- District Participation Fall 2009
- School Pass Rate and Completion Rate Fall 2009
March 9, 2010 presentation to the Education Oversight Committee
Presented by Dr. Bryan Setser, Executive Director of the North Carolina Virtual Public School and Learn and Earn Online www.ncvps.org and www.nclearnandearn.gov
I. WHAT IS THE NORTH CAROLINA VIRTUAL PUBLIC SCHOOL?
The North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) is committed to raising achievement and closing learning gaps with 21st century innovation by providing access to world class learning opportunities for all North Carolina students. We provide the vehicle for school districts to accomplish the State Board of Education's goals of producing 21st century learners, professionals, leaders, and systems by providing easily accessible, online learning opportunities for our state's most valuable resource: its children.
Our vision is to be a world class blended learning organization, and our mission is to provide skills, student support, and opportunities for 21st century learners to succeed in a globally competitive world. We offer over 103 high school courses that include classic, modular, mobile, and blended online services to North Carolina students in all 115 districts. The courses utilize learning management software to maximize student interaction in each class. Our courses are taught by highly qualified teachers who utilize video, interactive whiteboards, wikis, active worlds, and online discussion tools to engage 21st century learners.
Thanks to the leadership of Governor Beverly Perdue and the NC General Assembly, students can also earn free college credits through Learn and Earn Online (LEO). In 2008-2009, we were ranked 8th in the country in terms of our standing amidst the 45 other state virtual programs. In 2010, we were recognized as the 5th largest virtual school in the nation. In 2010-2011, we have hopes to expand our program to the k-8 level as 21 other states have already done so in the past year.
II. WHAT LEGISLATION SUPPORTS THE NORTH CAROLINA VIRTUAL PUBLIC SCHOOL?
NORTH CAROLINA VIRTUAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS SL2009-0451 Session Law 2009-451
SECTION 7.9.(a) The North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) program shall report to the State Board of Education and shall maintain an administrative office at the Department of Public Instruction.
SECTION 7.9.(b) The Director of NCVPS shall continue to ensure that course quality standards are established and met and that all e-learning opportunities offered by State-funded entities to public school students are consolidated under the North Carolina Virtual Public School program, eliminating course duplication.
SECTION 7.9.(c) Subsequent to course consolidation, the Director shall prioritize e-learning course offerings for students residing in rural and low-wealth county local school administrative units, in order to expand available instructional opportunities. First-available e-learning instructional opportunities should include courses required as part of the standard course of study for high school graduation and AP offerings not otherwise available.
SECTION 7.9.(d) Beginning with the 2010-2011 fiscal year, the State Board of Education shall implement an allotment formula for e-learning developed pursuant to Section 7.16(d) of S.L. 2006-66. The North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) shall be available at no cost to all high school students in North Carolina who are enrolled in North Carolina's public schools, Department of Defense schools, and schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Department of Public Instruction shall communicate to local school administrative units all applicable guidelines regarding the enrollment of nonpublic school students in these courses.
SECTION 7.9.(e) The State Board of Education shall project funds needed to operate the North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) for fiscal year 2009-2010. In order to ensure funds are available, the State Board of Education is directed to utilize funding sources in the following order:
(1) The General Fund appropriation for NCVPS;
(2) Available American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds; and
(3) Up to six million dollars ($6,000,000) from the School Technology appropriation.
SECTION 7.9.(f) NCVPS shall only provide high school courses.
SECTION 7.9.(g) The State Board of Education shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division by December 15, 2009, on its implementation of this section. If the State Board of Education fails to report a new allotment formula for NCVPS to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division by December 15, 2009, the State Treasurer, the Office of State Budget and Management, and the Office of State Controller shall prevent the expenditure of funds related to the operation of the State Board of Education.
SECTION 7.10.(f) Both The University of North Carolina and the North Carolina Community College System shall provide oversight and coordination, including coordination with the Department of Public Instruction and with the North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS), to avoid course duplication.
