Executive Summary. National University Virtual High School. Ms. Nancy L Rohland-Heinrich, Administrator N. Torrey Pines Road LaJolla, CA 92037

Transcription

1 Executive Summary National University Virtual High School Ms. Nancy L Rohland-Heinrich, Administrator N. Torrey Pines Road LaJolla, CA 92037

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary Introduction 1 Executive Summary 2 Section 1: Introduction 2 Section 2: Student Performance 7 Section 3: Challenges and Opportunities 12 Section 4: Conclusion 14

3 Executive Summary Introduction Executive Summary Every school has its own story to tell. The context in which teaching and student learning takes place influences the processes and procedures by which the school makes decisions around curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The context also impacts the way school leadership considers how to organize, maintain order, and stay faithful to the school's vision. A description of the level of stakeholder engagement, trends and issues affecting the school, and the kinds of programs and services that the school implements to support student learning also contributes to the overall narrative. The purpose of the Executive Summary (ES) is to give schools an opportunity to tell their story, to describe their context both strengths and challenges so that the public and members of the school community have a more complete picture of how the school perceives itself and what it is deliberating as it engages in the process of self-reflection for continuous improvement. This report is structured into 4 sections that give context about what the school faces on a day-to-day basis in providing teaching and learning in its community: Section 1: Introduction Describes the community in which the school is located. Identifies the unique features and special challenges of this school community. Provides brief demographic information with regards to both students and staff and the community at large. Section 2: Student Performance Gives a brief description of the school's vision about students and their performance. Provides a brief summary of student performance in this school. Identifies the school's goals and how the school will know they have achieved them. Describes the variety of the school's student performance assessments. Identifies how the staff engages in meaningful analysis of student work in order to modify instruction. Describes the school's student support programs and services. Identifies the ways in which the school ensures community/parent involvement in the life of the school. Section 3: Challenges and Opportunities Identifies the major challenges the school has faced in the last 3 years and how it has addressed those challenges. Section 4: Conclusion Identifies what the school is most proud of and why. Relates other information the school would like to share with the public and the school community. Page 1

4 Executive Summary Section 1: Introduction Provide the school's mission statement. What process was used to create the mission statement? Describe how the school engaged its stakeholders to parents and community members in the development and fulfillment of the mission statement. Describe the community in which your school is located. What are the unique features and special challenges of your school community? Briefly provide demographic information with regards to both students and staff and the community at large. Narrative: 1. Institutional Overview and History National University Virtual High School (NUVHS) is a private, fully accredited, comprehensive, online high school which offers standards based courses focusing on grades 9-12 that are instructor-led, highly interactive and written to California Content Standards and National standards as applicable. As evident in the school s Mission Statement and Core Values, NUVHS remains committed to meeting the diverse needs of both fulltime and part time high school students who are seeking alternative classroom options in a highly interactive, rigorous, online format. NUVHS offers over 90 semester courses in all subject areas including Advanced Placement (AP ) and broad elective offerings. Currently NUVHS focuses on grades 9-12, offering college preparatory coursework leading toward a high school diploma or as supplemental coursework to its part time student body. NUVHS operates under the auspices of the National University System (NUS), which is an alliance of educational institutions including National University, the second largest private, non-profit University in the State of California. NUVHS which also functions as a nonprofit, 501 (C) 3 institution is housed within the Division of Pre-College Programs, one of six affiliates of NUS that focuses on advancing secondary school options to a broad population of students. In addition to the Division of Pre-College Programs and National University, the other affiliated institutions comprising the System include John F. Kennedy University, National University International, Spectrum Pacific Learning and WestMed College. A more complete understanding of the National University System can be found at the System website: as well as through the National University System Annual Report. Because of NUVHS s affiliation with the broader National University System affiliates, students and partners are provided a broad range of secondary support services that support the school s academic and operational goals to ensure students receive a quality academic program. These broad organizational and educational support services allow NUVHS to focus on providing a relevant and rigorous college preparatory program in an online environment. National University Virtual High School was established in June 2003, and began offering courses in the summer of Since the school began offering courses in early 2004, it has served over 6,000 students in grades It is important to note, that the large majority of these students enrolled with NUVHS on a part time basis, completing coursework as supplemental options while remaining fully enrolled at their primary high school. Although the majority of these students are part time, NUVHS continues to focus on expanding fulltime student enrollment and has graduated a number of students that have gone on to post-secondary education opportunities across the United States. Currently during the first part of the academic year NUVHS has a fulltime enrollment base of 16 students, and a full time equivalency of NUVHS has a fulltime student population of 16 students, and a fulltime equivalency of approximately 180. As part of the institution s commitment to continuous school wide improvement and academic performance of its students, NUVHS underwent a thorough academic and institutional review process in 2007, in preparation for accreditation review by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission of Schools (WASC-ACS). The NUVHS Self-Study report was reviewed by the accrediting visiting team that year, in conjunction with a three-day site visit for validation of the institutional self-assessment findings. Subsequent to this visit, NUVHS received approval of WASC accreditation for the maximum six year term allowed. This term of accreditation was reaffirmed in the fall of 2009 with an institutional review document and successful WASC mid-term visit through Page 2

