NEW MEXICO VIRTUAL ACADEMY

Transcription

1 CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATION VOLUME 1 NEW MEXICO VIRTUAL ACADEMY Presented to Farmington Municipal Schools Board of Education 2001 North Dustin Avenue Farmington, New Mexico July 1, 2011

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3 I. TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Titles and Subsection Items Page Number(s) I. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 II. APPLICATION COVER SHEET - NOTICE OF INTENT - ABSTRACT 4 III. ASSURANCE THAT ALL GOVERNING BODY MEMBERS HAVE READ THE COMPLETED APPLICATION 7 IV. CHARTER SCHOOL MISSION AND STATEMENT OF NEED 12 V. EDUCATIONAL PLAN 16 A. CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK 16 B. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM 46 C. STUDENT PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS 51 D. PLAN FOR EVALUATING STUDENT PERFORMANCE 57 E. SPECIAL POPULATIONS 70 VI. FINANCIAL PLAN 77 A. BUDGET 77 New Mexico Virtual Academy 1

4 B. FISCAL MANAGEMENT 80 VII. GOVERNANCE/MANAGEMENT PLAN 87 A. GOVERNANCE/MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE 87 B. DESCRIPTION OF THE GOVERNING BODY 91 C. PARTNERSHIPS 102 D. SCHOOL ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 102 E. EMPLOYEE RELATIONS 116 F. STUDENT ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES AND DISCIPLINE POLICY 122 G. FACILITIES 124 H. OTHER STUDENT SERVICES 126 VIII. REQUIREMENTS 129 A. LEGAL LIABILITY AND INSURANCE COVERAGE 129 B. WAIVERS 129 IX. APPENDICES 132 New Mexico Virtual Academy 2

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6 II. APPLICATION COVER SHEET/ NOTICE OF INTENT/ABSTRACT School Information: Name of Proposed Charter School New Mexico Virtual Academy School Address (if known) To Be Determined School Location (City/Town) Farmington, New Mexico School District within which the school will be located Farmington Municipal Schools Contact Information: Primary Contact Person Ralph Arellanes Address 2829 Texas N.E. City Albuquerque State_New Mexico Zip Daytime Tel (_505)_ Fax ( ) Alternate Tel (505)_ ralph.arellanes@abq.dtra.mil Secondary Contact Person To Be Determined Address City State Zip Daytime Tel ( ) Fax ( ) Alternate Tel ( ) Partner Organizations (if applicable): Not Applicable Enrollment Information: Grade span at full enrollment _K-12 Total number of students at full enrollment _1,600 Complete the chart. School Year Grade Levels to be Served Total Projected Student Enrollment First Year K Second Year K-12 1,000 Third Year K-12 1,250 Fourth Year K-12 1,450 Fifth Year K-12 1,600 New Mexico Virtual Academy 3

7 Notice of Intent: A copy of the notice of intent to submit a charter application that was submitted on January 6, 2011, to Farmington Municipal Schools and the New Mexico Public Education Department is provided on the following page. New Mexico Virtual Academy 4

8 Ralph Arellanes NM LULAC State Director PO Box Albuquerque, NM January 6, 2011 VIA FACSIMILE AND U.S. MAIL Ms. Janel Ryan, Superintendent Farmington Municipal Schools 2001 N. Dustin, Ave. Farmington, NM VIA FACSIMILE AND U.S. MAIL Mr. Sam Obenshain Interim Assistant Secretary of Education NM Public Education Department Charter School Division 300 Don Gaspar Avenue, Room 301 Santa Fe, NM Re: Notice of Intent to Submit Charter Application Dear Ms. Ryan and Mr. Obenshain: My name is Ralph Arellanes, I am the State Director for New Mexico League of Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and am an interested community member pursuant to NMSA B- 6(F)(2009). I am submitting a notice of intent to submit a charter application on or by July 1, It is my intent to seek a charter from either the local district or the Public Education Commission. I will notify you as soon as I have made the decision as to which authorizer I will submit the application reserving the right to make such decision until such time as the application is due. Please find my contact information below: Ralph Arellanes NM LULAC State Director PO Box Albuquerque, NM Phone: (505) ralphnmlulac@comcast.net Thanks for your attention in this regard. Ralph Arellanes New Mexico Virtual Academy 5

