Arizona State University has expanded its online degree and certification programs for PK-12 teachers, including the addition of a new credential for online teaching. Tuition will be the same whether the student is in state or out of state.

Beginning with the fall 2010 semester, six new programs in the education area will be available completely online. Arizona preschool and kindergarten teachers will also have the opportunity to fulfill their early childhood education certification requirement online in order to meet a state department of education July 2012 deadline.

“We have expanded opportunities for elementary and secondary teachers with our online programs,” said Mari Koerner, dean of ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College. “Teachers deserve the same exceptional learning experiences that they give their students each day. Our programs make that opportunity realistic and affordable for teachers, whatever the time of day or wherever they call home.”

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At least three large urban school districts—New York City, Chicago, and Boston—have recently rolled out or soon will roll out programs for online credit recovery. That means that students who have failed courses in high school can earn credits for those courses by making them up through online coursework. District policies vary in whether the students take the classes at an actual school or can do the coursework at home or in another setting.

Sales in the credit-recovery line of courses created by the Anthem, Ariz.-based Aventa Learning, one of several companies or nonprofit organizations typically tapped by schools to provide online courses, increased eightfold from 2008 to 2010, according to Gregg Levin, the vice president of sales for the company.

For the rest of the article, go to Districts Embracing Online Credit-Recovery Options

K12 Inc. and Lawrence Public Schools launched a new virtual high school program serving Kansas students in grades 9 and 10.

Building on a partnership formed in 2004 with the creation of Lawrence Virtual School for kindergarten through eighth-grade students, the Lawrence Virtual High School offers a combination of online and hands-on lessons with state-certified teachers as well as access to extracurricular activities and outings.

For the rest of the article, go to Kansas District Expands Virtual Learning Beyond Middle School

A group of enterprising Internet educators have been waiting a year to give Georgia public school students and teachers the state’s first virtual K-12 experience – the chance to work and learn from home in their slippers full-time. Friday, they get an answer.

The Georgia Charter Schools Commission months ago delayed a vote on petitions for five new cyber campuses so that board members could investigate the idea and its impact on public school funding. The questions: Can virtual charters serve students well? How do you make the schools accountable for students they may never see in person? Are costs to provide kids with home computers and Internet connections comparable to providing them with traditional classrooms?

“We don’t really have a benchmark,” said Mark Peevy, the commission’s executive director. “We were working hard to establish what we hope is the right funding level to make it worthwhile for these schools to operate while balancing taxpayer dollars. We need to make sure we are not building in a profit-base unnecessarily.”

After researching the rise of virtual charter schools nationally and talking money with the staff of Gov. Sonny Perdue, the commissioner on Friday will announce which schools the state will approve.

The State Department of Education has already recommended the approval of two of five proposed statewide virtual charter schools — Kaplan Academy of Georgia and Provost Academy Georgia — but more charters could be granted.

For the rest of the article, go to Pajamas uniform of choice: Virtual schools first to offer K-12 education

Her own school district, San Jose’s East Side Union, canceled most summer school for lack of money.

Welcome to the summer of the California budget crisis. Normally, tens of thousands of valley students would be beginning summer classes in their home districts now. But those courses — whether meant for students who want to get ahead, catch up, or take enrichment classes in arts, music or science — have become another casualty of the state’s education funding crisis. When the state granted them budget flexibility, most districts siphoned money earmarked for summer school to help keep their educational ships afloat during the regular school year.

The result: Many students have been scrambling to find alternatives from community colleges and a confusing array of private course providers. “One program charged $900,” said Vanessajoie, 16. “I don’t have that kind of money.”

The cancellation has left many students fearing they’ll be less competitive in college applications or will lack the credits to graduate.

“We would have to suspect that it would have an effect both on the dropout rate and academic performance,” said Terry Peluso of the Campbell Union High School District, which canceled summer school except for some special education students and for seniors needing to make up work.

