Bridging the Gap Through Online Learning VOISE Academy High School

1. Bridging the Gap Through Online Learning VOISE Academy High School Dr. Sandi Atols Manager of Distance Learning and VOISE Designer Chicago Public Schools Todd Yarch, Principal VOISE Academy Chicago Public Schools

2. Like many other major, urban districts, Chicago, we have a problem!

3. What Is The Problem? 9th grade is critical; most students who fail to graduate fall off-track in the first year of High School CPS Student Progression Through High School Progression of 2001-02 First-Time Freshman Cohort Research conducted by the Parthenon Group and with support from the Consortium on Chicago School Research, for the Department of Graduation Pathways, 2008.

4. What Should We Do About It? Building Alternate Pathways to Graduation Traditional Graduation Path Elementary Freshman Upper Classes Off-Pace To Graduate • Credits • Age 9th Grade At-Risk Graduation Elementary Risk Factors • High absences • Early failures • Off-track • Age • Attendance • Test Scores • Grades 11K 8K 27K Alternate “Graduation Pathways” The traditional path to graduation is not working for half our students;We need a portfolio of options to ensure that resources are available to meet the differentiated needs of individual students

5. The Department of Graduation Pathways Black – Not a department program Red – Existing department program Green – New Initiative Prevention Early Intervention Credit &Recovery Re-Enrollment • Freshman Connection • Step Up to High School • Jump Start • Summer Bridge • Gear Up • Small Autonomous Schools • SES Tutoring • AVID • Achievement Academies • Small Learning Communities • Summer School • CPS-VHS (online courses) • Evening School • Alternative Education • SAFE schools • Youth Connection Charter Schools (YCCS) • ALOP • SMART On-Track Labs YES Initiative Data-driven Analysis

6. CPS-VHS Online Facts Online class offerings are growing internationally CPS online students did not do as well at first Our city-wide online students’ successful completion rates were only 55-60% 4 years ago Our population spans those using online for credit recovery to Advance Placement Our population are not necessarily independent, motivated learners Our population includes those with special needs and low achievers Many do not have computers with internet access at home They need support

7. CPS-VHS Online Facts • CPS online students’ success rates rose to between 75 to 82% when we encouraged schools to: • Offer online courses during the instructional day • Require students’ attendance/put courses on schedules • Provide regular technology access • Provide mentors to supervise online classes – (CPS-VHS training required) • Count online course grades —put on transcript and count toward GPA • Schools do not always implement the program to ensure students’ success How could I be sure the program was implemented following best practices? -- Maybe CPS would open a new virtual school

8. A New School Concept At first virtual sounded like a great idea---but Illinois requires 300 minutes daily seat time and 60 hours for half a Carnegie unit. The best of both worlds vision was conceived! The idea of a hybrid school where students not only had the benefit of the structure of a school day, great teachers, but also online curriculum grew. VOISE: Virtual Opportunities Inside a School Environment was born and named.

9. The Road to VOISE The Design Framework • Following the RFP format – 50 pages to explain: • Executive Summary • Curriculum • Community • Leadership • Teaching staff and Recruitment • Remediation/Differentiated Instruction • Policies • Facilities • Community Interviews and Forums • Meetings/interviews with Office of New Schools (ONS) • Weekly PD Sessions with all other proposal teams • Interviews with community liaisons • Framework Approval

10. The Road to VOISE The RFP Process – Trying to cover all bases RFP Written (100 pages plus Appendices) going more into depth and making changes indicated by Community and Office of New Schools (ONS). More Community forums and meetings and interviews Proposed Principal interviews and approval RFP approval by ONS for the Austin Campus Approval sent to be approved by Arne Duncan Formal Public Hearings Approval sent to Board of Education to approve Hire the principal Hire the staff

11. The Road to VOISE Plan/Steps to Open the New School • Promote school – COMMUNICATE (this never ends) • Visit feeder schools and present to 8th graders • Work with counselors during enrollment process • Hire staff • Plan curriculum • Write Board Report for funding/budget • Plan Budget • Write SIPAA and all other policies • Order equipment, furniture, supplies, materials • Conduct teacher PD ( 3 weeks) • Conduct Student Orientation (2 weeks) • Conduct Opening Celebration

12. A VOISE Academy • On September 2nd, VOISE Academy High School opened its doors to its first class of 163 freshmen. • VOISE is a regular CPS performance school created through an RFP to the Office of New Schools’ Renaissance 2010 Program opening small schools with excellent educational opportunities in underserved communities. • VOISE will add a grade each year serving 600 students by year 4 in grades 9-12. • VOISE shares a large historic building with 2 other small schools offering after school activities and sports as a campus unit • VOISE is serving the Austin neighborhood—a population of: • high poverty • 99% African American • low-test scores • 30% special needs • high drop-outs • low graduation rates • few college entrants

13. VOISE Academy: The Best of Both Worlds A holistic approach to education---preparing students for their futures and teachers to support them Where Tradition Meets Technology • Structured CPS school calendar and day • Great teachers • Caring, positive environment • 3 R’s Philosophy • Hands-on Projects • Orientation (2 weeks in Summer) Tradition Technology Teacher: Instructional Guide – Professional Development • Summer - 3 weeks (NACOL assisted) • Daily subject area and team plan periods • Weekly school-wide Professional Development • Staff Dev. days • Internal & External experts • 1:1 laptops • Online Curriculum • Online Resources • 24/7 access • 21st Century skills • Global Community • NU Collaboratory Project