9 Abstract of Proposed Charter School: It is the mission of New Mexico Virtual Academy (NMVA) to use technology to provide an innovative public charter school education option meeting the individual needs of kindergarten through twelfth grade students. We will enroll students in grades K-11 in year one and grades K- 12 in year two and beyond. NMVA will be accountable for developing each student s full potential by utilizing research-based technology applications, meaningful teacher/student/parent involvement, and engaging individualized learning. NMVA will be a blended model: distance learning combined with traditional face-to-face classroom instruction according to each student s academic and social needs. Our school will be a full-time virtual public school open to any grade K-12 child eligible for attendance in public schools in New Mexico, including students from diverse backgrounds, urban, rural, special populations of students, such as gifted and talented students, students attending schools designated as needs improvement under NCLB, special education students, homebound students, or those who are struggling academically. The school s administrative staff will oversee the education program from the NMVA learning center facility to be located in the Farmington Municipal Schools district. NMVA will offer sixth through twelfth grade students sessions onsite at the learning center if a student requires them and if it would benefit his or her education. New Mexico licensed, highly qualified teachers will provide instruction in both distance learning courses and onsite sessions. Teachers will work in conjunction with learning coaches (parents/guardians or any caring adult that the parent or guardian selects). Teachers will provide guidance, instruction and support to students and learning coaches via , telephone, in person, and during synchronous online learning sessions in web conferences. NMVA K-8 students will complete coursework that will include math, social studies/new Mexico history, physical education, Language Arts/English, science, art and world languages or music. High school students will be enrolled in at least six courses including courses required for graduation and electives. Math, English, Science, and History courses will be offered in multiple levels Core, Comprehensive, Honors, and Advanced Placement plus remediation and credit recovery courses to meet the needs of diverse learners. NMVA s curriculum will also provide K-12 students multiple levels of World Languages in Spanish, French, Latin, German, and Chinese. The blended distance learning program will combine lessons accessed on the Internet with hands-on materials kits. Students will receive the course content, instruction, assignments, assessments and supplemental materials online as well as hands-on materials kits shipped directly to the student, including textbooks, workbooks, reference books and anthologies, DVDs, maps, and other hands-on activity materials (phonics kits, science experiments, art supplies, math manipulatives, musical instruments, etc.). Students will be able to check out a computer and printer for the duration of their enrollment in the school. Assessment and accountability will be an integral part of the learning program including benchmark assessments at the beginning of the year; an Individual Learning Plan for each student; regular diagnostic performance assessments throughout the school year to measure growth; ongoing lesson, unit, and semester assessments to demonstrate mastery of the learning objectives in the curriculum; and New Mexico Statewide Assessment Program (NMSAP) to demonstrate that New Mexico Virtual Academy students are meeting and exceeding the state learning standards. New Mexico Virtual Academy 6

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17 IV. CHARTER SCHOOL MISSION AND STATEMENT OF NEED The Charter School Mission Statement should communicate the essence of the school to stakeholders and to the public and should provide the focal point to which all other sections of the school s plans align. In addition, the proposed charter school and its mission must be in the best interest of the students and community that it proposes to serve. Provide a clear and compelling Mission Statement for the school that includes the following components: o Who the school seeks to serve; o What the school seeks to accomplish; o What methods the school will use. It is the mission of New Mexico Virtual Academy (NMVA) to use technology to provide an innovative public charter school education option meeting the individual needs of kindergarten through twelfth grade students. NMVA will be accountable for developing each student s full potential by utilizing research-based technology applications, meaningful teacher/student/parent involvement, and engaging individualized learning. NMVA will be a blended model: distance learning combined with traditional face-toface classroom instruction according to each student s academic and social needs. New Mexico Virtual Academy will develop and enrich all of its students by fostering their desire to be lifelong learners to reach their full potential in life. Provide a response to the following question: How will the school know if it is achieving its mission as stated above? The response must include school level or organizational goals that are measurable and directly support the Mission Statement. The school level or organizational goals must be stated using the SMART Goal format. (NOTE: Specific measurable student performance expectations [student goals] should be addressed in Section V, Educational Plan.) To achieve its mission of meeting the individual needs of all of its students, NMVA must achieve these school goals (expressed in the SMART Goal format): o Specific; o Measurable; o Ambitious and Attainable; o Reflective of the school s mission; o Time-Specific with Target Dates. Goal 1 Statement: NMVA will demonstrate that it is implementing an effective Individual Learning Plan for each student. New Mexico Virtual Academy 12

