A much-anticipated survey on Wisconsin virtual charter schools was released Tuesday, revealing steadily increasing enrollment and high parental satisfaction.

There is currently a cap on student enrollment for virtual charter schools, limiting spots to 5,250 students. The Department of Public Instruction commissioned the Legislative Audit Bureau to do the survey to see whether the cap should be lifted in the future.

Julie Thompson, vice president of the Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families, said virtual charter schools are mainly for high school-age kids. These publicly funded schools take place primarily online, where students can access classes and lesson plans through their computers. There are also opportunities for real-time interactive lessons with teachers.

She added virtual charter schools can be better options for students with special needs, as well as students who are either academically ahead or behind their regular grades.

“They allow students to work at their own pace; they’re not limited to waiting on other classmates,” Thompson said. “It tailors the education to the child.”

According to the survey’s findings, the number of virtual charter schools increased from four schools in three districts during the 2002-2003 academic year to 15 schools in 11 districts during the 2007-2008 school year.

Full-time enrollment in virtual charter schools during that time grew from 265 students to 2,951 students. The survey also found that 90 percent of parents, teachers and students were satisfied with their virtual charter school.

Thompson added teachers and lesson plans are all provided by whichever host district a student decides to enroll in and not necessarily by the district in which he or she lives. She said though she lives in Middleton, her daughter is enrolled in the McFarland School district’s virtual charter school.

Virtual charter schools receive state funding like any other school district, although they also receive federal charter school grants. As part of a compromise to receive the state funding, they had to institute a cap on student enrollment, Johnson said. The audit of these charter schools was conducted to see whether the program has been successful.

“It shows that these schools are working. Parents and students are being well served by these schools, and schools are spending money wisely. There’s no reason for the continuation of the cap that has been placed on them,” Thompson said.

The survey also reported the median reading scores for virtual charter schools were generally higher than those from public schools in the state, although the math scores were lower.

All of the 161 virtual charter school teachers have professional teaching licenses and taught appropriate subjects and grade levels.

Thompson said the survey shows definitively that virtual charter schools are successful for Wisconsin students and added that certain state lawmakers are already working on legislation to end the cap.

“Now the results are in. The schools have been operating successfully for nine years now and there’s no reason to restrict enrollment,” Thompson said.