5 2013. In keeping with the school s commitment to continuous institutional review and enhancement of all school processes including student achievement and advancement, NUVHS is scheduled to begin a second full WASC self-study in preparation for its second WASC review to occur in early Because NUVHS operates within a culture of continuous assessment and quality review, the school has continued to regularly focus on achieving a number of external benchmarks that further validate the school programs academic rigor, relevancy and quality, all toward expanding student academic success. Highlights of the school s various benchmarks for review and assessment include: NUVHS is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) for the maximum term length of six years through 2013 NUVHS has been approved by the University of California System as an approved online provider of college preparatory high school course work NUVHS has received over 30 individual semester course approvals by the University of California System to be recognized as quality online college preparatory courses (commonly referred to as UC a-g approval) All NUVHS Advanced Placement (AP ) courses have been reviewed and approved by the College Board to carry the AP designation NUVHS core courses and graduation requirements have been reviewed and approved by the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Has been accredited by the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA), which is now AdvancEd. 2. Mission Statement / Governing Core Values In 2004, as a newly founded high school in its early stages of operation, National University Virtual High School developed a mission statement and a set of core values intended to guide the school s priorities and vision as the school began its establishment of the initial organizational structure, development of curriculum and efforts focused at achieving a viable student enrollment base. Additional priorities at that time also included establishing and fostering relationships with both internal and external stakeholders to maximize the school s successful launch of operations and academic course offerings. Although the initial mission statement was appropriate for the institution at that time, NUVHS realized in early 2006 that the evolution and growth of the school warranted a re-visioning of the institutional mission and set of core values. In 2006, as part of the initial accreditation self-study, NUVHS launched a series of visioning sessions with school stakeholders, focusing on ensuring the mission, vision and core values remained focused on the success of the school, its students and stakeholders and to position the school for sustained growth and innovation. In addition to the school mission statement, NUVHS also adopted a set of core values that further support the school s educational philosophy. Together, these core values and mission statement complement each other and represent the institutional vision of providing students a rigorous and accessible learning environment to prepare them for either post-secondary readiness or the workforce. Mission Statement National University Virtual High School is committed to providing interactive, media-rich educational opportunities in a flexible, studentcentered learning environment to a diverse population of learners. NUVHS Core Values Innovation Opportunity Achievement Collaboration Page 3

