MILWAUKEE (WTAQ) - More Wisconsin youngsters are going to school on a computer instead of in the classroom.

Just over 4,900 K to 12 students attended the state’s virtual schools a year ago.

Preliminary enrollment figures for this fall do not include the virtual charter schools, but the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said 10 of last year’s 25 online schools had at least a 15 percent increase in enrollment in September. And seven of those schools had over 30 percent more students.

Three more virtual schools opened for the first time this fall, for a total of 28 in the Badger State.

Officials say it’s partially due to the fact that families had 3 months instead of the normal 3 weeks to apply for enrollments in any public school district in Wisconsin outside their own.

Lawmakers voted a year ago to extend the open enrollment periods.

Meanwhile, over half of the brick and mortar schools in the Milwaukee area saw their enrollments go down this fall.

Officials partially blame the increase in virtual school enrollment. Lower birth rates and a drop in new home construction are also said to be factors.