You are here: Home / Archives for online high schools

Letter: School board needs to show more fiscal responsibility

April 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I had the opportunity to testify at last week’s Board of Education meeting asking for fiscal responsibility, leadership, transparency and for community input about the recently found $10 million surplus in the school system budget.

I do not believe it is fiscally responsible or prudent to say, “We don’t have enough money for certain priorities” like our school liaison positions or our move to a virtual education program, when in fact, a couple weeks later the board says, “We not only have enough money, but we have extra money.” I applaud Mr. Meshkin in his fight for organizational input by groups like the PTA and the Budget Review Committee, stressing the need for transparency. The Gang of Four believed this surplus is their money not the taxpayers.

For the rest of the article, go to Letter: School board needs to show more fiscal responsibility

Filed Under: bestonlinehighschools.com, Home Page, online high schools Tagged With:

Connections Academy Virtual Public Schools Open Enrollment for the 2012-2013 School Year

April 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Exciting developments also are taking place on the curriculum front, as Connections Academy expands its educational offerings, adding new programs and a host of new courses, instructional tools, and student activities. Three new specialty academies will be available for students who have exceptional talent in the performing arts, competitive sports, or math and science. Open to qualified Connections Academy students, the Performing Arts Academy, the Sports Academy and the Math and Science Academy, offer enriching experiences, networking opportunities, and specialty-focused coursework—including NCAA-approved courses for student athletes.

All Connections Academy students will be able to select a number of engaging new courses including: Digital Arts; Introduction to Entrepreneurship; Engineering Design and Game Design; and AP World History. Innovative instructional tools will be available to students for the first time including: Lab Investigator: Virtual Dissection; a virtual wordplay game for middle school students; and selected state history courses with Google Earth tours and virtual timelines—showcased by robot avatars. Just-introduced extra-curricular clubs and activities for 2012-2013 include digital storytelling and brainteasers clubs.

For the rest of the article, go to Connections Academy Virtual Public Schools Open Enrollment for the 2012-2013 School Year

Filed Under: Home Page, online high schools Tagged With:

Spotlight Turns Toward Virtual Ed. Accountability

March 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The popularity of online education continues to rise as students, parents, and educators embrace its flexibility and emphasis on using multimedia tools and curricula to personalize learning. In response, school districts are building their own virtual programs, making district-based efforts the fastest-growing model for this form of education.

But as e-learning moves further into the K-12 mainstream, it is also attracting closer scrutiny from educators, policymakers, researchers, and the news media. Questions about its effectiveness are being asked more often by a growing cadre of critics, and even advocates concede that the e-learning movement needs to take a harder look at putting better accountability measures in place.

For the rest of the article, go to Spotlight Turns Toward Virtual Ed. Accountability

Filed Under: Home Page, online high schools Tagged With:

Companies Target Hybrid-Charter Market

March 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

As hybrid charter schools have grown in number, so, too, has companies’ understanding of how to serve the small but growing niche of schools looking for content, technical support, and conceptual guidance on mixing online instruction and face-to-face learning.

And among those companies, it appears the usual suspects from the virtual education world are leading the pack.

For the rest of the article, go to Companies Target Hybrid-Charter Market

Filed Under: Home Page, online high schools

Coming soon to Howard County: a digital school system

February 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When the county school board approved a 2013 operating budget last week, board members also gave the green light to a comprehensive, system-wide approach to greater digital learning for students.

In its $697 million request, the board designated $500,000 for a new e-learning program that will hail the beginning of a virtual online school.

“We’re in good shape to launch a very robust program,” said Chief Academic Officer Linda Wise.

The program is in its beginning stages, Wise said. But the school system successfully piloted online courses during the 2011 summer school session, and has implemented other forms of digital learning in the past in “small pieces.”

For the rest of the article, go to Coming soon to Howard County: a digital school system

Filed Under: Home Page, online high schools Tagged With: ,

Virtual Education Sees Shift to Accountability

February 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Virtual schooling is in the era of a fundamental shift in its development that should be embraced, not feared, argue the authors and sponsors of the 2011 version of the “Keeping Pace” annual report on virtual schooling.

While most virtual school advocates in the past may have focused on gaining exposure for their programs, experts suggest they should shift toward emphasizing accountability and transparency in those programs to a community at-large becoming more aware of virtual education. And despite some recent negative press about online schooling’s benefit or lack thereof, they agree that many virtual providers are heading in this direction.

For the rest of the article, go to Virtual Education Sees Shift to Accountability

Filed Under: Home Page, online high schools Tagged With: ,

How to start a successful virtual learning program

December 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Virtual learning can help districts address many needs, such as filling a gap between courses a school offers and courses students might want to take but aren’t currently offered—and a new report offers insights on starting a virtual learning program from a number of seasoned experts.

Statistics indicate that more than 1.5 million students attended fully online or blended learning programs during the 2009-10 school year, and more school districts are turning to online instruction for its expanded curriculum offerings, flexibility, and cost-saving potential. Some experts predict that roughly half of high school courses will be offered online by 2019.

For the rest of the article, go to How to start a successful virtual learning program

Filed Under: Home Page, online high schools Tagged With:

Dropouts revive dreams at alternative high school

December 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Fusion, which also has an east-side campus on Warren and Connor and has a total of about 150 students between both campuses, combines online course work with face-to-face instruction from certified teachers. Students attend one of three 41/2-hour sessions daily.

The school is operated by Connections Education, a Baltimore-based provider of virtual education programs, and Ombudsman, a Nashville-based company that serves students who learn better in non-traditional settings.

The setting appears to work for sophomore Sapphire Doss, 17. She attended Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences where she said she received A’s and B’s, but fell in with the wrong crowd.

For the rest of the article, go to Dropouts revive dreams at alternative high school

Filed Under: Home Page, online high schools Tagged With:

Robotics Club: Extracurricular Activities and Online Learning

November 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

National Connections Academy

National Connections Academy

Filed Under: Home Page, online high schools, videos Tagged With:

National Distance Education Week – November 7 – 11, 2011

November 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Educators in the field are well aware of the fact that online learning has taken education to the next level world wide. Anywhere there is an Internet connection there you will find online class accessibility. Needless to say Maryland, along with many other states, has stepped up its’ education program to fulfill the demand for this non traditional learning. One such program offered through the Maryland Virtual Learning Opportunities Program and managed by the Maryland Department of Educationis designed for high school students who are experiencing difficulty due to poor grades, disciplinary actions, absenteeism, leave of absence, or for those who desire/need courses that may not be available in the traditional setting. And although the MVL Program is not does not offer an entire high school program online many students are benefiting from having accessibility to these courses to enrich their learning.

For the rest of the article, go to National Distance Education Week – November 7 – 11, 2011 

Filed Under: Home Page, news, online high schools Tagged With:
« Older Posts