18 Measured by: Scantron Performance and Achievement Series assessments; lesson, unit and semester curriculum assessments; early literacy screening; New Mexico Statewide Assessment Program (NMSAP); and Next Step Plans. Attainment: Achieving a minimum of one year s growth in one year s time; and an increase in the number of Next Step Plans stating an intent to continue the student s education after high school. Relationship to School Mission: It is the mission of New Mexico Virtual Academy (NMVA) to use technology to provide an innovative public charter school education option meeting the individual needs of kindergarten through twelfth grade students. To achieve that mission, NMVA will demonstrate that it is accurately pinpointing student proficiency levels and prescribing appropriate needed interventions which result in improving student achievement. Target Dates: Scantron Performance Series assessments beginning and end of school year; Scantron Achievement Series assessments throughout the school year; lesson, unit, and semester assessment results throughout the school year; report cards at the end of each semester; Next Step Plans by the end of 8 th, 9 th, 10 th, and 11 th grades and updated regularly throughout grades Goal 2 Statement: NMVA will promote meaningful parent, student and teacher involvement by creating a powerful partnership between satisfied NMVA parents and teachers, combining forces to ensure that children receive individual attention and achieve academic excellence. Measured by: Parent surveys; parent participation in school activities and parent training; teacher surveys; teacher participation in professional development. Attainment: (1) Parental satisfaction: 70% or more of parents or other responsible adults in the first year of operation, 80% or more of parents or other responsible adults in year two, and 90% of parents or other primary adults in year three will be satisfied with the academic progress their student is making while enrolled in NMVA; and (2) Professional Development: 100% of NMVA teachers each year will participate in networking and professional development opportunities with the goal of improving student academic achievement in math and reading. Relationship to School Mission: It is the mission of New Mexico Virtual Academy (NMVA) to be accountable for developing each student s full potential with meaningful teacher/student/parent involvement. Parents and teachers will help us to continuously evaluate the operation and governance of the school both online and offline. NMVA will survey parents and teachers online to determine their satisfaction with their overall experience in NMVA, including the curriculum, instruction, OLS, administration, support, quality and delivery of materials, working with the lessons, student progress, student attitude towards learning, communication, and interaction with other NMVA students and parents. New Mexico Virtual Academy 13

19 Parents and teachers will be offered the opportunity to give critiques and/or testimonials about the program. Target Dates: Survey parent and teacher annually; evaluations of parent training and teacher professional development as they occur. Provide an explanation of need that describes how the proposed charter school is in the best interest of the students and community that it proposes to serve. Include a demographic description of the student and community population within which the school will be located. The academic philosophy of the school is based on using innovations in technology to create and harness the power of individualized learning plans. As a public charter school, NMVA will be open to any grade K-12 child eligible for attendance in public schools in New Mexico, including students from diverse backgrounds, urban, rural, special populations of students, such a gifted and talented students, students attending schools designated as needs improvement under NCLB, special education students, homebound students, teenage mothers, or those who are struggling academically and in need of an alternative choice for their public school education. Too many students in both New Mexico and the nation are not graduating from high school at all, or are graduating unready for the expectations of higher education or meaningful careers. This reality, central to the mission of the New Mexico Virtual Academy, is not receiving the type of innovative solutions it deserves. Nearly 30% of students in the high school class of 2008 in the U.S. didn t graduate 1 Nearly 33% of all students in the class of 2010 in New Mexico didn t graduate 2 We understand that not all children learn the same way and believe that individual students and families should have access to an array of high quality public education options. We will be recognized as a school that is student-centered--looking at each student as an individual and matching teaching methods to individual learning styles and student performance. Students will collaborate with their teachers, parents, learning coaches, and school leaders to define, plan, and work towards achieving their academic and non-academic goals. They will share an ethic of cooperation, hard work, and high expectations. Utilizing technology in education is an appropriate, and necessary, way to educate the many digital students of this Millennial generation. For this generation, technology is an integral part of their lives. They grew up with the Internet and thrive in a multimedia, highly communicative environment. Learning online is natural to them. They expect their education to be in line with their every day technology-rich experiences. 1 Gewertz, New Mexico Public Education Department, 2011 New Mexico Virtual Academy 14

20 Technology has the power to customize education for each and every student so all students can achieve their full potential for learning. Digital learning is a proven method. 3 Digital learning allows students to learn in their own style at their own pace, which maximizes their opportunities for success in school and beyond. New Mexico Virtual Academy will: expand access to high quality, rigorous K-12 courses and provide a new network of highly qualified teachers to students in underserved New Mexico communities both rural and urban; offer customized and personalized learning for a spectrum of students: from struggling students who need a second chance to master a subject through credit recovery if they fall behind, to students ready for advanced placement courses to promote college readiness; connect students to a vast network of resources that will help them compete and succeed in the global economy; and meet the growing demand for graduates with greater knowledge and skills. NMVA will address the needs of New Mexico students because it is premised on the belief (and proven experience) that given a comprehensive and mastery-based curriculum, high expectations, state of the art technology, strong instructional support, collaborative community learning, guidance from experienced teachers, and a strong commitment from parents (or other responsible adults), a well-conceived blended education program can help boost student achievement, serve the unique needs of students and families, and offer a new model for effective public education. 3 U.S. Department of Education, 2010 New Mexico Virtual Academy 15

