Try a sample course or see a demonstration of how the materials are delivered to students through either VHS or VLACS.
I was able to view an instructional video on the VLACS site. The site seems more complicated then our black board site. There seems to be many steps to do a simple assignment. I definitely could see this as a source of enrichment for students especially since they offer course’s that earn college credits as well as High School and Middle School credits, but I can also see students struggling just to keep up with all of the steps they need to do.
Preview the course selections for your state and an adjoining state.
The course catalog lists do not seem to differ for in state and out of state students. The same subjects are offered for the same amount of time and are worth the same credits. The same learning goals are used and for competency recovery the same GSE’s are used for in state and out of state students.
What are the policies for the virtual school regarding accepting students from other states?
Eligibility
- Have not earned a high school diploma;
- Be able to pay non-resident tuition in full upon admission;
- Complete all coursework prior to his or her 21st birthday
- Not been expelled from a school or diploma granting program;
To complete the admissions process for a full time student, prospective students are required to:
- Complete an admissions application;
- Participate in the student/parent interviews;
- Receive a recommendation for acceptance from the VLACS admissions team;
- Transfer academic records to VLACS
- Complete one or more half credit segments of a high school English, math, social studies or science course with a grade of 70% or better as a part-time student before becoming eligible for full-time status;
The only difference between in state and out of state is there is a tuition fee, and there is an interview and recommendation process for out of state students.
Do the virtual schools work with local schools?
There was no specific schools listed on the site. It just states that it is available to all NH Middle School and High School students.
Can students be part-time students?
Students can register as part time. As a matter of fact, VLACS states that they are required to enroll as part time for at least a half a high school credit segment in either English, Math, Science or Social Studies
How you could use these schools for supplemental education and for providing extended learning opportunities for students. Use specific examples to illustrate.
As I stated above I could see this being used as enrichment for more advanced students or students looking to earn college credits. I could also see a student who is behind in a subject using it as a way to get caught up. I do not see it as a way to take the place of a brick and mortar school except under certain circumstances, like bullying or a type of disability that would cause the student to struggle in school. Or if a child was severely sick and would have been out for an extended period of time. This could also be a great tool for parents that want to home school but lack the education, knowledge and training to do the job properly.
References:
Welcome to the Virtual Learning Academy. (n.d.). Virtual Learning Academy Charter School. Retrieved from http://vlacs.org/
I found it interesting that they feel a 70% is sufficient to continue in the program. I would have thought that they would require a higher percentage of pass rate to encourage their students to be as motivated as possible to excel in the courses. When attending as a part-time student do the students have to also attend their traditional school so that they do not fall behind with their credits? I believe I like the VHS Collaborative version of virtual schools better than what I have read here. I like that the VHS Collaborative works directly with the brick and mortar schools. This helps ensure integrity in the program. I'm glad we both reviewed opposite programs, so that we could compare our findings.
ReplyDeleteYes, a 70 is pretty low, but still considered a C. Students can graduate high school with even a lower gpa as long as they have a D, so I guess a 70 would be acceptable. Often times, students who take courses in a virtual high school would need to be independent and work well alone. I would think that some students who have difficulty with traditional school may not have intrinsic motivation to take classes online only. It may sound perfect in theory, but it might be a lot easier to ignore the class because there is not a strict time line for work each day.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that a 70 was a C. In my county, a 70 is the lowest possible D. A 69 is an F.
ReplyDelete