New for 2012: Complete Guide to Online High Schools

Degree Press is pleased to offer the second edition of Complete Guide to Online High Schools: Distance learning options for teens & adults. This new edition has almost three times as many schools listed as the first edition. In addition, there is a greater amount of information about selecting the school that is right for you.

If you would like more information, click through to see your preferred version:

Complete Guide to Online High Schools (Printed book version)

Complete Guide to Online High Schools (Kindle version)

Complete Guide to Online High Schools (Other digital versions)

The Kindle and other digital versions are only $4.95!

New Utah arts charter school will offer mix of class time, online study

“I’ve seen so many kids get burned out along the way,” Yeager said. “I had wanted to start a performing arts high school for many years, but I didn’t want to deal with the academic stuff. I knew what to do with the kids performing arts-wise, but it seemed too overwhelming to me [to start a school].”

He changed his mind after learning about Lincoln Interactive, an accredited online curriculum for kindergarten through 12th grade. By offering core classes such as math, science, language arts and social studies online, Yeager realized he’d be free to develop a curriculum of electives for dance, drama and music.

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Online charter school now offers dual credits for Weber State University, high schools

OGDEN — Starting next school year, students enrolled in Open High School of Utah can enroll in online courses that will count toward their graduation requirements for both high school and Weber State University.

“With the Weber State Online Early Access program, Open High School now can offer early college courses,” said DeLaina Tonks, director of Open High. “It’s dual credit, much like the program at NUAMES, but you don’t have to live close to Weber State.”

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Utah Virtual Academy Congratulates Class of 2012

MURRAY, Utah, June 4, 2012– Utah Virtual Academy (UTVA), a statewide online public school serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade, honored 50 graduates during its 2012 graduation ceremony on May 31.

The ceremony took place at East High School in Salt Lake City. Derek Parra, gold medalist from the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in speed skating, delivered this year’s keynote address.

“We’re happy to celebrate our graduates’ hard work and academic achievements at UTVA,” said Stacey Hutchings, head of school at UTVA. ”Graduation is a huge milestone in our students’ lives and it not only pays tribute to their accomplishments, but also to the teachers and parents who were by their side every step of the way.”

 

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Plato Launches Virtual Academy

Accreditation for the academy will be provided by the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) with the virtual academy designated as a distance education school. Established in 1917, NWAC is engaged in school accreditation in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

“Our goal is to help schools and districts to improve student achievement. The Plato Virtual Academy is an important step forward in doing that,” said Jamie Candee, Plato Learning vice president of product and marketing. “We are here to partner–not compete–with educators to meet the needs of 21st century learners.”

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2011 Was an Inflection Point for Digital Learning

In November 2010, in his most important speech, Arne Duncan called for more productivity during this ‘new normal’ period of lower revenue. As our second ‘new normal’ year draws to a close, the challenges are numerous but the inflection is clear — the shift to personal digital learning is on and innovations in learning are accelerating! Eleven trends marked 2011:

1. Poverty. The level of challenge was ratcheted up this year as most U.S. schools faced a double whammy of budget cuts and more kids in poverty. Despite heroic efforts, we lost a little ground on the equity front this year.

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Utah could be national education leader

Utah was listed as having achieved 49 out of the 72 policy metrics tracked by the scorecard. That made it No. 1, in a tie with Wyoming, for the most policy metrics reached by any state. The Beehive State also got credit for partially reaching nine other goals.
Our state is now a national leader i online education. It must maintain and extend that lead.
Many credit the Statewide Online Education Program — passed in the last session and sponsored by Sen. Howard Stephenson and Rep. Brad Daw — for this advance.
But this is no time to get complacent. Education officials and lawmakers need to press forward in 2012 and build on this lead in online learning.
Let’s face it, Utah won’t be able to really catch up to other states with more money and fewer children. What Utah can do is use the foundation of the Statewide Online Education Program to improve, while increasing efficiency and thus cutting costs.
The obvious fact is that education is about transmitting information. And the Internet is incredibly effective and efficient in doing so. Utah must embrace this world-changing technology, and continue to expand online learning. If our leaders and educators display vision, courage and commitment, Utah can, for once, leave other states in the dust in the race to have the nation’s best educational system.

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News Minute: Here is the latest Utah news from The Associated Press

SANDY, Utah (AP) – The Canyons School District says students statewide have more options now that they have launched a virtual high school that offers 64 online classes. The Salt Lake Tribune reports students will be able to take two credits online this year thanks to Utah Senate Bill 65. That number will increase to six credits by 2016-2017. Murray, Granite and Jordan are among others Utah districts offering online courses.

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Canyons district launches virtual high school

SANDY, Utah (AP) — Katelyn Krueger is like a lot of other high school students these days — busy.

The Brighton High senior has a full course load, is a competitive snowboarder, captain of her school’s dance company and an intern at a clothing business.

Students like Krueger figure to benefit the most now that Canyons School District has launched the Canyons Virtual High School, according to the Salt Lake Tribune (http://bit.ly/naoohq ).

By taking two of her classes online this year, the 17-year-old will have more time to hit the slopes and prepare to attend the Art Institute of Portland next spring.

Canyons, which opens its virtual doors this fall, is now one of several Utah public school districts — including Murray City, Granite and Jordan — that offer similar online classes.

Canyons will offer 64 classes online.

Karen Sterling, Canyons director of federal and state programs, said online schooling is the future of education.

“There’s been some research out that within the next four years, 40 percent of all high-school credits will be provided online; it is emerging,” Sterling told the Tribune. “A lot of our kids will go on to college. Many of their basic courses in college are online classes, so this is a good way to get them ready for that.”

Utah Senate Bill 65, which passed the 2011 state Legislature, allows online courses to provide students with more options.

For the rest of the article, go to Canyons district launches virtual high school

Canyons District offers online high school

Brighton High senior Katelyn Krueger, like a lot of modern teens, doesn’t have much time on her hands. In addition to taking a full class load, the future fashion designer is a competitive snowboarder, captain of her school’s dance company and an intern at a clothing business.

She’s exactly the type of student Canyons School District had in mind when it launched the Canyons Virtual High School (CVHS), which opens its doors (not real, but figurative ones) this fall.

By taking two of her classes online this year (health and language arts), Krueger will only have to take three classes in each of her final two trimesters within the brick-and-mortar walls of Brighton High School, leaving her time to hit the snowboarding slopes.

She’ll also get to avoid fraternizing with mere 10th-graders.

“I’m way excited, because health is all full of sophomores, and since I’m a senior, this was one reason I really wanted to take it online,” said the Holladay 17-year-old, who plans to attend the Art Institute of Portland after she graduates next spring.

Canyons is one of several public school districts (Murray City, Granite and Jordan are among the others) that will now offer online classes to students in grades 9-12 thanks to Utah Senate Bill 65, which the 2011 Legislature made law to provide students with more options.

Canyons will offer 64 classes online this year, including 13 Advanced Placement courses. This year and next, students will be able to take two credits online; the number of credits will be increased by one each year until 2016-17, when students will be allowed to take six credits online during a school year. CVHS classes are available to students throughout the state, not just those who live in district boundaries.

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