Operating a High Quality Online Program: A Focus on Standards and Accreditation

1. Operating a High Quality Online Program: A Focus on Standards and Accreditation Dr. Ray Lindley, Executive Secretary International, Transregional Division Liz Pape, President and CEO Virtual High School Global Consortium Allison Powell, Vice PresidentNorth American Council for Online Learning

2. Quality Online Programs • NACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses • NACOL National Standards for Quality Online Teaching • NACOL National Quality Standards for Online Programs

3. Quality Standards for Online Programs • Committee • Representatives from 3 Regional Accrediting Agencies • Higher Education • Researchers • K-12 Program Representatives (district, charter, state, non-profit, for profit, etc) • Define “Online Program” • An online learning program is an organized offering of courses delivered primarily over the Internet.

4. Quality Standards for Online Programs • Literature Review • Reviewed 24 documents (standards, best practices, research, etc) • Standard Organizers • Institutional • Teaching and Learning • Support • Evaluation

5. Institutional • Institutional Standards: • Mission/Beliefs/Philosophy/Objectives • Governance • Leadership • Planning • Organization Structure / Staffing • Resources (Finances) • Organizational Commitment • Access

6. Teaching and Learning • Teaching and Learning Standards • Curriculum • Instruction • Course Design • Assessment of Student Learning/Student Learning Outcomes

7. Support • Support Standards: • Faculty Support (professional development to deliver quality instruction) • Student Support • Student Support Services • Guidance Services • Organizational/School/Parent Support

8. Evaluation • Evaluation Standards: • Internal Evaluation • External Evaluation • Improvement Planning

9. Standards • Member Input Survey • Final Standards released at end of year • Optional adoption by schools, districts, states, etc. • Optional adoption by accrediting agencies

10. NAAS Standards for Accreditation • NAAS accreditation provides benefits at all levels of the educational system: • For the public, accreditation verifies that schools are doing what they say they are doing. • For parents, accreditation assures them that their children are receiving a quality education that will be recognized across state lines, between schools, and by colleges and universities across the world. • For the school, accreditation engages the entire school staff in meeting rigorous standards and in continual improvement. • For the students, accreditation provides an environment of quality and a commitment to helping all students achieve.

11. NAAS Standards for Accreditation • Richard H. Bryan Elementary School self-study concluded: • “We have learned to share our work with our community, and that has reaped us rich dividends. Without this accreditation process, we might have failed to articulate that which is most important to us and to understand the significance of using student performance data to correct instruction midcourse, which would have delayed, if not deterred, our progress in improving student achievement.”

12. NAAS Standards for Accreditation TEACHING AND LEARNING STANDARDS • 1. Mission, Beliefs, and Expectations for Student Learning • 2. Curriculum • 3. Instruction • 4. Assessment

13. NAAS Standards for Accreditation SUPPORT STANDARDS • 5. Leadership and Organization • 6. School Services • Student Support Services • Guidance Services • Library Information Services • Family and Community Services • 7. Facilities and Finance

14. NAAS Standards for Accreditation SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT STANDARD • 8. Culture of Continual Improvement • School Improvement Plan

15. NAAS Application Procedures • APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP • Instructions: • Send the Completed Application to: 1510 Robert Street, Suite 103, Boise, ID 83705-5194 • NAAS regional accreditation dues will be billed if the school is accepted. ($450 plus $.17 per student enrolled). • Download an Initial Visit Template (below) and complete it prior to the initial visit of your school. The team will review the template during the initial visit. • Provisional accreditation is awarded by the Commission on Schools in December or June each year.

16. NAAS Application Procedures • Download an Initial Visit Template (on NAAS website: (northwestaccreditation.org) and complete it prior to the initial visit of your school. The team will review the template during the initial visit. • Provisional accreditation is awarded by the Commission on Schools in December or June each year.

