IVSA Newsletter

As we get ready to begin a new school year, a picture of desks in a classroom may seem like an unusual choice for a virtual school newsletter. But for IVSA, those desks represent exactly why we exist.

Through our Teacher Shortage Solutions program, students across Illinois sit in classrooms in their own local schools while learning from highly qualified IVSA teachers through live virtual instruction. In partnership with One Room/RISE, schools can create classroom environments where technology fades into the background and meaningful relationships take center stage.

The impact is best captured by our students. At the end of last year, one shared, “I felt like my Physics teacher was literally in the room with me every day,” while another student said, “My teacher’s presence is known every day in my Spanish class because they make class so engaging and fun!”

That is what virtual learning should feel like.

As we welcome students, parents, and school partners to SY26–27, we are excited about the opportunities ahead. If your district is beginning the year with a teacher vacancy, or an unexpected opening arises, please reach out. An empty teacher desk doesn’t have to mean students go without a great teacher.

Here’s to a year of expanding access, creating opportunity, and making sure every student has access to the courses and teachers that they deserve.

Melissa Lundgaard

IVSA Executive Director

JOSHUA HOUSING serves as RELATIONSHIP MANAGER & COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST for Illinois Virtual Schools and Academy, bringing a background in journalism, digital communications, and multimedia storytelling to his work connecting Illinois school districts with flexible virtual learning solutions. Before joining IVSA, Joshua spent nearly a decade at institutions including the Associated Press and the Special Education District of Lake County, where he developed expertise in strategic communications, content strategy, and community engagement. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Iowa. Outside of work, Joshua enjoys cycling, photography, traveling, and video games.

Whiteside Middle School - Belleville

Central Middle School - Burlington

Central High School - Burlington

Nettle Creek Elementary - Morris

Lorenzo R Smith Elementary - Hopkins Park

Pawnee High School - Pawnee

Did you know that IVSA added 86 NEW PARTNER SCHOOLS since August 2025. We are GLAD you chose to join the IVSA FAMILY!

Math & Reading Bootcamp

Our Summer Bootcamp teachers expressed the joy they found working with their students to grow their math and reading skills. One student tested at the 5th grade level at the beginning of summer and grew so quickly through their bootcamp experience that he was already working on 6th grade materials by the middle of the summer. This is even more amazing as this student has a learning challenge, but his teacher worked relentlessly to help him grow over the summer.

IVSA offers over 400 courses in our Fall Program. Do you need Consumer Economics, Health, PE, World Languages or an Elective? What about taking Photography, Geometry, Digital Media, Forensics, or get credit for working this fall with our Workplace Experience course.

IVSA COURSE CATALOG

We are excited to offer a new dual credit program — a collaboration between Illinois Virtual Schools and Academy (IVSA) and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The university’s Dual Credit Learning Accelerator is partnering with IVSA to pilot three Illinois Dual Credit courses during the 2026–2027 school year. Through this initiative, students can earn both high school and college credit simultaneously.

The pilot includes three popular 100-level general education courses from the University of Illinois:

● ASTR 150: Killer Skies: Astro Disasters

● SPED 117: The Culture of Disability

● MACS 100: Introduction to Popular TV & Movies

You can view the full course menu with course descriptions on the Learning Accelerator website.

To express interest, please reach out to IVSA, as we may have a few seats still available for our Full-Time Academy students.

We look forward to working with you to expand access to high-quality dual credit opportunities!

CLICK HERE to read more about the Partnership!

• Full-Time Academy - We offer a highly supportive full-time virtual learning option for students.
• Next Chapter - Our Brand New Credit Recovery Program
• Single Course Offerings - Choose original credit or credit recovery courses in Core Subjects, Electives, World Languages, Business and CTE courses and more.
• Teacher Shortage Solutions - Are you experiencing a teacher shortage that may eliminate programs and courses. IVSA offers synchronous and asynchronous instruction options for full classes.

If you anticipate a need for IVSA to support your school in SY2627 with TSS, please fill out this TSS intake form to let us IVSA know what needs you are anticipating. Filling this out does not bind you to using IVSA, but we can begin to explore this partnership.

Synchronous or Asynchronous options are available!

We have begun to partner with several schools that have a virtual block that allows students to take Credit Recovery, Core, Honors, AP, CTE, Electives, PE, or Health as needed. You provide the space, a virtual learning facilitator, and we provide the teacher, rigorous content. If you are a public school, all enrollments are eligible for reimbursement through the Illinois Virtual Course Catalog.

Registration for our August 2026 COHORT is OPEN! Do you have a student who would thrive with a flexible learning solution? Enroll your student today.

We have a new way that you can follow your student's IVSA course(s) by creating an observer account in our learning management system, Canvas. Please use the HELP GUIDE to walk you through this.

August 7: Summer School Grades Posted

August 18: SY2627 Begins

September 15: Cohort 2 Begins

October 13: Cohort 3 Begins

The mission of IVSA is to partner with local Illinois schools to provide engaging and supportive online educational experiences to meet the needs of all learners.

Any Questions? Reach out to info@ivsaschool.org

Website: https://ivsaschool.org/

IVSA Phone Number: 866-890-IVSA (4872)