When his high school doors closed behind him, Kyle’s lifelong opportunities become severely limited. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average annual income of a dropout is $24,000, which is 60 percent below that of high school graduates. Kyle didn’t want to bus tables for the rest of his life, but finding even a low-skill job in Michigan has become increasingly difficult. Michigan’s 14.3 percent unemployment rate currently leads the nation. With limited earning potential and low chances of gainful employment, it’s not surprising that many dropouts end up in correctional facilities or prison. The New York Times recently reported that, on any given day, a dropout is five times more likely to be incarcerated–with the cost of lifetime incarceration exceeding the cost of public school education by a factor of two or three.

While Kyle’s story is striking, it is hardly unique. By pushing out students who are failing and unlikely to graduate, as well as truants and students with behavior problems, schools can raise their test-score averages and graduation rates while reducing suspensions and dropout rates. Many times, this happens when school systems do not quickly identify and support students who are struggling or exhibiting other early warning signs of dropping out of school, like disengagement and poor attendance.

Michigan’s response

Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan decided to spotlight the troubling dropout numbers across Michigan. He issued a “Dropout Challenge” and began recruiting schools to step up their efforts in identifying youth exhibiting early warning signs of dropping out of school, providing appropriate support, and offering alternative routes for students to graduate. At the same time, the Michigan Legislature and Gov. Jennifer Granholm enacted legislation raising the dropout age to 18 and providing failing high schools with turnaround strategies and supports.

To support participating schools in the Dropout Challenge, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) developed a four-fold strategy of engagement, funded in part by the state’s Title II, Part D, Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) competitive grant program. Our work involves increasing the availability and use of prevention data, strengthening public policy, identifying and disseminating best practices, and sponsoring alternative routes to high school graduation.

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“One thing I’m very interested in is having graduate or undergraduate students fill the role of tutor in online courses,” academy director Bob Currie said.

Currie said the academy has no specific plans for tutors yet, but it will continue to work on the idea after courses start this fall.

The 2009 state legislature appropriated $2 million for the development of a statewide online school, which led to the creation of the Montana Digital Academy.

Superintendents and other educators in Montana lobbied for the creation of the state-funded academy after a similar program turned out to be unsustainable but in high demand. The Montana State E-Learning Consortium, opened in 2005, was supported by fees paid by participating schools and closed in early 2009.

“Right at the end of its functionality, we talked to (School of Education Dean) Bobbie Evans at UM to discuss the possibility of the school hosting it,” said Bruce Messinger, superintendant of Helena Schools. He served on the governing board of the consortium and now serves on the board for the new academy.

The academy will provide both remedial and advanced courses for any Montana high school student at no cost to the student or his or her hometown school district. All teachers and course developers will be licensed Montana educators.

“It will be nice for small schools that can’t offer pre-calculus or third-year French,” said Sylvia Moore, Montana deputy commissioner of academic and student affairs.

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Written by Jayme Fraser.

A joint project of Holton-Arms (Maryland), Westover (Connecticut), Harpeth Hall (Tennessee), and Laurel School (Ohio), the goal of the Online School for Girls is to inspire girls worldwide to reach their potential by offering exceptional instruction in an online setting.

With research indicating that most girls inhabit cyberspace differently than boys, the Online School for Girls is designed to capitalize on the ways that girls learn best. That includes connection among the participants, collaboration in learning, inspiring creativity, and engaging in real-world problems and solutions.

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By NAIS Reporter

But tucked into the application were a couple of ideas we had heard little about. There’s the “New York State Virtual High School,” an online learning program that the state said would provide students with “options for alternative pathways to meet state and national learning standards.” According to the application, Virtual High School will give students who are behind on credits for graduating a chance to catch up and also give students in rural areas a way to participate in classes they don’t have at their own school.

The application states that they school will be for anyone who wants to participate in school “anytime, anywhere,” but gives few details, except to say that the school will be available free of cost to 20,000 students in the state by 2014.

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From New York Times.

“I was basically the guinea pig,” he said. “Everything was new to them and it was new to me, too.”

It turns out Benoanie’s e-learning program set him on the right track to higher education. Not only were his math and science skills upgraded, but so were his English, writing and typing skills; he moved from 20 words a minute at the start of the program to 70 by his graduation date.

Now 21, the Hatchet Lake-raised man is set to receive a bachelor’s degree in education this May after graduating from high school in 2006.

“When you have a teacher right in front of you, it feels like you’re in the spotlight all the time. But when you’re online, you’re fully concentrated and you’re in your own personal space,” he said.

Benoanie hopes more youth from northern Saskatchewan have the same online education experience through Credenda as he did. With the school receiving a $2-million investment from Cameco Corp. on Friday, the likelihood of higher enrolment at the non-profit institution has increased.