14. VOISE Academy will make a difference! Students have a choice with VOISE • A quality school in the Austin Community • Small classes, small school • Freshman Transition Course • 3 R’s Philosophy: Rigor, Relevance, & Relationships • Personal education plan for each student • Students work online at own level and pace • OHSP course requirements and additional online opportunities • Online learning management system • daily progress reports • time freed up for “teaching” • early intervention

15. VOISE Academy High School 3 R’s Philosophy: Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships Steps to modeling this: • Potential students came for a High School Investigation Day in June (150 students attended) • Teachers came for 3 weeks of Professional Development in the summer – NACOL assisted! • Students attended a 2- week Freshman Orientation to begin building relationships with peers and teachers and learn about expectations. • Students feel special: were involved in selecting the school colors, the uniform colors, and writing school policies. Expectations are being set high. They are the founding students with much responsibility! VOISE is becoming a model, has been in several publications, and is being visited and contacted for information about this innovative school.

16. Data-Driven Decisions • Students were given the Work Keys math and reading assessments during Orientation • Reading Diagnostics were administered the first two weeks of school • Reading and Math classes are block scheduled to give more time • Wednesdays is a time for projects, resources, and special help (1/2 day for students, full day for teachers). • The student management system gives immediate feedback. • All CPS assessments as well as teacher and Apex assessments will be administered to drive needed interventions. • Failure is not an option—VOISE will meet students where they are and allow them to gain skills and then move on after mastery.

17. Data-Driven Decisions Final enrollment? 149 students – just right! Are they attending? 94% At what level did they begin? • 5th grade reading (yet two are at college level) • 28 of the students have special needs • Watch List of incoming freshmen: • 17 students were tagged for being at risk due to poor attendance in 8th grade • 25 were tagged for being 2 or more years below grade level in math or reading • 5 for attendance and low level skills What progress has been made? • Most began in fundamentals classes; • Some have been moved into introductory classes already. • Reading is much more structured and traditional right now to build skills.

18. Some of Our Students

19. Challenges and Successes • The technology for broadband was upgraded the 3rd week of school so students finally had internet access. • Old building so wireless essential; not many outlets, either. • Smart boards are delivered—not all installed (no wall space) • Despite being in a tough area, misconduct numbers have been dwindling. • More time needs to be spent on teaching social skills (really immature --no older students to emulate). • Need to learn that the computers are not just free time and to stay on course appropriate sites. • Students are being teased by students from other 2 schools that they are spoiled nerds—beginning to work as a positive, however.

20. Challenges and Successes • VOISE can provide desktops for home use: building a learning community. • Parents will come to school for PC training and Internet safety before picking up their computers. • Some parents cannot afford the connectivity. • Students have no problem navigating the online classes. • They enjoy the fact that they can work at their own level; not based upon what others know or are doing. • Many students are surprised they are so low and that we are actually trying to teach them—not just pass them for doing assignments! • Teachers new to block scheduling needed to gain timing experience; new teachers to distance learning needed to learn classroom management strategies • FUNDING!

21. Mission and Goals • The mission of VOISE high school will be to combine the use of technology, best distance learning practices, and quality online curriculum with exemplary secondary classroom teachers and student-centered pedagogy in order to provide all its’ students with choice, flexibility, scholarship, and individual attention; culminating in students’ high achievement. • Our vision is to create a safe, academically successful school with a positive, interactive, technologically advanced environment rooted in building strong relationships and respect. • Our goals are to raise attendance and graduation rates and lower drop-out rates. Another goal is for all VOISE graduates to enroll in college. • VOISE recognizes the importance of preparing its learners for living and working in today’s society and honing skills through online learning as a catalyst to future success and a lifelong love of learning.

22. The Department of Graduation Pathways Black – Not a department program Red – Existing department program Green – New Initiative Prevention Early Intervention Credit Recovery Re-Enrollment • Freshman Connection • Step Up to High School • Jump Start • Summer Bridge • Gear Up • Small Autonomous Schools • SES Tutoring • AVID • Achievement Academies • Small Learning Communities • VOISE Academy • Summer School • CPS-VHS (online courses) • Evening School • Alternative Education • SAFE schools • Youth Connection Charter Schools (YCCS) • ALOP • SMART On-Track Labs YES Initiative Data-driven Analysis

23. VOISE is in the News • Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/ikid-voise-academy-online-education • Converge Magazine: The Best of Both Worlds • NACOL: http://www.nacol.org/promisingpractices/NACOL_PP-BlendedLearning-lr.pdf • Chicago Sun Times: http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/1139481,CST-NWS-skul02.article • CPS At Night: www.cps.answerstv.com; "Cutting Edge High School." 

24. Thank you! Questions? Contacts: Dr. Sandi Atols Mr. Todd Yarch, Principal slatols@cps.k12.il.ustyarch@cps.k12.il.us www.VOISE.cps.k12.il.us