6 Flexibility The current Mission Statement and set of Core Values developed during the accreditation self-study process included the broad participation of all relevant school stakeholders including school leadership, the Board of Trustees, teachers, staff, parents and students as well as key NU System community members. A third component to consider when reviewing the school s overarching philosophy and mission is the intuitionally developed Expected Schoolwide Learning Results, or ESLRs. Expected Schoolwide Learning Results, often most associated with the WASC accreditation process and supported by the California Department of Education function primarily as what can be labeled a set of schoolwide institutional learning outcomes that serve as another benchmark for assessing student achievement and to support the school s mission and vision. Currently the school s published Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLRs) are outlined below: Expected Schoolwide Learning Results It is expected that National University virtual High School students will be: Engaged Learners Demonstrate self-directed learning skills such as time management, and personal responsibility through completion of course requirements Develop an understanding of their own preferred learning styles to enhance overall academic potential Incorporate effective and relevant internet and multimedia resources in the learning process to broaden knowledge base Develop lifelong learning skills Critical Thinkers Effectively analyze and articulate sound opinions on a variety of complex concepts Illustrate a variety of problem-solving strategies that strengthen college preparation and workforce readiness Formulate a framework for applying a variety of technology and internet-based research to enhance information literacy and collaborative thinking Effective Communicators Demonstrate awareness and sensitivity to tone and voice in multiple forms of communication Express concepts and ideas in a variety of forms Enhance communication skills through the use of media rich or other technology resources Global Citizens Appreciate the value of diversity Understand the range of local and international issues facing today s global community Demonstrate awareness of the importance of cultural sensitivity and social responsibility in the 21st century To ensure that students and parents remain involved in continuous schoolwide review and assessment as related to the school s vision and mission, NUVHS regularly solicits student feedback through semester based student satisfaction surveys deployed each term. This type of feedback and opportunity for discussion helps school leadership to continue regularly monitoring school wide continuous improvement initiatives as well as to identify areas for growth and improvement. To ensure students, parents and community members understand the school s vision and mission, they are made available to all stakeholders through a variety of mediums including the school website, Student / Parent Handbook, Instructor Handbook, the NU System Annual Report and other key documents and publications. The school s vision is also integrated into and helps drive institutional planning processes such as the school s Strategic Plan 2013, annual operation and budgeting plans, and curriculum development, revision and enhancement priorities. School leadership also participate in a variety of System supported initiatives that further ensure the school s vision and mission are represented within the larger System framework. Sample initiatives include the Annual System Retreat, Desire for Distinction Project, Board of Trustee meetings, annual technology initiatives and advancements in online learning benchmarks. Because of the institution s commitment to transparency and inclusion of all key stakeholders in school wide planning processes, Page 4

7 NUVHS has continued to focus on making sure all stakeholders have the opportunity to participate in and understand the school s mission, vision and purpose. Additionally, as the school begins its second full self-study in preparation for the upcoming WASC visit in 2013 for renewal of accreditation, the school will continue to focus efforts on ensuring all stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers, System and external community members are active participants in reviewing, assessing and evaluating the school s stated mission and vision. 3. School / Community Profile National University Virtual High School regularly monitors and reports on student and staff demographics to ensure school administration, leadership, the Board of Trustees and other related stakeholders understand demographic trends related to student admissions, enrollment, academic achievement, quality of instruction, course delivery, external validations, and other related demographic and institutional indicators. These demographics are collected and analyzed a minimum of 4 times a year in alignment with the National University Virtual High School and NU System Board of Trustee quarterly meetings. The related data is also made available to the larger System and school community stakeholders including, teachers, staff, parents, students and the regional external community through a variety of publications and pathways each year. Examples include publication in the NU System Annual Report, the Annual NUVHS School Profile, NUVHS and NU System websites, annual Marketing and Public Relations Plans, Annual school operations plan, and other related external efforts. Additionally this information is provided in a number of external review documents including the WASC Self- Study, Midterm Review, NCAA Non-Traditional Academic Review and Questionnaire, and the University of California Online Course Provider Application. Since the school began operation in 2003 and course offerings in 2004, NUVHS has witnessed extraordinary growth in school admissions and enrollments, as well as significant expansion of the school s presence geographically throughout San Diego, the State of California and increasingly on a national basis. The school, recognizing the importance of integrating regular assessment of schoolwide growth factors in enrollment and academics is essential to effective school planning has maintained a culture of inquiry and data assessment in these areas and updates this data regularly each academic year. The following updated school profile is based on FY11 student demographic data. NUVHS Admissions During FY11 (July 2010 June 2011), NUVHS achieved 2,153 first time student admissions, which was a 45 percent increase over FY10. This growth pattern is consistent with admissions over the last 5 fiscal years where the school has witnessed consistent growth in first time admissions at an average of 60 to 70 percent annually. During the first 2 months of FY12 (July August), NUVHS has achieved 489 first time admissions, which is a 33 percent increase over the same time period of FY11. This suggests that the admission trend witnessed over the last five fiscal years will continue during FY12, although school administration believes the percentage of increase will trend slightly lower than previous years. It is important to note, that the majority of these first time admissions are identified as part time students, meaning that they take one or more semester courses through NUVHS to supplement their fulltime academic program at their primary school. To compliment this part time admission base, NUVHS currently has over 16 fulltime students actively enrolled toward degree completion through the school. During FY11, referrals accounted for just over 70 percent of new students who are considered first time admissions. Of the total number of students who self-reported their admission as a result of a referral, just under 60 percent of those indicated they were referred by a high school administrator or counselor, 12 percent from a parent, student or community member and just under 1 percent from an NU System stakeholder. NUVHS continues to rely on its reputation among schools and districts, both private and public, as a major contributor to the school s growth in admissions. The primary reasons that students self-select the reason for enrolling with NUVHS indicate just over 18 percent for the flexible scheduling options, 16.9 percent for grade improvement, which is indicative of students accessing NUVHS courses as supplemental, 12 percent for credit recovery options, 8 percent as a result of the school s partnership with another school or district, just under 4 percent indicating the enrollment is to secure additional course work for college acceptance. As is evidenced by the purpose of enrollment Page 5