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22 V. EDUCATIONAL PLAN The educational plan should describe who the school expects to serve; what the students will achieve; how they will achieve it; and how the school will evaluate performance. It should provide a clear picture of what a student who attends the school will experience in terms of educational climate, structure, materials, schedule, assessment and outcomes. A. CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK The New Mexico Content Standards, Benchmarks, and Performance Standards provide the content requirements and expectations for students in all public schools. The description of the curriculum should provide a sense not only of what the school will teach but also of how and why. (NOTE: Refer to the Glossary of Terms Used in the Application, page iii, to assist in the completion of this section.) 1. Philosophy and Approach to Instruction Describe the educational philosophy and curricular approach of the proposed school. Educational Philosophy The educational philosophy of NMVA is consistent with conclusions reached in reports published by International Association of K-12 Online Learning (inacol) (Watson, 2008). All students deserve access to high quality curriculum and teachers regardless of socioeconomic or geographic barriers. Student-centered environments encourage self-directed, self-paced learning. In the 21st Century, students utilize technology on a daily basis, learning in an environment that students are familiar with which engages students, fosters creativity and encourages 21st Century skills. The future of education involves providing content, resources, and instruction both digitally and face-to-face in the same classroom. Curricular Approach Our curriculum is standards- and research-based, content-rich, and meets or exceeds the New Mexico Content Standards, Benchmarks and Performance Standards. The curriculum provides lessons for every subject, for every school day, for the entire school year, for kindergarten through grade 12. An innovative combination of New Mexico Virtual Academy 16

23 traditional paper-based texts and hands-on instructional materials as well as webbased lessons, resources, and tools, the curriculum covers math, English/language arts, history, science, music, art, five world languages, a range of high school electives, and Advanced Placement courses as well as elementary adaptive and high school remediation and credit recovery courses. Upon enrolling in NMVA, each student will receive access to the complete curriculum. Students will also receive all the instructional materials they need for the school year. Each family of NMVA K-8 students will be able to check out a computer and printer for the duration of their students enrollment in the school. Additional computers may also be checked out as needed to accommodate multiple students in the same family. Each NMVA high school student in grades 9 through 12 will be able to check out a computer and printer. NMVA will develop policies to address connectivity matters. In those instances that disadvantaged families cannot afford Internet access, NMVA will provide reasonable scholarships to those that have a demonstrated need. 4 NMVA will also seek grants to cover the costs of the Internet scholarships. NMVA students may also access the school s web-based curriculum via publicly available Internet such as in public libraries. Using these tools, students work with the help of learning coaches (parents or other responsible adults). Learning coaches and students log into the OLS where they will view the student s daily lessons, log attendance, access planning and progress tools of the learning management system that help manage the student s schedule and academic work during the year. The curriculum employs a variety of teaching strategies, including direct instruction, hands-on exploration, online learning, and the use of manipulatives and learning games. The curriculum also provides day-by-day lesson plans, including: Clearly defined learning objectives; Step-by-step, easy-to-follow procedures for hands-on activities; Creative ideas for alternative teaching approaches; Materials to prepare and gather; Keyword definitions and tips and strategies for pronunciation; and Suggestions for optional activities and readings beyond the lesson. NMVA teachers work closely with learning coaches to oversee the delivery of the curriculum and the learning of each student. Teachers assist students to achieve mastery of the curriculum s learning objectives, providing direct instruction, guidance, and support to students and parents via classroom instruction, , telephone, in person, and during synchronous sessions using web conferencing platforms such as Elluminate. 4 The anti-donation clause is not implicated because the resulting benefit to students consists of a recognized governmental service, i.e., education Op.NMAG. New Mexico Virtual Academy 17

24 Student progress in the curriculum is regularly measured and reported to students, parents, teachers, administrators, and the Board throughout the school year. At the high school level, a comprehensive transcript review is completed to ensure students participate in the appropriate courses for graduation. The assessment component of the curriculum coupled with the learning management system generates detailed and ongoing data on academic achievement. Data from both on and offline lesson, unit, and semester assessments are entered into the system and are compiled to create a steady stream of information about student performance toward mastering specific learning objectives. The information is reviewed and analyzed by NMVA teachers on a regular basis. In kindergarten through grade 8, students are expected to obtain a mastery level of 80% or higher before they can advance to the next lesson or unit. Students will submit work samples to be included in their portfolios. A student moves on to more advanced work only after demonstrating mastery of the material in question. At the high school level, students earn points by taking quizzes, tests and completing teacher scored items. Grades are then awarded based on points earned out of points possible. The system is designed so that a student who is not mastering a particular lesson is redirected to alternate or additional instruction. The system can notify parents and teachers that a child is beginning to fall behind, allowing teachers to intervene in a proactive, timely way. With this kind of accountability and built-in transparency, there should be no surprises about student work. Together, the program works to ensure student progress is continuous and that students make steady academic gains to keep them at or above grade level. Curricular Approach: K-8 Students in grades K-8 will complete coursework that will include math, social studies/new Mexico history, physical education, Language Arts/English, science, art and world languages or music. Students will be enrolled in six courses and will receive daily coursework from New Mexico licensed, highly qualified teachers. NMVA will offer sixth through eighth grade students sessions at NMVA s learning center if a student requires them and if it would benefit his or her education. Those students attending the learning center sessions will attend classes in groups of up to 20 students. New Mexico licensed, highly qualified teachers will provide instruction in both distance learning courses and in onsite sessions at the school s learning center. Distance learning courses will have higher student to teacher ratios but will be of a size that teachers can effectively manage and students will successfully continue to learn. NMVA will follow all state requirements for student attendance aligning to the New Mexico Statewide Cyber Academy Act et seq. NMSA Parents will receive weekly reports from teachers regarding student mastery of lessons/units during classroom sessions. New Mexico Virtual Academy 18

