Fayette

County high school students will soon have access

to 600 courses via the Internet, making extra

course work or make-up courses available before

and after school, even at home, Stuart Bennett,

assistant superintendent for curriculum and

instruction, told the school board Saturday.

"Fayette

County will be the first system in Georgia to do

this," Bennett said. "Fayette County

will take the leadership role in this."

He

estimated that the program will be piloted with

about 60 to 100 students. The software is being

currently loaded into the district-wide computer

system and will be ready for student sign-up in

October or November, Bennett predicted.

Everything from German and 12th grade analysis to

English and vocational classess will be offered.

Bennett

explained that internet classes will be a way to

offer more credits to students. "About 30

percent are having trouble getting everything

they need in a six-period day," he said.

"It's hard to get the requirements in, in

four years," he added, noting the more

stringent state graduation requirements in place.

"Our

biggest goal is accountability and meeting state

graduation requirements," he said.

Superintendent

Dr. John DeCotis said the courses are accredited

regionally, and the staff is looking into getting

state accreditation as well. "We are looking

at guidelines, and we also need teachers to be

trained," DeCotis said.

Students

would be allowed to take only one extra course at

a time, DeCotis said, and they would have to pay

a fee for the course.

"I

saw 100 courses right off the bat we could

use," Bennett said. "There are

different levels of instruction, some with higher

level thinking... it's an excellent

curriculum." He estimated the intial cost

would be around $30,000, which is already funded

in the technology budget for software.

The

state of Georgia offers a virtual high school,

but according to DeCotis, the program is

"more expensive and involves more red

tape."

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