ACCESS TO NCVPS AND LEARN AND EARN ONLINE
SECTION 7.33. Notwithstanding section 7.10(j) of this act, the State Board shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division prior to December 1, 2009, on (i) its policy regarding access for nonpublic school children to the North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) Program and Learn and Earn Online and (ii) funding sources it authorizes, including tuition, for nonpublic school students in the programs.
III. WHAT STATE BOARD POLICES SUPPORT THE NC VIRTUAL PUBLIC SCHOOL
The North Carolina State Board of Education (1) Course for Credit Policy removed face to face seat-time requirements (2008) for NCVPS students, (2) expanded lateral entry policy for NCVPS critical language teachers (2009), (3) provided guidance to school districts for registering non-public students in NCVPS courses (2009), and (4) sent funding formula options to the NC Legislature (2009).
IV. NORTH CAROLINA VIRTUAL FACTS AND FIGURES
A. How many students are taking courses?
We currently have 18,904 enrollments in our active Spring 10 and Yearlong 09-10 semesters. These enrollments are comprised of 16,173 unique students.
B. Where are the students?
C. From what counties do the students take the courses? Top 13
|
DISTRICT |
TOTAL-COUNT |
PASS-RATE |
COMPLETE-RATE |
|
Iredell |
544 |
83.75% |
98.53% |
|
Davidson |
445 |
83.52% |
92.58% |
|
Union County Schools |
318 |
93.94% |
100.00% |
|
Cumberland County |
314 |
69.31% |
99.36% |
|
Wayne |
314 |
87.08% |
99.36% |
|
Wake County Schools |
286 |
76.08% |
98.25% |
|
Charlotte-Mecklenburg |
277 |
77.78% |
100.00% |
|
Cleveland |
277 |
84.58% |
93.50% |
|
Currituck County |
271 |
89.72% |
99.63% |
|
Rutherford |
239 |
91.62% |
99.58% |
|
Onslow |
230 |
92.08% |
100.00% |
|
Nash-Rocky Mount |
222 |
93.40% |
98.65% |
|
Pender |
227 |
76.61% |
99.56% |
Report on District Participation Fall 2009 in NCVPS courses with student enrollment information.
Report on School Pass Rate and Completion Rate for Fall 2009.
D. Overall pass and completion rates.
|
Grand Total |
10596 |
10434 |
88.93% |
85.84% |
98.47% |
|
Course title |
Total-Count |
Complete-count |
Reported-Rate |
Pass-rate |
Complete-rate |
|
Advanced Functions & Modeling Total |
108 |
107 |
98.13% |
85.71% |
99.07% |
|
African-American Studies Total |
120 |
120 |
100.00% |
91.67% |
100.00% |
|
Algebra I Total |
64 |
64 |
98.44% |
77.78% |
100.00% |
|
Algebra II Total |
46 |
46 |
97.83% |
86.67% |
100.00% |
|
Algebra II Honors |
28 |
28 |
100.00% |
92.86% |
100.00% |
|
Anatomy Honors |
146 |
144 |
96.53% |
94.24% |
98.63% |
|
Arabic 1 Total |
17 |
16 |
100.00% |
75.00% |
94.12% |
|
Art I: Drawing & Design Total |
150 |
147 |
99.32% |
80.14% |
98.00% |
|
Biology Total |
70 |
67 |
46.27% |
64.52% |
95.71% |
|
Biology Honors Total |
12 |
12 |
91.67% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Calculus Honors Total |
36 |
35 |
94.29% |
93.94% |
97.22% |
|
Chemistry Honors Total |
30 |
28 |
100.00% |
92.86% |
93.33% |
|
Civics & Economics Total |
90 |
84 |
91.67% |
59.74% |
93.33% |
|
Civics & Economics Honors Total |
91 |
90 |
100.00% |
93.33% |
98.90% |
|
Computer Applications 1 Total |
88 |
86 |
100.00% |
76.74% |
97.73% |
|
Computer Programming 1 Total |
119 |
116 |
100.00% |
79.31% |
97.48% |
|
Computerized Accounting 1 Total |
44 |
43 |
100.00% |
86.05% |
