Fox Valley Virtual School Exceeds Expansion Goals Ahead of Schedule, Accelerating $640,000 Grant Investment

Enrollment grows 37% as FVVS surpasses grant benchmarks and expands district partnerships

MENASHA, WI, UNITED STATES, September 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Just months after receiving a $640,000 federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) Expansion Grant, Fox Valley Virtual School (FVVS) has already surpassed the major expansion goals it set for September 2027—allowing the school to accelerate grant implementation and put more funding to work for students sooner.

FVVS recorded 37% year-over-year enrollment growth for the 2026–27 school year, exceeding the grant's approximate 23% enrollment growth benchmark more than a year early. The school has also achieved its district partnership goal, establishing two new consortium partnerships with Wisconsin public school districts.

“When we established these goals, we knew they were ambitious and that meaningful growth would take time,” said Renae Braun, Principal of Fox Valley Virtual School. “To significantly surpass our enrollment growth goal more than a year ahead of schedule and already establish two district partnerships is an exciting milestone. It speaks to the need for flexible public school options in Wisconsin and to the experience our teachers and staff have created for students and families.”

FVVS was awarded the $640,000 federal CSP Expansion Grant through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction earlier this year after being recognized as a high-quality virtual charter school through a state-level and independent external review process.

Achieving its expansion benchmarks ahead of schedule allows FVVS to move beyond the grant’s planning phase and begin full implementation. Rather than being limited to approximately $100,000 during a planning year, the school can now move forward with the full $640,000 grant award, accelerating investments in student learning and programming.

“The biggest impact is that we don’t have to wait another year to bring these opportunities to our students,” Braun said. “We can start enhancing learning experiences and strengthening the support we provide right now, while continuing to build for the future.”

FVVS’s new consortium partnerships are also expanding access to high-quality virtual learning for Wisconsin families. Through these partnerships, eligible students can receive virtual instruction through FVVS while remaining resident students of their home school districts—giving districts another way to meet the needs of students who may benefit from a virtual learning environment.

As FVVS grows, the school is building on years of experience in virtual education. FVVS first received a federal Charter Schools Program grant in 2022, earning more than $650,000 in implementation funding to support the development of its virtual learning model.

Since then, FVVS has continued to refine an approach that combines the flexibility of learning from home with live instruction from licensed Wisconsin teachers, small-group learning, individualized support, hands-on experiences and opportunities for students to connect with their school community.

“We’ve had several years to learn what works in virtual education and, just as importantly, what students and families need to feel successful and connected,” Braun said. “As we grow, we want to build on that experience while protecting what has always been important at FVVS, strong relationships, personalized support and teachers who truly know their students.”

FVVS’s established approach has also helped build relationships with other Wisconsin school districts, opening the door to consortium partnerships that can make virtual learning accessible to more students.

“Getting students enrolled is only part of the story,” Braun said. “Keeping families is just as important. Families stay because of the relationships our teachers build, the support they receive and the experience their children have here. Our teachers and staff have worked incredibly hard to build this school, and this growth reflects that work.”

Fox Valley Virtual School continues to accept applications for the 2026–27 school year in grades 4K–8, with limited availability by grade. Families interested in learning more about FVVS or exploring whether virtual learning could be the right fit for their child can visit www.foxvalleyvirtualschool.org.

About Fox Valley Virtual School
Fox Valley Virtual School (FVVS) is a tuition-free Wisconsin public online school serving students in grades 4K–8 statewide. FVVS combines licensed Wisconsin teachers, personalized instruction and flexible learning opportunities to help students thrive academically, socially and emotionally. Through live virtual classes, small-group support, hands-on learning experiences and family partnerships, FVVS creates a connected learning community where every student is known, supported and empowered to succeed.

Heather Louden
Fox Valley Virtual School
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