25 Students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) will receive accommodations and direct instruction during their classroom sessions. Students with IEPs may receive related services at the NMVA learning center. Curricular Approach: High School Primary high school coursework will include the courses required for graduation and electives. Students will be enrolled in at least six courses. Students will receive daily coursework from New Mexico licensed, highly qualified teachers. The school will offer high school students sessions at the NMVA learning center if a student requires them and if it would benefit his or her education. Students will attend onsite sessions in classes of up to 25 students. Distance learning courses and onsite sessions will be instructed by New Mexico licensed, highly qualified teachers. Distance learning courses will have higher student to teacher ratios but will be of a size that teachers can effectively manage and students will successfully continue to learn. NMVA will follow all state requirements for student attendance aligning to the New Mexico Statewide Cyber Academy Act et seq. NMSA Parents will receive weekly reports from teachers regarding student mastery of lessons/units during classroom sessions. Classroom sessions in the learning center will be based on lesson plans within the online curriculum, state test preparation documents/tools, teacher-developed lessons, and other national test preparation tools. Students, teachers and counselors will develop classroom schedules based on students academic needs, responsibilities, and lifestyle. Students will be required to maintain their customized classroom schedule for a semester. Students will accrue attendance/absences based on attendance in classroom sessions as well as attendance/participation in distance learning coursework and activities. Students in Tiers 1 or 2 of Response to Intervention process who may be having difficulty or require enrichment (please see Subsection E. Special Populations) will participate in regular education interventions during their classroom sessions as determined by their learning plans. Students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) will receive accommodations and direct instruction during their classroom sessions. Students with IEPs may receive related services at the NMVA learning center. Describe why the particular educational philosophy and curricular approach were selected. It is our goal that NMVA will be a leading 21 st century public charter school in New Mexico, as evidenced by graduation rates, individualized instruction for all students, and the demonstration of 21 st century skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and self direction. Too many students in both New Mexico and the nation are not graduating from high school at all, or are graduating unready for the expectations of higher education or meaningful careers. This reality, central to the mission of the New Mexico Virtual Academy 19

26 New Mexico Virtual Academy, is not receiving the type of innovative solutions it deserves. More of the same is not going to produce the breakthroughs required. To help meet this challenge, we, as a state, need additional instructional models and a reaffirmed commitment to ensure our students are college and career ready. The New Mexico Virtual Academy will provide this type of model for the students we serve, and will provide an example for other public schools. Charter schools can and should be places for research and development in our public schools. The model we are proposing has been tested and proven successful in over twenty-seven states by K 12 Virtual Schools LLC ( K 12 ). We will work with all stakeholders to ensure high levels of accountability and transparency. In 2010, the U.S. Department of Education released Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning A Meta- Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies, the largest study of online learning to date. While online learning is relatively new in K 12 public education, the report notes two important findings (while also encouraging the creation of new models to study): 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. The effectiveness of online learning approaches appears quite broad across different content and learner types. (See for the full report.) Distance learning for students in grades K-12 continues to grow rapidly. As of late 2010, online learning opportunities were available to at least some students in 48 of the 50 states, plus Washington, D.C. 5 As of fall 2010, 27 states plus Washington D.C. had at least one full-time online school operating statewide. 6 Keeping Pace, a report published for the past seven years and recognized for its timely online education policy information, estimates 200,000 students nationwide were attending full-time online schools in A few states and districts in the country now require students to take an online course or have an online experience in a class as a requirement for graduation. The states of Alabama and Michigan and the Memphis City Schools district are examples. New Mexico requires students to take one unit of honors, dual-credit, or distance learning as a high school graduation requirement. The most well established K-12 distance learning programs have now been in operation between seven and twelve years. Several models have evolved for structuring distance learning K-12 learning programs spanning a continuum from fully Internet-based operating with students and teachers at a distance to programs 5 Evergreen Education Group, Ibid 7 Ibid New Mexico Virtual Academy 20

