Montgomery ISD trustees on Thursday, Oct. 8, reviewed a proposed virtual learning program that would start as a limited high school pilot in the spring 2027 semester and could open to broader enrollment the following year.
Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Amy Busby told the board the plan grew out of parent, teacher and administrator conversations and would open first to a small group of MISD-zoned students in grades 9 through 12. The pilot would run fully online using Pearson course content, with the goal of expanding to open enrollment for 2027-28 and, in later years, offering more flexibility to MISD students who want to stay in the district.
Not every graduation course would be available through Pearson at the start, Busby said, and approvals will depend on how many credits a student still needs. The program is recommended for students who have already passed required end-of-course and STAAR exams. Virtual students would still be eligible for UIL activities, pep rallies, prom and clubs under those organizations’ rules, and virtual coursework would count toward class rank.
To keep testing and coursework honest, MISD plans to issue each virtual student a district laptop with the learning platform and monitoring tools preloaded. Trustees are set to discuss the program again at their next public meeting on Monday, Oct. 20.
Sources: Community Impact, Montgomery ISD.