8 data, students choose to come to NUVHS for a variety of reasons, and based on the data from students self-reporting a significant reason can be tied back to college readiness or to help students strengthen their high school academic record. The demographics of first time admissions choosing to self-report ethnicity range from 51 percent selecting Caucasian, just over 17 percent selecting Asian/Island Pacific, 6.5 percent Hispanic, 3.9 percent African American and 0.5 percent Native American. Because reporting of ethnicity is strictly voluntary, NUVHS consistently has a significant number of students choosing not to identify with a specific ethnic category. During FY11, some 20 percent of first time admissions selected not to respond. Student Enrollment / Registrants NUVHS also tracks student registrants in course sections, using the term Students in Class, which is specific to National University System s vernacular. Essentially, a student in class (SIC) can be equated to a student registrant or course enrollment. Typically an admission can result in multiple SICs, depending on the number of semester courses that student takes throughout their lifecycle of enrollment with NUVHS. During FY11, NUVHS witnessed 2153 first time admissions, which resulted in a total of 3321 SICs or registrants. During FY11, the school demonstrated strong SIC growth patterns having achieved over 3300 SICs, which is a 44 percent increase over FY10. Student enrollment by subject area remained similar during FY11 as in prior fiscal years with 31.9 percent in Mathematics, 21.7 percent in the social sciences, 16.7 percent in English, 13.1 percent in foreign language and just over 7 percent in Sciences. Electives accounted for just over 7 percent and both the physical education and the fine arts combined to account for 2.1 percent. Analysis of student enrollment trends by age group reveals broad distribution of students with just over 6 percent at age 18, 28 percent at seventeen, 30 percent at age sixteen and just over 23 percent at age fifteen. Because of NUVHS s affiliation with National University and a joint summer language intensive program in collaboration with the University s College of Letters and Science, entitled the StarTalk Program, NUVHS also had just over 11 percent of students affiliated with this program between the ages of eleven to fourteen. NUVHS Community Profile During FY11, NUVHS launched its online application for admission, which allows students to complete the application for admission online. This new functionality also allowed NUVHS to begin collection of additional data related to parents for which NUVHS can further understand the demographics of the student / parent population it currently serves. Parent Data collected during FY11 with this new functionality reveals that the large majority of parents are well educated with over 55 percent self-reporting they have earned a Bachelor s degree or higher and 28 percent having an Associate s degree or equivalent. Because this is the first year NUVHS has collected this type of parental educational data, there is little comparative analysis yet available with prior years, however NUVHS anticipates continuing to track and monitor this type of parent data to have a more complete picture of the student and parent community population that it serves. Because of the nature of NUVHS as private online high school, NUVHS enrollment is not restricted to specific geographic areas as would be experienced by a public or traditional site-based school. Since the school began operations, it has continued to witness extensive growth in its regional presence within San Diego, the State of California and most recently on an increasingly national basis. A variety of measures are employed by the institution to help track its growth and the expanding community it serves. One such benchmark is the number of schools or districts who have accepted NUVHS course credit in transfer. Focused primarily on the student s part time student population, this data helps the school gauge its reputation as a quality online college preparatory high school program; a reputation that continues to expand and can be directly correlated to admissions by referral trends noted earlier in this section. During FY11, NUVHS increased the number of schools or districts, both public and private that accept NUVHS courses in transfer to over 525 on a national level across 39 States. The California State presence has reached over 420 schools or districts across 42 counties, although the majority of the school s student population resides in Southern California and in geographic areas that are located within close proximity to a National University learning center or campus. Page 6