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Outlasting 8,000 competitors in a year-and-one-half online talent search conducted by the Miley Cyrus fan club organization, the Plum singer-songwriter has emerged victorious in the “Are You A Superstar” contest.

She wins a record contract through the Cyrus organization and vocal coaching from Cyrus.

Colalella, whose first single could be released within eight weeks, was 15 when the contest began. She turns 17 in April.

“I’m ecstatic. I started crying when I found out. The whole thing is completely surreal to me, and it is all starting to sink in. I’m so blessed to be in this situation,” she says. “The journey was extremely long, stressful and tiring, but a complete thrill. I have met an amazing group of people from all over the world that have been extremely supportive of me.”

An estimated 250,000-plus votes were cast in the final round of video performances, for which balloting ended Sunday. Colalella sang a song she penned, the aptly titled, “Storybook Endings.”

“This is an overwhelming success for Amy. Over the course of the last four or five rounds, she was among the top in every single one. That was quite amazing,” says Jason Gluck, director of digital media for the Miley Cyrus organization, in announcing Colalella’s win Wednesday night.

He calls her vocal talent “extraordinary.”

“Every week, people from around the world watched in anticipation of Amy’s vocal displays,” Gluck says. “Each week she got stronger, putting her own spin on some great songs by truly wonderful vocalists, and held her own.”

The public connected to that, he says. “She earned the respect of her peers as a true artist, one with both musical and vocal talent.”

Colalella, a former Plum High School student, now a junior in Pennsylvania Cyber School, says she always has been the girl that sings in the shower and on car rides. “So this is an amazing experience for me,” she says.

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As a new state-authorized public online school, Provost Academy Colorado is free of charge to residents of Colorado. 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.

Provost Academy Colorado offers more than 100 highly engaging online classes, including A.P. and honors courses with a particular emphasis on high demand subjects, such as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The school also provides students free computers and internet access while they are enrolled in the school.

“Colorado high school students deserve alternative high-quality educational opportunities that get them to graduation, whether they are an overachieving student seeking a greater challenge, an underperforming student needing remediation or a student balancing school with work, sports, health or other of life’s challenges,” said Jeffrey Popiel, President & CEO of Geotech Environmental Equipment in Denver and chairman of the Provost Academy Colorado board. “Provost Academy’s pro-learning, pro-student, pro-success focus will help all of these students achieve their goals.”

In contrast to other online learning programs, Provost Academy Colorado uses a proprietary modular curriculum design, developed with Dr. Paul Kim, Assistant Dean of Stanford University’s School of Education. Courses can be customized to fit a student’s individual needs, with content based on testing and discussions with academic advisors and instructors. Further, parents and students can easily monitor learning progress, assignments, and grades at a glance on their own personal home page. For those needing additional help, Provost Academy also offers on-demand tutors that keep students on track and on pace for progress.

“Online learning goes beyond the computer and the internet connection to bring students, parents and educators together in a community that is focused to drive academic success,” said Jeff Wahl, President & CEO of EdisonLearning. “Our organization has been a leader in new and innovative approaches to learning, and we welcome the opportunity to provide parents a new choice for their children’s educational future at Provost Academy Colorado.”

During the 2009-2010 school year, Laber, a Hartland Middle School at Ore Creek math teacher, teaches six seventh-grade classes.

Because of her full load, Laber doesn’t even have a prep hour, but teaching middle school math is only part of her work day.

The rest of her time she spends teaching trigonometry and geometry to students across the state online through Michigan Virtual School.

For her efforts, Laber was recognized this month as Michigan Virtual School’s 2009 Online Teacher of the Year. She accepted the award two weeks ago at a ceremony in Lansing.

There are several reasons for this phenomenon, but the main one is that schools, states, and companies have figured out a way to use public money to create online high schools and online courses. All perfectly legal and a reasonable use of our tax dollars.

However, before you decide to sign up for that free online high school, there are some things that you need to know.

Free Online High Schools: Finding and comparing online HS programs by Thomas Nixon

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For the rest of the article by Thomas Nixon  go to eLearners.com.

Yet through a “Virtual High School” program run in Mission, Gilleard is one of nine high school students that take advantage of an expanded curriculum on the Internet.

“One of the things you want to do is broaden the horizons for students with different educational experiences and the sky is the limit,” St. Ignatius Superintendent Gerry Nolan said. “Not too many kids in Montana are taking oceanography.”

Ranging from Latin to Constitutional law, the classes offered are wide-ranging and varied, giving students options far beyond what the St. Ignatius school district can offer.

“We do a really good job of what we do,” Nolan said. “We have great teachers, we have really fine courses, and all this does is expand opportunities which I think is what every school tries to do.”
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