Ontario SD 8C moves to start local and statewide virtual programs (EdFlex Ontario, EdFlex Oregon)

District staff outlined plans for two virtual programs during the budget committee meeting: EdFlex Ontario, designed for local students who want an online or hybrid option while remaining connected to district activities; and EdFlex Oregon, intended to enroll students from across the state.

Staff said the primary outside vendor cost in the proposed budget is for Pearson and curriculum services; other work (marketing, phone‑book distribution and some administration) is being done in‑house. District presenters said they have enrollment and break‑even targets and expect the Ontario program to begin generating visible revenue in the next budget cycle if recruitment succeeds.

EdFlex Ontario is explicitly designed to allow students to remain connected to in‑person offerings such as athletics and CTE classes, enabling hybrid participation. The district acknowledged the operational complexity of ‘‘building the plane while flying it’’ — developing the website, curriculum and recruitment simultaneously — and told the committee program growth will be monitored month‑to‑month.

Staff said EdFlex Oregon will register students statewide and that the district already has some students enrolled in the local EdFlex Ontario pilot; broader statewide enrollment is expected to ramp in the following year. Committee members asked whether the program would operate year‑round; staff replied it will follow the regular school year with summer opportunities (credit recovery, targeted programs).

Staff cautioned they were not yet relying on EdFlex to close the district’s budget gap and said marketing and enrollment remain the immediate tasks. The committee heard that much of the initial cost is curriculum licensing and that a minimum enrollment is required for the program to be self‑sustaining.

What’s next: staff will continue to develop the site, begin phased marketing, and report back on enrollment, expenditures, and revenue projections at future budget committee meetings.