Case Study: Shikellamy Virtual Academy reclaims online students and halves district costs with Edmentum

A Cyber Solution That Reclaims Online Students in Sunbury

Shikellamy Virtual Academy, serving grades 6–12 in Sunbury, PA, was created to reclaim students who had left the district for external online providers and to address gaps in support for learners who struggle with social anxiety, bullying, or traditional classroom settings. The district faced lost enrollment revenue and needed an online option that could deliver flexible, research-based instruction while meeting the needs of a significant special education and economically disadvantaged population.

Using Edmentum’s Courseware and EdOptions Academy, Shikellamy issued Chromebooks, established a staffed in-person lab with a certified special-education aide, and conducted targeted outreach to bring students back into the district program. In its first year (2017–18) the academy enrolled 78 students — many returning from other virtual schools — cut the district’s external online spending by roughly half (previously about $1M), and preserved students’ access to extracurriculars while building individualized, career-ready learning paths.