9 Section 2: Student Performance Give a brief description of your school s vision about students and their performance. Provide a brief summary of student performance in your school. What are your goals and how will you know you have achieved them? Describe the variety of your school s student performance assessments. How does your staff engage in meaningful analysis of student work in order to modify instruction? Describe the school s student support programs and services. In what ways does your school ensure community/parent involvement in the life of the school? Narrative: NUVHS maintains the belief that students are the center of our program and that school operational processes are geared towards helping students reach their full potential. In so doing, the staff at NUVHS remains focused on keeping current with trends in education, advancements in education technology and engaging the 21st century learner. The ultimate goal of the institution is to not only work with students towards a high school diploma, whether as supplemental or fulltime, but to also prepare students for post-secondary readings The NUVHS vision related to student performance was founded with the following end goals in mind: Academic rigor of courses Highly qualified teaching staff Multimodal learning Student accountability and assessment Data driven curricular changes to courses Student feedback NUVHS courses are academically rigorous and have been reviewed by many local education agencies as well as schools and school districts across the United States and a few international agencies. All of our Advanced Placement (AP ) courses have been reviewed by the College Board and have received full College Board endorsement. The University of California system has also reviewed the school s academic program, and institutional processes, as well as individual courses and has endorsed NUVHS as an online course provider. All NUVHS teaching staff are California credentialed teachers and are considered highly qualified under federal legislation. Staff files are kept and maintained at the NUVHS main office in Torrey Pines. The administrative staff regularly observes online classes to ensure quality teaching in the virtual environment in addition to providing teacher support services. Education technology resources are shared regularly as well. Many NUVHS courses were designed using the backwards design process in which assessments were created first, lessons and supplementary materials were created to support those assessments. The foundations of all NUVHS courses are the California State Content Standards. (Please note that California has recently adopted Common Core State Standards in August of NUVHS is currently revising courses to meet the new content standards). Course developers and subject matter experts that have played a part in the development and review of the NUVHS courses approached the development task with the understanding that students learn differently and have taken those learning modalities into consideration in the course development and design process. As a result, the first assignment for all NUVHS students is to complete a learning modalities survey in which they are assessed on how they learn best. From there, those results are shared with the teacher and a plan of action on how to approach the course activities can then be initiated. The NUVHS teaching staff is accustomed to customizing their courses for individual students as well as providing multimedia enhancements to the courses that will engage students in learning. NUVHS has identified four distinct areas in which we hold students accountable. The following are the NUVHS expected school wide learning results: Page 7

