School History

Lawrence Virtual School began as a dream of Lawrence Public Schools and interested parents in the Lawrence area to create an opportunity for students to complete their schoolwork from home with the support of Kansas-certified teachers.

LVS officially came to life in the fall of 2004 when a charter was granted, staff was hired, and a partnership was formed with the national online curriculum provider K12.

The first year began with an administrator, an administrative assistant, and seven staff members, some of whom were only part-time. The hope was to enroll approximately 30 students in the first year, but the staff was blown away with an enrollment of 169! Since then, LVS has continued to grow, providing education to K-12 students throughout Kansas and, at times, exceeding enrollment numbers of 1,200 students from across the state.

Lawrence Virtual School is no longer a charter school and is now 100% a part of Lawrence Public Schools, USD 497, with administrative offices located at the Educational Support Center (ESC), 110 McDonald Dr. in Lawrence. LVS has become one of the most recognizable virtual schools in the state of Kansas and proudly provides a flexible, diverse, and equitable educational opportunity that works for many students and families.