97.73% |
|
CR Algebra 1 Total |
134 |
133 |
59.40% |
100.00% |
99.25% |
|
CR Algebra 2 Total |
53 |
53 |
56.60% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
CR Civics and Economics Total |
100 |
100 |
58.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
CR English 1 Total |
147 |
142 |
57.04% |
100.00% |
96.60% |
|
CR English 2 Total |
99 |
99 |
50.51% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
CR English 3 Total |
99 |
98 |
44.90% |
100.00% |
98.99% |
|
CR English 4 Total |
8 |
8 |
37.50% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
CR Geometry Total |
47 |
47 |
72.34% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
CR Physical Science Total |
64 |
64 |
48.44% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
CR US History Total |
74 |
73 |
52.05% |
100.00% |
98.65% |
|
Digital Communications Total |
128 |
126 |
100.00% |
69.84% |
98.44% |
|
Digital Photography Total |
160 |
160 |
100.00% |
84.38% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Advanced Functions and Modeling Total |
19 |
19 |
100.00% |
73.68% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Algebra 1 Total |
6 |
6 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Art I Drawing and Design Total |
6 |
6 |
100.00% |
66.67% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Biology Total |
30 |
30 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Chemistry Honors Total |
8 |
8 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Computer Applications I Total |
61 |
61 |
100.00% |
90.16% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Computerized Accounting I Total |
1 |
0 |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Earth/Environmental Science Honors Total |
65 |
65 |
100.00% |
98.46% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: English III Total |
7 |
7 |
100.00% |
85.71% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: English III Honors Total |
11 |
11 |
100.00% |
90.91% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: English IV Total |
5 |
5 |
100.00% |
40.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: English IV Honors Total |
13 |
13 |
100.00% |
92.31% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: French 1 Total |
21 |
21 |
100.00% |
66.67% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: French 2 Total |
10 |
10 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: French 3 Honors Total |
1 |
1 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Geometry Honors Total |
7 |
7 |
0.00% |
0.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: German 1 Total |
19 |
19 |
0.00% |
0.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: German 2 Total |
2 |
2 |
0.00% |
0.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: German 3 Honors Total |
1 |
1 |
0.00% |
0.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Healthful Living Total |
43 |
35 |
100.00% |
94.29% |
81.40% |
|
Early Calendar: Journalism Total |
8 |
8 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Latin 1 Total |
45 |
45 |
97.78% |
79.55% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Latin 2 Total |
14 |
14 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Latin 3 Honors Total |
3 |
3 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Leadership Development Total |
48 |
48 |
100.00% |
