Virtual Schooling in the News

Arkansas Virtual School Shows Strong Results on AR Benchmark Exams
PR Newswire (press release) - New York, NY, USA

Students in the ArkansasVirtual School (ARVS) posted strong scores on the state benchmark examinationsfor the 2004-2005 school year, according to the results recently released bythe Arkansas Department of Education. ARVS students in grades 3 through 8 took the criterion-referenced testswhich compares students' performance to other students in the state andagainst the Arkansas frameworks in math and literacy. The Arkansas Departmentof Education (ADE) defines the benchmark exams, which are a part of theArkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment and Accountability Program(ACTAAP), as important indicators for individual student progress.

County to join virtual school franchise
St. Petersburg Times - St. Petersburg, FL, USA

When the new semester starts in January, there's a good chance that a couple hundred students won't show up to class - that is, a class inside a traditional brick and mortar school building. Instead, those students will be home, at the library or even at a McDonald's that offers Internet access, browsing course material online and e-mailing their completed assignments.

Montana virtual school hosting open house
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle - Bozeman, MT, USA

Abaetern Academy, Montana's virtual school, will host an open house on Friday, Dec. 16, from 3 to 5 p.m. in celebration of its completed course catalog containing a full listing of culturally integrated distance courses for 2006.Abaetern Academy is working with Tribal Nations in Montana to deliver online and field courses to Native and rural students. Project Director Dulce Whitford and Abaetern Director Ivy Merriot will share their vision and program for rural and place-based education in Montana at the open house.The Abaetern office is at Suite 2B, 2023 Stadium Drive, next to the Montana State University stadium.

RVSD continues to get high marks
Cochrane Times - Cochrane, Alberta, Canada

It’s report card time again, but not just for students.The Rocky View School Division’s annual Education Results Report is in, and although it wasn’t given a specific grade, there were clearly more accomplishments and progress made than improvements needed in the system.“Graduation and completion rates remain above the provincial average, and we can attribute that to our alternative programs,” said Lyall Thomson, superintendent of schools for the RVSD at the Nov. 24 board meeting.Alternative programs the division has implemented are those like the Cochrane Learning Connection, and the Rocky View Virtual School, located in Airdrie.Completion rates were just one of the areas the RVSD excelled in.

School adopts new schedule
Chetek Alert - WI, United States

The Board of Education approved the trimester schedule at its monthly meeting Monday, Nov. 28. The schedule features a six-period day during 12-week trimesters. The day will begin at 8 a.m. instead of 8:15 a.m., but will still end at 3:20 p.m. The high school currently operates under a five-period modified block schedule, with 45- or 90-minute class periods. Instrumental music instructor Bruce Kamrath addressed the board in opposition of the schedule change. Kamrath said his biggest concern is that the new schedule will reduce his class time with students by one-third. His band classes will now be reduced to 30 minutes from 45 minutes.

Tags: virtual school, cyber school, high school, education