Virtual charter schools nationwide, and in Indiana, face a lot of unique issues, including low academic performance, high transfer rates, and accountability.

Committee members say they want to know more about the challenges of operating virtual schools and explore virtual education in general.

The Indiana Agriculture and Technology School will have a physical outpost on a farm in southern Indiana.

The State Board of Education plans to take a closer look at virtual charter schools. Members approved a new committee at their meeting Wednesday to review and make policy recommendations around virtual schools.

The virtual school incorporates a physical farm campus in Morgantown, with hundreds of acres of crops, pasture, and forest that will give students hands-on experience.

Hoosier Academies Virtual -- Indiana's first online public charter school -- has earned an F from the state for six years in a row. More than 3,000 students attend, grades K through 12, from all 92 counties. Some thrive, but last year, 60 percent of the senior class dropped out before graduation. On Wednesday, the State Board of Education might shut it down. In this two-part series reports, WFYI's Eric Weddle looks at the challenges facing the school and the pressures on the school's leader.