10 Engaged Learners who: Develop an understanding of their own preferred learning styles Demonstrate self-direction skills through completion of assignments, projects, and assessments Incorporate multi-media resources in their learning process Critical Thinkers who: Incorporate a variety of problem solving strategies in completion of projects, assignments and other course work Utilize a variety of technology and multi-media resources including the internet in their thinking process Effectively analyze and articulate cogent opinions on complex concepts or issues Effective Communicators who: Increase sensitivity and awareness to tone and voice in written communications Utilize many forms of communication effectively Enhance communication effectiveness through the use of multi-media and other technology resources Global Citizens who: Appreciate the value of diversity in the 21st century. Develop an understanding of the range of local and international issues facing today's global community Demonstrate awareness of the importance of cultural sensitivity in today's world NUVHS, with assistance from Spectrum Pacific Learning, reviews individual course data at the close of each semester. Specifically, the school attempts to identify patterns in teaching, learning, course participation, course progress, grades, mid-term and finals test results. The school also surveys students and teachers in order to find further clarification on some of the hard data collected. These results are then used to help drive curricular changes as well as changes to the overall program. In terms of curricular changes, modifications to online courses can be made relatively quickly by subject matter experts. Once modifications are made, the curriculum leadership and/or National University faculty from the School of Education review the course content for state standards alignment as well as academic rigor. Overall, the typical NUVHS student is academically advanced and college bound. Students are reading and writing above their grade level and are advanced in mathematics. Many students are enrolled in Advanced Placement or college level courses within their local neighborhood colleges/universities. Since NUVHS is a private school, the students do not participate in California State Testing (CST s), but the feedback received from educational partners is that students have improved academically after completing coursework through NUVHS. Many students also take Advanced Placement exams (AP ) and routinely pass with threes or higher. Students provide feedback at the close of every semester through the Student Satisfaction Survey. This past summer, 1,400 students participated in the summer student survey. Here are some highlights from the 2011 Summer Term as identified by the students: 75% of students found their course to have the same quality or better than a similar course in their current school 81% of students gained significant knowledge and skills in their subject area 82% of students felt their skills as an independent learner have improved after taking our course(s) 81% of students found the online format easy to understand and follow 92% of students felt they demonstrated the ability to be an engaged learner 93% of students felt they demonstrated complex critical thinking skills 83% of students felt their questions were resolved 84% of students felt their instructor gave clear explanation and guidance Page 8

11 81% of students felt their instructor responded to their questions in a timely manner 82% of students would recommend the course they took to a friend or to other students Overall, NUVHS students perform well in their courses. At the onset of course offerings in 2004, student performance reflected an inverted bell curve. Based on student and teacher feedback, data and assessment review, the course revision process quickly began and curricular changes were made and multimedia enhanced lessons were added. Additionally, professional development sessions were held with the NUVHS teachers to discuss best practices in online learning. These changes increased student engagement with their lessons and resulted in more time spent engaged in their coursework as well as increased communication with teachers. The school s goal regarding student performance are clear: Revise courses to meet the newly adopted Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Have newly revised courses reviewed by subject matter experts and/or faculty from the National University School of Education Continue to use data and assessment measures to drive curricular changes Continue to support teachers through professional development opportunities Survey teachers regularly and include them on decisions regarding their courses Most importantly, listen to students they are the 21st century learners and are most fluent in the use of technology tools Assessing student achievement of these goals is also clearly delineated: Identify CCSS met within each course unit, lesson and assessment Collect feedback from faculty review and address curricular changes Collect data and observe trends as curricular changes are made Continue to communicate with teachers and drive professional development meetings based on needs Continue to collect feedback from teachers and include them in the review process Continue to collect feedback from students and look for advancements in education technology that will further engage students in learning NUVHS utilizes many types of assessment, both formal and informal. NUVHS students local to a National University location have available to them the National University placement exam, Accuplacer which assesses students in reading, writing and mathematics and specifically in sentence skills, reading comprehension, arithmetic, elementary algebra and college level mathematics. This assessment instrument is available to NUVHS should it determine the need to assess a student s academic placement. The first assessment NUVHS students encounter in their classes is a learning modalities survey in which the student learns how he/she learns best. Once the student has those results, he/she shares those results with the teacher and a discussion of success strategies for successful course completion begins. For some situations, the teacher may modify course content by presenting it in a different manner in order to suit student needs. All NUVHS courses are built with State standards and national standards in mind. California State test release materials are incorporated into the diagnostic exams and administered to students in the beginning of class. The diagnostic exam assesses student s prior knowledge in the subject area and provides the teacher a benchmark on where to focus his/her instructional efforts. Page 9