Likewise, San Jose Unified has about 675 high school students enrolled this summer, most trying to make up credits. Last year, the district canceled most of its summer school at the last minute, when the state declared it would not reimburse districts. This year, San Jose Unified is referring other students to its approved online courses, offered by third parties such as K12.com, Brigham Young University and the Fresno County Office of Education. The costs range from $150 to $350 per online semester course, summer school Principal Dane Caldwell-Holden said.

For the rest of the article, go to Summer school classes vanishing as South Bay students scramble for options

During a board meeting, Zachary Barnes, the director of graduation success and dropout prevention for the school system, and Robert Coates, director of secondary education, spoke to the board about Bridgewater Academy, a fully accredited online school that allows students to have access course studies 24 hours a day.

As a credit recovery program, Bridgewater Academy makes earning course credits as simple as logging onto a website.

Barnes said that Bridgewater will not replace other programs the system uses for credit recovery, like Plato Learning.

For the rest of the article, go to City school board approves online academic program

Graduation took place at 7pm Thursday evening at the West Shore Evangelical Church and Conference Center in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.  Approximately 150 of the graduating seniors from around the state attended donning cap and gown.

K12 Inc. Founder and CEO Ron Packard delivered this year’s keynote address to the largest class of students Agora has graduated thus far. K12, the nation’s largest provider of online school programs for students in kindergarten through high school, provides its high quality curriculum and school services to the Agora Cyber Charter School.

The valedictorian speech was presented by Darian Kiger, who will attend York College to major in professional writing with a minor in music.  Ms. Kiger was awarded the presidential award scholarship and the dean academic scholarship from York College as well as the shining star scholarship from Agora Cyber Charter School.

“My online studies through Agora enabled me to learn at a pace that was just right,” said class Valedictorian Darian Kiger.  ”The internet is the future of schooling.  My classmates and I are proud to be pioneers of such an outstanding and innovative educational program.”

For the rest of the article, go to Agora Cyber Charter School Graduates Largest Senior Class.

The two committees will meet in Richmond this afternoon, starting with national education sources addressing the panel on charters, a topic of particularly high interest for education advocates in the state.

Meanwhile, work is proceeding on the governor’s third education initiative, creating criteria for approving virtual school providers, including on how the state should pay local school systems for students who attend the online academies.

For the rest of the article, go to Financing for virtual schools under study

“Flexibility is one of the key benefits of online line learning,” said Dr. Darrell Johnson, executive director of Provost Academy. “Extending the school year to meet the individual needs of our students was an obvious step to take.”

Dr. Johnson noted that Provost Academy boasts many accelerated students – including five who were recently inducted into the National Honor Society, “who yearn for an educational experience throughout the entire year.”

“We treat our students as young adults. We provide them with the tools and flexibility they need to succeed, and we allow them to choose the course that best applies to their needs and capabilities,” Dr. Johnson said.

Provost Academy South Carolina is a state-authorized public online school that is free of charge to residents of South Carolina, and offers high school students the public school choice of an engaging, adaptable and quality online learning experience. Students work toward their regular public high school diploma – recognized by colleges and employers – as they would in a traditional school, but in the convenient, safe environment of their own home through computer-based educational programs.

Greg Gettle, CCA high school principal welcomed the graduates and their family and friends to the second graduating class from Lehighton. He said that CCA is growing rapidly. Last year there were 104 graduates from four locations throughout Pennsylvania-Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Butler and Lehighton. This year there are 230 graduates. There are 33 from the Lehighton area.

“People wonder what happens to our students after graduation. Just like any other school, we have many 2010 students who have earned scholarships and many are going on to further their educations, some are entering the armed forces and others plan to enter the work field. I think it speaks well of the class of 2010.”

He shared with everyone the good news that starting with the Juniors of 2010, they will be entitled to a $1,000 scholarship, Sophomores of 2010 will receive a $2,000 scholarship and Freshmen of 2010 will receive a $3,000 scholarship upon graduation.

He told the parents of the graduating class of 2010 that they were as much a part of graduation as the graduates and promised them that while they may not be appreciated by their sons and daughters today, they will in years to come.

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