A pioneering Pierce County school district and a leading online education company have decided to end a partnership that began in 2006.

The Steilacoom School District and Virginia-based K12 Inc., which operates the Washington Virtual Academy (WAVA), will part ways when the current contract between the two entities ends June 30.

Together, the public school district and the publicly traded company laid some of the groundwork for early online education in the state.

The severing of their relationship comes in the wake of state funding cuts to online education programs that affect school districts across the state.

Last year, the Legislature cut funding to online programs by an average of 15 percent per student.

The closure of Steilacooms K12 program will mean WAVA families interested in online public education for their kids will have to seek those services elsewhere. The Steilacoom School Board has authorized layoff notices for up to 43.5 full-time equivalent WAVA teachers.

Steilacoom Superintendent William Fritz said contracts prevent the district from hiring WAVA teachers into its six traditional schools for one year.

He said WAVAs Steilacoom program this year enrolls the full-time equivalent of about 1,350 students. Of that number, he said, only about 25 live in Steilacoom. The rest are from school districts around the state.

K12 also operates programs through the Omak and Monroe school districts, and Fritz said Steilacooms WAVA families should have already received a letter inviting them to enroll in those programs.

They would still get the same education, using the same curriculum, it just wouldnt be through our district, Fritz said.

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Pierce County online school will close