89.58% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Medieval Studies Total |
10 |
10 |
100.00% |
90.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Physical Science |
12 |
12 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Pre-Calculus Honors Total |
4 |
4 |
100.00% |
50.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Psychology Total |
18 |
18 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: SAT Prep Total |
54 |
54 |
100.00% |
92.59% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Spanish 1 Total |
67 |
67 |
0.00% |
0.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Spanish 2 Total |
13 |
13 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: Spanish 3 Honors Total |
6 |
6 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: United States History Total |
10 |
10 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: United States History Honors Total |
8 |
8 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: World History Total |
6 |
6 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Early Calendar: World History Honors Total |
26 |
26 |
100.00% |
96.15% |
100.00% |
|
Earth/Environmental Science Total |
140 |
134 |
97.76% |
72.52% |
95.71% |
|
Earth/Environmental Science Honors Total |
106 |
98 |
97.96% |
85.42% |
92.45% |
|
eCommerce I Honors Total |
98 |
98 |
100.00% |
88.78% |
100.00% |
|
eCommerce II Honors Total |
20 |
20 |
100.00% |
85.00% |
100.00% |
|
English I Total |
69 |
58 |
105.17% |
59.02% |
84.06% |
|
English I Honors Total |
7 |
7 |
100.00% |
71.43% |
100.00% |
|
English II Total |
98 |
92 |
98.91% |
81.32% |
93.88% |
|
English II Honors Total |
81 |
81 |
97.53% |
84.81% |
100.00% |
|
English III Total |
110 |
104 |
100.00% |
71.15% |
94.55% |
|
English III Honors Total |
57 |
56 |
98.21% |
76.36% |
98.25% |
|
English IV Total |
114 |
110 |
97.27% |
68.22% |
96.49% |
|
English IV Honors Total |
119 |
118 |
100.00% |
95.76% |
99.16% |
|
French I Total |
222 |
221 |
100.00% |
82.81% |
99.55% |
|
French II Total |
121 |
121 |
100.00% |
84.30% |
100.00% |
|
French III Honors Total |
58 |
58 |
100.00% |
91.38% |
100.00% |
|
French IV Honors Total |
8 |
8 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Geometry Total |
38 |
36 |
50.00% |
77.78% |
94.74% |
|
Geometry Honors Total |
15 |
15 |
100.00% |
93.33% |
100.00% |
|
German I Total |
356 |
353 |
0.00% |
0.00% |
99.16% |
|
German II Total |
124 |
123 |
0.00% |
0.00% |
99.19% |
|
German III Total |
40 |
40 |
0.00% |
0.00% |
100.00% |
|
German IV Total |
13 |
13 |
0.00% |
0.00% |
100.00% |
|
Health and PE Total |
125 |
125 |
100.00% |
79.20% |
100.00% |
|
Healthful Living Total |
93 |
91 |
100.00% |
63.74% |
97.85% |
|
Integrated Math I Total |
24 |
21 |
100.00% |
47.62% |
87.50% |
|
Integrated Math II Total |
6 |
5 |
100.00% |
20.00% |
83.33% |
|
Journalism Total |
126 |
124 |
100.00% |
83.06% |
98.41% |
|
Latin I Total |
608 |
604 |
100.00% |
93.21% |
99.34% |
|
Latin II Total |
179 |
178 |
100.00% |
95.51% |
99.44% |
|
Latin III Honors |
44 |
43 |
100.00% |
97.67% |
97.73% |
|
Leadership Development Total |
201 |
201 |
99.50% |
83.50% |
100.00% |
|
Mandarin Chinese 1 Total |
81 |
81 |
100.00% |
93.83% |
100.00% |
|
Mandarin Chinese 2 Total |
21 |
21 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Mandarin Chinese 3 Total |
5 |
5 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Mandarin Chinese 4 Total |
