The Fairfax County School District of Virginia is considering creating its own virtual high school through which students would take all classes online.

In contrast to a state-sponsored school run by a private company that many students in the county have already joined, the Fairfax school would be run directly by the school district. The trend toward virtual schools has spread rapidly in recent years, with 250,000 students currently enrolled full-time in 30 states and the District of Colombia. Although research on the effectiveness of virtual schools remains slim, proponents argue that they are an effective means of opening up the school system and providing a broader range of alternatives to parents and students.

The Washington Post provides full coverage of the proposal here.