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.

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According to school officials, the district lost $278,306 in average daily membership (ADM) revenue for high school students participating in online classes from July 1, 2008, through Aug. 29, 2009. Officials estimate an additional ADM loss of $50,400 for students currently enrolled in an online school.

The district received quotes from three vendors to provide mentor training, credit recovery courses and system management for the online school.

HUSD Superintendent Dr. Henry Schmitt recommended that the board accept Aventa Learning’s low bid of $19,250. The district also received quotes from InnovatEd ($35,000) and National Distance Learning Educational Program ($45,000).

Schmitt said he thought Aventa Learning’s bid was low because “it really wants our business, and it already has Blackboard in place.”

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Humboldt Unified will introduce online school in January by Paula Rhoden

From The Daily Courier