5 |
5 |
100.00% |
100.00% |
100.00% |
|
Medieval Studies Total |
155 |
155 |
100.00% |
83.23% |
100.00% |
|
Music Appreciation Total |
187 |
187 |
100.00% |
78.61% |
100.00% |
|
Physical Science Total |
116 |
111 |
96.40% |
79.44% |
95.69% |
|
pilot - Discovery USHistory Collaboration Total |
48 |
48 |
0.00% |
0.00% |
100.00% |
|
Pre-Calculus Honors Total |
63 |
63 |
100.00% |
90.48% |
100.00% |
|
Principles of Business and Personal Finance Total |
130 |
126 |
100.00% |
76.19% |
96.92% |
|
Psychology Total |
269 |
259 |
98.46% |
79.22% |
96.28% |
|
Psychology Honors Total |
403 |
401 |
99.75% |
96.00% |
99.50% |
|
Russian 1 Total |
39 |
38 |
100.00% |
97.37% |
97.44% |
|
SAT Prep Total |
536 |
533 |
95.87% |
94.32% |
99.44% |
|
Small Business Entrepreneurship Total |
122 |
117 |
100.00% |
62.39% |
95.90% |
|
Spanish I Total |
364 |
362 |
99.72% |
79.50% |
99.45% |
|
Spanish II Total |
288 |
287 |
100.00% |
90.59% |
99.65% |
|
Spanish III Honors Total |
125 |
125 |
100.00% |
91.20% |
100.00% |
|
Spanish IV Honors Total |
57 |
57 |
100.00% |
94.74% |
100.00% |
|
Success 101 Total |
438 |
428 |
100.70% |
85.61% |
97.72% |
|
Success 101 - Traditional Schedule Total |
320 |
319 |
100.00% |
84.33% |
99.69% |
|
United States History Total |
81 |
79 |
100.00% |
77.22% |
97.53% |
|
United States History Honors Total |
54 |
54 |
100.00% |
79.63% |
100.00% |
|
World History Total |
118 |
111 |
100.90% |
75.00% |
94.07% |
|
World History Honors Total |
91 |
91 |
100.00% |
92.31% |
100.00% |
|
GRAND TOTAL |
10596 |
10434 |
88.93% |
85.84% |
98.47% |
F. Pros and cons of virtual courses?
PROs
- Students who took all or part of their class online performed better, on average, than those taking the same course through traditional face-to-face instruction. http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/academic/evalonline
- Instruction combining online and face-to-face elements had a larger advantage relative to purely face-to-face instruction than did purely online instruction.
- Studies in which learners in the online condition spent more time on task than students in the face-to-face condition found a greater benefit for online learning.
- Online learning can be enhanced by giving learners control of their interactions with media and prompting learner reflection.
CONS – Awareness and Capacity of School Districts
Getting Organized to Lead Innovation in Virtual Education: Alexander County, Columbus County, Edgecombe County, Halifax County, Montgomery County, and Union County.
http://www.ncvps.org/golive/index.htm is our approach to spotlight feature districts to create lab environments for the rest of the state to model. These districts work with NCVPS to collaborate on “blended solutions for student success”. Districts stay with NCVPS and rotate on a yearly cycle so district cohorts can partner with new districts. The results of the collaboration are shared weekly through a variety of web resources to the rest of the state for modeling and connections to their work. The focus of the work contains the following guiding questions:What do school districts need to know to implement blended learning via NCVPS and Learn and Earn Online?
- How will the information, processes, and tools be learned as well as the critical thinking skills behind them?
- How will NCVPS and LEO know that school districts know the content, context, and touch points of blended, virtual learning?
- What if districts already know how to implement blended, virtual learning and how can we partner to expand the effort?
- What will we do if many in the district do not know how to implement blended and virtual learning and how can we help?
Vendors vs. State Virtual Schools
Vendors promise fantastic student gains for a major initial investment. Yet what they do not tell you in the fine print is that the initial price may not include a variety of add-ons for materials, equipment, training of staff, administrative services, reporting, tech support, web-based hosting, blended learning, and many other costly options. NCVPS supplies all of these and more to all LEAs throughout the state without a cost to the LEAs. Yet, most importantly NCVPS teacher to student ratios are well below Southern Association of College of Schools Standards at 1:22 on average for all courses where some providers ratios are as high as 1:150. This is an obvious gap in the provider services.
G. Who are the teachers?
All NCVPS teachers hold a NC teaching license in the subject they teach and therefore are considered "highly qualified" teachers. All are employed on a part- time (adjunct) basis. Most also teach in the face to face setting in a school in North Carolina. Course loads also require the approval of the face to face principal in partnership communication with NCVPS.
H. What training do they receive?
Before being hired, all teachers must either have experience with a Learning Management System such as Blackboard or Moodle. Additionally they must take a course called "Teaching Online Courses" through LearnNC or show evidence of online teaching experience. Once hired, each new teacher is assigned a veteran teaching buddy for the first year and is required to complete a series of online professional development modules developed by NCVPS on the tools and instructional best practices of our online learning environment. Moreover, just in time professional development as well as a virtual teaching and learning plan hold standards in professional development above what is required in the face to face.
I. Additonal information and Questions can be directed to:
bryan.setser@ncpublicschools.gov
and/or the NCVPS main office at 919-513-8550.