27 that are fully face-to-face. The blending of distance learning programs and the classroom setting are becoming increasingly common no longer a theory, it s in practice (Horn and Staker, 2011). The answer to the next question in this application presents documentation of the success of similar students who are enrolled in distance learning programs across the U.S. specifically those enrolled in programs using the K 12 curriculum with its learning management and student information systems. This documentation validates that the stated educational philosophy and approach will address the real needs of the Farmington Municipal School District and New Mexico K-12 community. Provide documentation, research, and/or a rationale that supports the educational philosophy and curricular approach. Students enrolled in schools and programs using the K 12 curriculum are an extremely diverse group from urban and rural areas, numerous ethnicities, varying academic skills, and a range of economic backgrounds. In the urban partnerships they have engaged in with the Louisiana Department of Education, the Mississippi Department of Education, and Chicago Public Schools, the collective percentage of minority students is close to 100%. Their track record with a variety of student populations is a testament to the value of an individualized education, suited to individual needs, that is made possible by the marriage of sound instructional curriculum and systems, powerful professional development, and technology. On behalf of the Mississippi Department of Education, the K 12 Discovery School model was used in three Title I elementary schools to improve daily math and science instruction in the district s three elementary schools. After one year, they helped increase the percentage of students who scored proficient or above on the MCT2 math assessment by 10% compared with a state average percentage gain of 2%. On the MCT2 science assessment, they helped increase the percentage of students who scored proficient or above by 11% compared with a state average percentage gain also of 2%. Results of the spring MCT2 Math assessment show even greater gains: the percent of students scoring proficient or above on the MCT2 math assessment soared-- with proficiency rates increasing in the three schools between 15% and 50% from 2008 to Science proficiency scores for 5 th graders rose between 10% and nearly 25% over the same three years. New Mexico Virtual Academy 21

28 80 Percent of Students Proficient or Above on the MCT2 Math Test Como Elem Crenshaw Elem Green Hill Elem 10 0 Spring 2008 Spring 2009 Spring 2010 K12 began work in the North Panola School District in the Fall of This graph follows the 3 rd grade cohort through their two years with the K12 Math program. In school year , K 12 was hired by Louisiana s Recovery School District, the state s vehicle for school takeovers, to provide instructional leadership at Sarah T. Reed Senior High School in New Orleans. K 12 helped secure grants which enabled the school to reorganize into three STEM-themed academies (Academy of Information Technology, Academy of Engineering, and Academy of Health Sciences). In just one year, Sarah T. Reed was among only a handful of high schools in Louisiana to achieve double-digit gains on state test results (LEAP, ileap, GEE) in math, language arts, science, and social studies and posted among the greatest percentage test gains of any high school in the state. K 12 has developed a partnership program for high schools undergoing turnaround that seeks to re-engage students who have dropped out or are at risk of doing so. The instructional model contains all of the flexibility and personalized instruction of their online programs critical to re-engaging students who have left the system but requires daily attendance at a physical site, thereby providing the structure, support, and social services so necessary to building and sustaining academic progress with over-age high school students. With the support of Chicago Public Schools, K 12 is leading a promising program using this structure with Youth Connection Charter School and Malcolm X College on Chicago s Westside. Ninety-two percent of the eligible students in this program graduated and, even more importantly, 94% of them said they needed more schooling to be successful a profound testimony in favor of education from students who had previously opted to drop out of school. New Mexico Virtual Academy 22

29 In the school year, students enrolled in a multitude of Florida Virtual School Programs partnering with K 12 in districts across the state continued the outstanding performance they demonstrated in their predecessor single school, Florida Virtual Academy (FLVA). Collectively, the students made AYP. They also earned an A on the Florida Department of Education report card for the fourth consecutive year. Chicago Virtual Charter School, a K-12 blended learning program, has outperformed the Chicago Public School System in reading, math, and science by up to 16 percentage points. The school was one of 147 state public schools to receive an Illinois Honor Award for achieving significant gains in academic performance in As an indication of the value-added benefits of the K 12 curriculum and their instructional model that we anticipate to experience, these graphs present data showing that the lowest-scoring students studying with K 12 curriculum and receiving the interventions which we propose to implement at NMVA are making significantly higher gains in reading and math than a national norm group who are not studying with K 12 curriculum and not receiving those interventions. LOWEST SCORING STUDENTS ARE MAKING THE MOST GAINS FROM FALL 2009 TO SPRING 2010 IN SCANTRON SCALE SCORE The students in the bottom quartile were the lowest scoring students on the Fall 2009 Scantron Performance Series tests. Data show these students in all grade levels are making significantly more gains than the observed mean gains of the Scantron norm group. These gains, if they continue, have the potential to allow these initially low performing students, to catch up to their peer group. LOWEST SCORING STUDENTS ARE MAKING THE MOST GAINS FROM FALL 2009 TO SPRING 2010 IN SCANTRON SCALE SCORE The students in the bottom quartile were the lowest scoring students on the Fall 2009 Scantron Performance Series tests. Data show these students in all grade levels are making significantly more gains than the observed mean gains of the Scantron norm group. These gains, if they continue, have the potential to allow these initially low performing students, to catch up to their peer group. There is also a direct correlation between the length of enrollment in K 12 programs and proficiency on the state reading and math standardized test results of approximately 70,000 students in 25 states and District of Columbia that we served in and impressive results. New Mexico Virtual Academy 23

