Virtual Learning Opportunities at VLACS

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I was skeptical of virtual schools, but after researching the VLACs website, I wish it was available when my daughter, now 30, was in high school.  She was finally diagnosed with ADD when she was 18 years old, a little late to help with the struggles she endured all through middle and high school.  She hated going to school and fell behind but, against my wishes, was "socially promoted" from 7th through 12th grade.  One of the statements on the site that brought it home for me was that "each student is directly accountable for every query, question or exercise" (VLACS, 2013), unlike the traditional classroom where students can hide in the back of the class and just go through the motions of attending class.  After viewing the sample tour of the technology class, I want to take the programming class myself!  

Click for Computer Programming Course Tour

The Virtual Learning Academy, or VLACS, was founded in 2007, and is an online school with offices located in Exeter, NH. It is funded by the NH Education Trust Fund, which funds charter schools. Although the site claims that funds are not taken from public school funding sources, it still has to add to the tax burden of the NH citizens.  All classes are taught by highly qualified NH certified teachers who are required to communicate with students at least monthly via phone or online.  They also submit progress reports monthly and have regular office hours so that students can pop in with questions. The one question I have that I could not find the answer to is what is the student to teacher ratio?  I am curious as to how many students each teacher has to split their time with, and as a result, how much time each student receives. Students also have an advisor who is available to answer questions about classes, credits and preparation for college.  The curriculum was developed by the Florida Virtual School, which was founded in 1997, but it is also reviewed and approved by the NH Department of Education. 

VLACS accepts full time as well as part time students, who need to supplement their school's curriculum, make up classes, or for enrichment activities.  Another benefit it offers is dual credit courses, which allow students to take college level courses, in partnership with SNHU and the NH Community College system, taught by teachers who have been certified as adjunct instructors by SNHU. However there are restrictions, students must have not earned a high school diploma, and must complete all course work before their 21st birthday.  This was a disappointment to me as I thought it would be a good opportunity for a student we have at school, who has graduated but is under 22, so has received an extension from this sending school for a year to work on "transition opportunities" while his adult placement it being developed. This particular student is also from out of state so there would be a cost. VLACS accepts non-residents if space is available, but they are charged $920 per full credit.  However I think this could be a good alternative for some of our current high school students who need additional classes required for graduation that we cannot provide or for those students who need enrichment or need to make up classes.  

Students are able to:

• work at their own pace (but within a timeframe which can be negotiated)
• be free of distractions from other students 
• use the latest technology to learn concepts
• participate in virtual tours of sites for authentic learning
• collaborate with other VLACS students online, to share materials and work on projects together

Restrictions include:

• Students must be under 21 years old while attending classes
• Cannot have earned a high school diploma
• Have not been expelled from a public school
• Out of state students are given access only after in state students have been placed

Other considerations include technology availability.  VLACS recommends that students have access to a high speed broadband Internet connection.  They also need to download Firefox browser and have access to Microsoft Office or Open Office software.  A modern computer with at least 1GB memory and 6GB of hard drive space is recommended as a minimum. Headphones and a microphone are also needed, as well as a removable disk media for saving work.  Windows Vista or Windows 7 OS is required, according to the website or Mac OS 10.4.9, but 10.6+ is highly recommended. Therefore the student's family or school needs to be able to supply the student with this technology.

VLACS also gives other schools a Partnership training, which helps teachers to navigate the course and communication systems, so they can help students in their schools who are taking classes with VLACS.  Teachers who take the partnership training are given access to their partnership website.

I think that virtual schools may be a great alternative for high school students who are not successful in traditional classrooms, because they are able to work independently, at their own pace, without distraction from other students, and receive 1-1 attention in all classes.  However, they need to be responsible and able to manage their time to complete course requirements within the allotted time. They also need the involvement of a parent or other mentor should be involved to help motivate and direct the students to ensure that they are taking advantage of this opportunity.  

References: VLACS [Website] Retrieved from: http://vlacs.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=178&Itemid=297