South Carolina’s Virtual Big Bang

Tracy SandersCherry Daniel

Mickey Revenaugh

Who We Are• Tracy Sanders

– Program Manager, South Carolina Virtual School Program– tsanders@ed.sc.gov

• Cherry Daniel– Head of School, South Carolina Virtual Charter School– cdaniel@k12.com

• Mickey Revenaugh– Vice President for State Relations, Connections Academy– mrevenaugh@connectionsacademy.com

What We’ll Discuss

• Landmark legislation 2007• Evolution of the South Carolina Virtual

School Program • Launch of the virtual charter schools• South Carolina in national perspective

Landmark Legislation

• May 2005-South Carolina High School Redesign Commission met to study the latest research on high school initiatives that promote high achievement and to make recommendations for future state action.

• Business and community leaders, parents, pre K–12 educators, and representatives from higher education spent months evaluating research and visiting high schools to determine the most effective strategies.

Landmark Legislation

• The South Carolina High School Redesign Commission discovered the task facing South Carolina’s high schools was to:– keep more students in school through

graduation– to graduate students with the knowledge and

skills that employers and colleges expect– and to ensure that all students have the

rigorous preparation that will equip them for a lifetime of learning and productive, rewarding work.

Landmark Legislation

• The South Carolina High School Redesign Commission recommended fifty-five strategies, both general and specific to subcommittee focus, to strengthen the state’s high schools.

• The 4th recommendation states: South Carolina should mandate and fund alternative pathways to graduation to assist students who are behind academically and to foster individual progression through high school.

Landmark Legislation

• Alternative pathways to graduation should include the following:– virtual high schools to enhance classroom learning,

equalize opportunities among districts, and promote individual progression through school;

– credit-recovery labs provided during or after the school day to enable students who have fallen behind to complete courses and get back on track; and

– extended school day or extended school year programs to meet increasing expectations and goals and to ensure that students have opportunities to catch up, keep up, and get ahead with academic course work.

Landmark Legislation

• November 2005-Official “kick off” meeting was hosted at the State Department of Education by the Office of Technology and the Office of High School Redesign.

• Representation included participants from all areas of the Department of Education, districts, higher education, community, and business.

• The objective was to inform the group of online learning opportunities for students and start discussion on how to plan and implement online learning statewide.

Landmark Legislation

• January 2006-South Carolina district virtual school initiatives were presented to the online learning committee.

• March of 2006-The Online Learning Planning Course began.

• May 2006-South Carolina State Department of Education launched the South Carolina Virtual School Pilot to explore the feasibility of virtual schooling for the state.

– Ten school districts, each with an existing virtual school program and experience in developing, providing, and supporting online courses, are collaborating with the SDE on the pilot project.

Landmark Legislation• December 13, 2006, House Representative Rice and

Representative Bob Walker members of the Committee on Education and Public Works pre-filed a motion to establish the South Carolina Virtual School.

• On January 9, 2007 this bill was introduced as HJ-57.

• During the next several months, meetings with the SCDOE and the House Committee on Education and Publish Work met to define terms and gather a better understanding of how this program would work statewide, what type of funding was needed, and what type of support would be required for this project.

Landmark Legislation• February 27, 2007-Introduction to the Senate

Committee on Education began.• During which time, several discussions were held on:

“How are we going to meet the needs of all students, Public, Private, and Home Schooled?”

“How many students are going to be severed?” “How do we know that the courses meet state

standards?” “How will instructors be evaluated?” “How many classes can a student take?” “Will there be a high school diploma offered?”

Landmark Legislation• These questions have been addressed in the current

statute and are available for viewing on the South Carolina State Legislature website; http://www.scstatehouse.net/

• The South Carolina Virtual School Program has evolved over a pilot year and now, in the second, fully funded year into the rigorous program offered today.

Evolution of SCVSPPilot2006

2007-2008 2008-2009Currently

Districts Sponsoring Students 49 71 88

Guidance Counselors 408 543

Number of Courses 28 43 58

Student Applications Received 1,921 6,717 14,141

Student Applications Approved 1,921 4,976 10,922

Courses (Initial Credit) 1,282 4413 9,326•Public 4285 9,024•Private 34 240•Home 94 62

Launch of Virtual Charters

South Carolina Virtual Charter School - serving 1100 k-12 students

South Carolina Connections Academy - serving 600 k-12 students

Insight School of South Carolina - serving 600 high school students

Instructional modelsStaffing pattern:

Connections Academy -13 full time teachers work from a central office location powered by Connections Academy

Insight - 32 part-time & full time teachers work from powered by Insight Schools

SCVCS - 27 full time and 3 part time teachers established offices in their respective homes powered by k12

***SC Virtual students must log an average of 30 hours per week w/25% synchronous instruction in the core academic areas

TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT:

Connections Academy – Laptops/printers are not provided except I hardship cases

Insight - Laptops provided/printed materials

SCVCS - Free/reduced students may qualify for 1 computer for elementary, one for high school w/internet costs reimbursed. Boxes & boxes of printed material

WHO DO VIRTUAL CHARTERS SERVE?

Students who want to:advance in their studieswork at a slower pacetailor their education to suit their learning style & goalspursue careers in athletics or the arts

Students who need to:Care for a family memberwork to assist w/family expenses or became a parentreturn to complete high schoolengage as a result of a chronic illness

Composite:

Category PercentComing from public school 40-46% Coming from home school 38-40 % Free/reduced lunch 35-45 % SPED 10%-12% Minority 17-23%

*High rate enrolled in the urban areas in SC

CHALLENGESOF VIRTUAL SCHOOLS

1) PARENTS ROLE/PUBLIC SCHOOL POLICY/REGS

2) TECHNOLOGY ISSUES

3) RURAL AREAS LIMITED HIGH SCPPED ACCESS

4) SYNCHRONOUS TIME: 25%

5) HIGH POVERTY AREAS NOT ADDRESSED

6) ONGOING INTENSE PD FOR TEACHERS

7) RECRUITING /RETAINING HIGH CALIBER STAFF

FUTURE TRENDS IN VIRTUAL CHARTERS

Creates greater school choice options

More students will discover benefits

Homebound enrollments will soar

16-21 year olds for a virtual model to

ameliorate dropouts

SC in National Perspective

• South Carolina is a “next wave” virtual state, building on experience (and avoiding shortcomings) of earlier pioneers

• Ability to tap into existing curriculum, platforms, and quality standards

• Joining several other next wave states in providing K-12, supplemental + full-time in one fell swoop