30 How did ALL students who have been with K 12 for multiple years perform on their state READING tests in comparison to first year students? % proficient or better in READING by length of enrollment 72% 76% 76% 81% 64% 55% enrolled less than 3 enrolled less than one full months prior to testing year enrolled 1 full year enrolled 2 full years enrolled 3 full years enrolled more than 3 full years How did ALL students who have been with K 12 for multiple years perform on their state MATH tests in comparison to first year students? % proficient or better in MATH by length of enrollment 63% 51% 54% 56% 42% 35% enrolled less than 3 months prior to testing enrolled less than one full year enrolled 1 full year enrolled 2 full years enrolled 3 full years enrolled more than 3 full years As an example of the graduation rates for an established K 12 virtual school, the 2010 graduation rate for the Idaho Virtual Academy (IDVA) was 95% (% of seniors enrolled for SY graduating in 2010). Students graduating from K 12 virtual schools have New Mexico Virtual Academy 24

31 been accepted to hundreds of higher education institutions including many of the nation s top-ranked colleges and universities. IDVA also had an overall completion rate of 95% in SY At the end of the fall semester of 2010, among the more than 82,000 K 12 students enrolled, two-thirds had passing grades. Because their models engagingly employ the technology tools students use in their daily lives and, in doing so, challenge them with demanding lessons that meet them where they are, we believe that with K 12 as a partner we will develop a school culture which promotes personal responsibility. We will work with our students on individual learning plans matched to their stated academic and non-academic goals. We will provide our teachers and students with the ability to track progress towards these goals on a daily basis. In this way, we will provide students with greater flexibility, but also with an increased focus on personal accountability. Parents and Teachers Surveys from K 12 parents in Spring 2011 showed that 90%* expressed satisfaction with the K 12 curriculum quality; 91%* would recommend the K 12 curriculum, and 90%* expressed their satisfaction with their students K 12 teachers (*weighted averages of K-8 and 9-12 parent surveys). K 12 s professional development programs, offered both in-person and online, are designed to enable teachers to better utilize technology for instruction, because the emphasis is on the use of data, individualization, and how best to use the tools to engage students, training helps teachers dramatically improve their craft in general. According to both the International Association for K 12 Online Learning (inacol) and Education Week, K¹² is the nation s leader in preparing teachers to teach with digital resources. In the school year alone, they provided support and professional development to hundreds of classroom teachers teaching the K 12 math, science, history and art curriculum using state of the art interactive whiteboards in classrooms all across the country. Awards and Recognitions K 12 and its founder and CEO, Ron Packard, have won several awards in recognition of K 12 s curriculum and innovative programs. Winner, 2010 United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)21st Century Best Practices Award: K12 Inc. Winner, 2010 USDLA Outstanding Leadership by an Individual in the Field of Distance Learning Award: Ron Packard Bronze Award Winner, 2010 USDLA Best Practices in Distance Learning Programming: K12 Inc. Honors Earth Science Program New Mexico Virtual Academy 25

32 Association of Education Publishers (AEP) Distinguished Achievement Award Winner, 2009: Algebra I: A Reference Guide and Problem Sets (Grades 9-12) Winner, 2007: Earth Science: A Reference Guide Finalist, 2006: The Human Odyssey (Middle School History) Finalist, 2006: K¹² Grade 4 Art While K 12 is well-known for the quality of their online curriculum, it is particularly gratifying to them to receive recognition for their offline materials as well. Ohio Virtual Academy and Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School, Parent s Choice Winners in GreatSchools.net/Business Week January, 2009 School Rankings (Both statewide online public schools use the K¹² curriculum.) Co-Recipient with Florida Virtual Academy, 2007 ITFlorida Government Technology Leadership Award (Recognizes innovative IT initiative or solution for its contributions to a state or local government agency's mission and ability to improve delivery of services to the public) ComputED s Education Software Review Award for Innovation, 2007 Winner: K¹² Online School (Learning Management System) (Recognizes innovative and content-rich programs and websites that provide parents and teachers with the technology to foster education excellence, including augmenting classroom curriculum and improving teacher productivity) Additional awards to K 12 CEO Ron Packard: Winner, 2009 Chicago Booth Distinguished Entrepreneurial Award Winner, 2008 Ernst & Young, Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Greater Washington Winner, 2007 Education Industry Association James P. Boyle Explain why the educational philosophy and curricular approach are likely to result in improved educational performance of students. In addition to the evidence provided in the previous response to document that our educational philosophy and curricular approach do improve the educational performance of students, the educational program is also likely to result in improved educational performance of students because it is research- and standards-based. K 12 provides a curriculum which is based on more than fifty years of cognitive science research in the following areas: how students learn the structure of expert knowledge in school subject areas general instructional design principles, including research-based e-learning methods and methods for teaching specific topics and addressing possible misconceptions on those topics New Mexico Virtual Academy 26