17. NAAS Accreditation Process • The school submits an annual report form by October 15 of each year. (The initial report format mirrors that of the annual report to help the school know what areas of the standards it needs to focus on during the provisional accreditation period.) • During the first three years of provisional accreditation and every six years thereafter a school completes a comprehensive self-study. • The state chair and committee present the names of the schools/centers recommended for accreditation to Northwest Association commissioners at the annual business meeting in December of each year. Accreditation is retroactive to the beginning of that school year. In special circumstances schools can be approved by commissioners at the June meeting of the Commission on Schools. • The school reports the progress of implementation of the self-study, especially the school improvement plan, in Standard VIII as apart of the annual report each year. This helps to assure on-going school improvement.

18. NAAS Accreditation Process • There are three phases to Northwest Accreditation accreditation: • Application • Provisional Accreditation: it is during this time (up to three years) that a school completes its first self-study. The school cannot vote on resolutions or by-law changes during this period. • Full Accreditation

19. NAAS Accreditation Process • NAAS Accreditation Process: • The school makes application to the Association office (the form can be downloaded from the NAAS web site www.northwestaccrditation.org) and submits the $200.00 application fee. • A letter is sent to the school with some general information and the name, address and phone number of the person to contact for additional information.

20. NAAS Accreditation Process • The school is asked to complete an initial report form for the response team to review. • Working with the ITD Division, the school hosts an initial visit team of two persons for a one-day visit. The team reviews the initial report form and its contents, tours the facility and works with the representative to determine if the school can meet the standards within the provisional accreditation period of three years.

21. NAAS Accreditation Process • The ITD chair and executive secretary present the names of the schools/centers recommended for accreditation to Northwest Association commissioners at the annual business meeting in December of each year. Accreditation is retroactive to the beginning of that school year. In special circumstances schools can be approved by commissioners at the June meeting of the Commission on Schools.

22. NAAS Accreditation Process The school reports the progress of implementation of the self-study, especially the school improvement plan, in Standard VIII as a part of the annual report each year. This helps to assure on-going school improvement.

23. NAAS Standards for Accreditation • SHAMELESS PLUG • NAAS conference for Distance Education, Travel Study and Residential Treatment Schools: • February 24-25, 2009 • Las Vegas, NV • Keynote Address:Dr. Thomas Sawner • Authority on leadership, organizational culture, orchestrating change, and innovations in education.

24. A Case Study: Virtual High School Global Consortium’s Accreditation Process and Lessons Learned

25. How and Why We Started VHS partnership model with public schools was the driver Initial request to New England Association of Schools and Colleges – not a school=not eligible Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission of Secondary Schools has process for Supplementary Education Organizations (SEO)

26. The Process • Fall 2006 – submitted Candidacy Application • For first-timers undergoing accreditation • Preparation for full accreditation self-study • Orients SEO towards accreditation process and the standards that must be met • Assists the Candidacy Visitor in planning the visit and assessing the readiness of the SEO for the next stages of the process. • December 2006 – Candidacy Visit • One-day visit: review of info in application and meeting with SEO leadership • Jan 2007 – Candidacy Report • VHS accepted for candidacy and fast-tracked

27. Be Careful What You Ask For! • Self Study conducted Jan-Sep, and report written and submitted Sep 2007 • Peer Review Team visits conducted virtually Sep-Nov 2007 • VHS office visit by head of Peer Review Team • “classroom” visits – reviews of VHS courses • Student, teacher and site coordinator “meetings” – global representation through conference calls • VHS Board of Directors “meeting” – conference call • VHS visit to Middle States offices for final Peer Review Team meeting Nov 2007 • Commission Board unanimously accredited VHS April 2008 – 5-year accreditation

28. How We Did It • Primary point of contact named: VHS CLO • Accreditation standards reviewed • Committees determined for each standard, headed by VHS staff • Draft responses to standards written and reviewed by CLO • Responses focused on VHS’s vision, mission, beliefs, governance, standards (course, teacher and program), strategic planning, annual goals and Quality Benchmark Indicators

