VirtualSC School Sponsor Requirements & Terms of Agreement
VirtualSC (VSC) is a supplementary online learning program that partners with "sponsoring" public schools, private schools, home schools and adult education programs to serve South Carolina students in online courses. As a supplementary program, VirtualSC provides courses and instruction to SC students. All other educational responsibilities, including transcripts, records retention, special education services, diplomas etc, remain the responsibility of the sponsor school. VSC does not currently charge tuition to South Carolina students.
A district, school, adult education program or homeschooling parent that wishes to become a sponsor must be registered with VSC. The sponsor can set up an account by completing the form linked below.
To be registered as a VSC sponsor, the district, school, adult education program or homeschooling parent must fulfill the following requirements:
- Have in place a program of studies that leads to a diploma.
- Comply with the Legislation, Regulation and policies governing online courses established by VSC. The most recent copies of each policy can be found on the VSC Program Guidelines and Policies page.
- Identify the individual(s) who will advise the student regarding courses he or she will need to earn a diploma.
- Identify the individual who will assist the student in resolving any technology issues that may arise.
All registered VSC sponsors must fulfill the following responsibilities:
- Provide students with advisement on appropriate course placement and workload expectations. Ensure the parent/legal guardian of a student who is seventeen years of age or younger approves for the student to take the enrolled VSC courses.
- Approve students for appropriate courses by ensuring the following:
- Necessary documents related to the enrollment of the student are uploaded to the VSC Dashboard within 14 days of the student's placement in a course.
- Their students are enrolled at the correct level, i.e, middle level, college preparatory, advanced placement and credit recovery.
- Their students are not concurrently enrolled in the same VSC and brick and mortar course.
- Only students enrolled in a credit recovery course have taken the CP course and received a failing grade.
- Their students have access to the technology resources required to successfully complete a VSC course.
- Student enrollments and final grades are correctly documented in PowerSchool or the private school/home school transcript.
- Monitor the student's work, progress, and grade while the student is participating in the program.
- Maintain the VSC sponsor account with up-to-date personnel and contact information.
- Schools will review and verify school-based account assignments on a yearly basis.
- Schools will provide the name and contact information of one staff or faculty member who is to serve as the VSC contact during summer months.
- Schools will ensure that students requiring accommodations while taking a VSC course during summer months have access to the necessary resources, and can provide a contact person who will handle any accommodations issues that arise.
- Ensure that the final examination for each initial credit course is conducted in an appropriately proctored environment. Proctors must be a South Carolina certified teacher, media specialist, school counselor or administrator.
- Notify VSC if a student withdraws, transfers or is removed from the sponsor school within 14 days.
- Record the VSC course on the student’s transcript and award credit based on the final grade report issued by VSC. VSC reserves the right to request the audit of sponsor records through the South Carolina Department of Education.
A sponsor will forfeit the right to enroll students with VirtualSC if it fails to abide by these requirements and responsibilities.
(Last Updated 8.12.2021)