33 Much of this research has not yet been implemented effectively in education despite the fact that key findings were summarized by Jerome Bruner (1960) almost 60 years ago and updated summaries have been published by John Bruer (1993) and many others over the last few decades. To insure that they draw on methods shown by scientific research to be effective in improving learning, K 12 has dedicated an Evaluation and Research team to reviewing and synthesizing cognitive science research and working with course development teams to implement it. The Evaluation and Research team, which is guided by Ph. D.-level cognitive science researchers and statisticians, also conducts original research on new teaching methods and tools in addition to studies of the effectiveness of their curricula. Our proposed instructional model is based on K 12 s National Instructional Model (NIM). Student services such as guidance counseling, diagnostic achievement testing, college and career counseling, coordinated with a detailed instructional model and intensive academic intervention programs are a part of our approach. At the center of this approach are the certified (and NCLB Highly Qualified) teachers who will provide instruction in both distance learning courses and onsite learning center sessions. Our instructional model is a reflection of the reality that student engagement and performance is best achieved through a tight combination of rigorous curriculum and focused innovative instruction. NMVA will offer K 12 s complete curriculum of grades K through 12 courses which are aligned to the New Mexico Content Standards, Benchmarks and Performance Standards to ensure that students will meet or exceed New Mexico s performance standards as measured by the New Mexico Statewide Assessment Program (NMSAP). High quality curriculum alone will not achieve the results we seek, nor will great teachers who are not provided with robust curriculum and instructional tools. Our instructional model will include both asynchronous and synchronous instruction. Befitting a leading online school, it is a mostly web-based approach. For some of our students however, a web-based approach alone may not be enough. For these at-risk students, who are in danger of not meeting or exceeding New Mexico s performance standards, we are proposing an intervention model to be included as part of a student s Individual Learning Plan consisting of targeted teacher-led web-based interventions which seek to identify and remediate gaps in skills and content (including study skills, habits, levels of engagement and motivation, etc.). These interventions will include both online and offline approaches to ensuring that struggling at-risk students are provided with structured efforts to address gaps in their knowledge or skills. The online approaches include targeted synchronous tutoring sessions via a tool like Elluminate, detailed use of Scantron s Achievement and Performance Series, instruction of study skills, and other interventions. If these interventions are not enough, we will also utilize our learning center as needed so that teachers can work with students in face-to-face instruction. The amount of time students are asked to spend at the learning center will be determined by the extent of the students academic and social needs. K 12 s curriculum and online learning platforms promote mastery of core concepts and skills for students of all ability levels. The approach combines cognitive science with individualized learning and is well suited for online schools, blended models, traditional brick and mortar classroom instruction, summer school, and other education applications. New Mexico Virtual Academy 27

34 The K¹² curriculum offers rich, challenging, and engaging content that is carefully sequenced so that, from one grade or course to the next, students build new knowledge on the strong foundations of what they ve already learned. Curriculum developers consult content experts, teachers, and cognitive psychologists to gain insights into the core knowledge and skills in the different disciplines and how that should be structured. The K¹² curriculum brings lessons to life with a rich mixture of on- and offline teaching tools, including interactive animations, awardwinning printed books with beautiful illustrations and narrative, original CDs and videos, and hands-on materials for labs and writing. Lessons are followed by assessments so teachers can be sure students have mastered a particular area before moving on. Built-in planning and progress tools make it easy to keep on track. The academic philosophy of the school will be based on using innovations in technology to create and harness the power of individualized learning plans. The common denominator among parents who will choose the New Mexico Virtual Academy for their children and the staff selected to work with us will be a shared belief that not all children learn the same way and that individual students and families should have access to an array of high quality public education options. We will be recognized as a school that is student-centered--looking at each student as an individual and matching teaching methods to individual learning styles and student performance. Our students will define, plan, and work towards achieving their academic and non-academic goals. Students, teachers, parents, learning coaches, and school leaders will share an ethic of cooperation, hard work, and high expectations. We will demonstrate best practices: optimal use of technology in learning and teaching, high quality instruction and curriculum, data-driven decision making, and focused and well-structured instructional practices. The instructional practices in our public charter school will be models for school districts in New Mexico to replicate especially in the areas of creating individualized learning plans (ILPs), parent engagement, mastery of standards, web-based and in-person professional development, a detailed instructional model, creating value-added measures of student achievement, and providing successful intervention for students who are struggling. Like all high-performing schools, our school will be committed to data-driven instruction and decision making, responsive governance, across-the-board accountability, and transparency in all aspects of school operations. Describe how the educational philosophy and curricular approach align with the school s mission and student needs. The mission of the New Mexico Virtual Academy is: to use technology to provide an innovative public charter school education option meeting the individual needs of kindergarten through twelfth grade students. NMVA will be accountable for developing each student s full potential by utilizing research-based technology applications, meaningful teacher/student/ parent involvement, and engaging individualized learning. NMVA will be a blended model: distance learning combined with traditional face-to-face classroom instruction according to each student s academic and social needs. New Mexico Virtual Academy will develop and enrich all of its students by fostering their desire to be lifelong learners to reach their full potential in life. New Mexico Virtual Academy 28