children will most likely be born in the United States." Illegal aliens are NOT supposed to be in the military and if they are, it's because they committed fraud. As for punishing illegal alien children, well, they can return to their homelands before the age of 18 and apply to come here legally on student visas. At age 18, they're adults and it's their own decision to remain illegal at that point. I've taught overseas in the Middle East for several years. My students had to jump through hoops to come here legally and pay their own way. Why shouldn't illegal alien children have to do the same?
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Examiner Reader said:
Children pay for the criminal acts of their parents all the time. Why should the children of illgals receive special treatment. What happens to a US citizen's children when a parent is caught breaking the law and is incarcerated? Those children could be put in state care unless another family member or friend is willing to take over raising them."Oh, you're splitting up families."
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Examiner Reader said:
High school and college students who are the offspring of illegal alien parents who reside here have no right to favorable tuition privileges which are only available to U.S. Citizens. Let them return to their country of origin, or serve in the U. S. military, if qualified, to earn citizenship. Their parents decided the issue for this group because they broke U.S. law, thus subjecting their children to this situation. The responsibility lies only with the criminal trepass action of the illegal immigrant parent We owe illegal aliens NOTHING, except deportment!
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Examiner Reader said:
Any illegal immigrant that serves a tour in the U.S. military earns the right to citizenship.
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Examiner Reader said:
Maryland is not on the low end for college tuition for State Universities.Instate tuitions are without equity to state students as a vast number of illegal aliens receive the same price as do many other foreign nationals.Please notice I did not say illegal immigrants as the PC people . It is you and me who help fund these schools and you and me who let students with higher GPA's keep many of our students out.It is a fact that if our students must compete with GPS's for a world population of 4 billion than they will be denied admission. Then we treat the foreigners as if they are minorities and give them reduced tuition. America is beginning to suck
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DMM said:
You know they will if MOM has his way!
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Examiner Reader said:
The article did not mention if illegal aliens will get in state tuition rates.
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