29. Accreditation Standards • Philosophy, Mission, Beliefs and Objectives • VHS Mission and Beliefs established by BoD 2003 • VHS evaluates annually against mission and goals/objectives • Governance, Leadership and Planning • VHS BoD, bylaws established 2001 • VHS BoD Executive Committee meets monthly • Formal evaluation process for CEO • VHS Strategic Plan approved by BoD Oct 2004 • Organizational Design and Staff • VHS Administrative Team, VHS team org chart established • Formal employee evaluation plan • ProGrEss: teacher evaluation and development plan

30. Accreditation Standards • Educational Programs & Materials • Course design and delivery standards • National curriculum standards alignment • Strong professional development model • Assessment of Student Learning and Organizational Performance • Clearly defined evaluation process and grading rubrics • Current grade averages published every 2 weeks • Data-driven evaluation - Quality Benchmark Indicators measure student learning, preparation and performance of online teachers, and organizational performance

31. Accreditation Standards • Student Programs and Services • Leveling the playing field for all students • Summer credit-recovery courses • Real-time feedback on student performance • Resources • Membership-based program is self-sustaining & scalable • Focus on core competency and outsource the rest • Curriculum Program Areas • All content areas reviewed • Standardized course design and alignment to national curriculum standards • Supplement not supplant model of course offerings

32. Accreditation Standards • Improvement Plan • Student performance plan (required) • Increased performance in content knowledge and online navigational skills as measured by course completion rate, grade performance data and student satisfaction data • Organizational performance plan • Increased participation in VHS program services and satisfaction with VHS program quality as measured by increased survey response rates and seat utilization rates

33. Accreditation Reports Input Clear, thoughtful, and visionary leadership sustained by a well-developed support structure ensures that teachers and students alike learn from their experiences with VHS. The growth opportunities for teachers are as rich as they are for students. The Evaluation Team to Virtual High School found a school that is setting the bar for online education and is, in fact an exemplar of how quality courses can be delivered over the Internet.

34. Accreditation Reports Input VHS demonstrates very effective use of data and results of assessments to measure and track the performance of its students and the organization across many facets. The Team can say with a great deal of confidence that VHS is a data-driven organization.

35. Next Steps Conduct annual reviews Prepare a five-year report Prepare for the five-year visit Prepare for reaccreditation – prior to conclusion of 10th year of accreditation

36. VHS Quality Benchmark Indicators Program

37. VHS Program Evaluation • What is measured? • Mission statement • Annual goals • Strategic Plan • How is it measured? • Hard data points • Self-reported data • When? • Continuous improvement loop

38. Mission and Focus • The VHS mission is to develop and deliver standards-based, student-centered online courses to expand students’ educational opportunities and 21st century skills and to offer professional development to teachers to expand the scope and depth of their instructional skills • The focus includes: • Effective online course design and delivery • Professional development for online teachers • Quality control/quality assurance • Infrastructure for course delivery • 21st Century Skills development for Millennial Generation students

39. Goals – the first place to start • Program growth goals: students, courses, schools • Quality goals: course quality, membership services, preparation of teachers

40. Course Quality Measures AP pass rates: 66% AP exam take rates:73% Course completion rates: 79% Credit recovery rate (summer):63% Satisfaction with VHS course quality: 92% superintendents 100% principals 98% Site Coordinators Course features, teacher satisfaction: 92%: engagement in course work 78%: collaborative learning 97%: 21st century skills development

41. Professional Development Measures Professional development grad rate: 91% 1st-semester teacher success rate: 87% % of all teachers remaining with mentor: 5% Satisfied with VHS professional development 99% principals Applying VHS pedagogy to f2f teaching 79% teachers

42. Program and Services Measures Membership retention rates: 90%(08/09) 88%(3-yr cumulative) Course seat utilization: 85% Satisfaction with electronic communications: email Teachers: 99%, SCs: 96% Website Teachers: 97%, SCs: 98% Newsletter/Annual Report Superintendents: 86%/68% Principals: 78%/79% Teachers: 79%/54% SCs: 84%/54%

43. VHS Growth Indicators

44. Questions Dr. Ray Lindley, naasitrc@comcast.net Liz Pape, lpape@govhs.org Allison Powell, apowell@nacol.org