The Lawrence school district could spend more than a half-million dollars on computer equipment and curriculum for students in the new Lawrence Virtual School.

At a special meeting Thursday, the Lawrence school board approved spending as much as $208,745 for computers and printers and $316,791 for program subscriptions for the new school.

The district said Monday that 165 students enrolled in the virtual school. Because about one-fifth that number had been expected, the board had to convene the special meeting to approve spending more money to get the charter school started.

“This is phenomenal,” board member Cindy Yulich said. “I don’t think any of us anticipated this type of reaction.”

Officials thought they might have about 30 students for the fall semester, but when the figures were in Monday they learned that 165 students plan to log in to take classes by computer.

The charter school can accept students from anywhere in the state, and only 29 of the 165 are from Lawrence. There are 19 from Overland Park, 18 from Wichita, eight from Olathe, seven from Kansas City, Kan., and five each from Manhattan, Paola and Emporia.

Board members agreed to authorize the purchase of as many as 120 computers and printers and 180 program subscriptions from Virginia-based K-12.

Earlier this month, the board approved purchase of 100 computers and printers and 150 program subscriptions.

The district will pay $1,623 for each computer and $117 for each printer.

6News video: High enrollment in virtual schools catches school board off-guard K12 curriculum Editorial: Virtual school now a reality (8-25-04) Virtual school enrolls 165 (8-24-04)

Under its contract, K-12 will receive program costs of $1,644 from the district for each kindergarten through second-grade student and $1,769 for each third- through eighth-grade student in the vitrual school.

The district has to ensure every student in the school has access to online curriculum through K-12, which provides curriculum for virtual schools and home-school students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The district also has to make sure there is a computer available for every three children in a family enrolled in the virtual school.

Karen Vespestad, director of grants, board policy and strategic planning for the district, said technical support was included with the computer and printer purchases. She said Gary Lewis, virtual school principal, would begin staffing the school with teachers next week.

The school district got a state grant of $101,709 to cover start-up costs in opening the charter school. In addition, it gets $3,863 in aid for each student enrolled, the same amount as for students attending the district’s traditional schools.

Board approval was unanimous. Board member Linda Robinson was absent.