12 Students also encounter assessment in each modular unit in order to ensure they are learning core concepts before proceeding to the next unit. These assessments may take many forms: multiple choice questions, short answer questions, matching, true/false, timed essays, fill-in-the-blank, multiple answer questions, etc. Students will also encounter a midterm and final exam in every course they take through NUVHS. In addition to the formal assessments, students are assessed informally through threaded discussions, assignments and project based learning. Threaded discussions are a place where the teacher will post a few open-ended questions for students to discuss with each other over virtual space and often do so asynchronously. Students will post an initial response to the question and then comment on the postings of their classmates. Assignments are individually assessed by the teacher for concept mastery in the preferred subject area. Projects are worked on through the duration of the semester course. Students will demonstrate their growth in learning within the subject area and present their final projects to the class for peer review. Projects take many forms, utilize different types of media, and students are allowed to choose the course project they would like to complete based on their preferred learning style. At the close of every semester, the NUVHS staff reviews data and assessment results in order to drive curricular changes. Reports used include: student retention, student progress, midterm and finals review by course, student completion, grades earned, just to name a few. We also survey students, teachers, and partnerships on how they interpret the events that occurred over the semester, student services, teacher communication, technical support, etc. Both reports help us to identify what areas need more focus. If, for example, a fair amount of students answer a particular problem on the midterm, we know we need to look at the content of that corresponding lesson and revise it to better inform students. The entire staff and key stakeholders are involved in the assessment review process. Subject matter experts, teachers and curriculum developers make changes to the curriculum as necessary and faculty from the National University School of Education review the changes for content standards and academic rigor. The NUVHS student support experience begins at enrollment. Our student support team, lead by our Manager of Student Support Services, guides students, parents, and partner institutions through: the enrollment process guides students when they experience difficulties in their classes helps facilitate accessing textbooks and other materials helps the students reach technical support if need be processes academic transcripts provides scholarship opportunities to deserving students and they are just the live person on the other end of the phone that can answer just about any question asked In addition to these student support services, the student services support team facilitates the NUVHS Facebook pages as a means to build a NUVHS community in a virtual setting. All NUVHS students have available to them the same student support services National University students have. Student services include, but are not limited to: Access to the National University Writing Center Access to the National University Mathematics Center Access to the National University Spectrum Library (one of the largest elibraries in the United States) Access to the National University Career Center Page 10

13 Technical Support Students with special needs with IEP or 504 Plans on file are provided with support services as required by the document submitted. The National University School of Education, Special Education faculty, help us to review and assess those files and provide services. Students who have limited English proficiency are supported through differentiated instruction provided by their highly qualified teachers. Our student services support team regularly interacts with parents, community members and organizations, and school partnership programs through outreach events, and system functions. The student services support team is proactive in student retention and calls parents of students and school partners regarding students who are at risk of not completing their online courses. NUVHS participates in many community organizations and representatives attend community functions regularly. Some notable community organizations NUVHS participates with include (but are not limited to): Computer Using Educators (CUE) International Association for K-12 Online Learning (inacol) California Consortium for Independent Study Schools (CCIS) Global Education Collaborative Curriculum and Instruction Network through the San Diego County Office of Education Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Library Association of America Career and Technical Education Programs and Professionals Cal- SOAP National Council for the Social Studies National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Race for Literacy Technology Information Center for Administrative Leadership (TICAL) Page 11

14 Section 3: Challenges and Opportunities What are the major challenges your school has faced in the last 3 years and how have you addressed those challenges? Narrative: During the last three years, NUVHS has experienced significant schoolwide growth in its student admissions and course enrollment. Admission and course enrollment patterns indicate consistent growth rates each of the last fiscal years, ranging from 65 to 70 percent in student registrants and a similar pattern in first time admissions of 60 to 75 percent increase each fiscal year. Current FY12 patterns indicate that these growth trends are expected to continue during the current academic year, although not as significant in percentage points. Currently the school s student enrollment which includes both part-time and fulltime occurs primarily across California in over 41 counties, as well as an increasing presence on a national scale, with students across 39 states. School and other external educational partnerships with NUVHS have continued to grow in relation to the school s increasing presence in the education market as well as its grown reputation as a quality, online high school program. During FY12 NUVHS has established transfer credit opportunities with over 525 public and private schools and districts. Although the institution recognizes the positive impact of the growth it has experienced, staff and leaderships also recognize that this type of growth also comes with newly identified challenges. As part of the school s continuous review and reflection culture, NUVHS continued to attempt to identify specific challenges, whether externally or internally and develop ways to address those challenges while remaining focused on the institutional vision and mission. During the last three years, NUVHS has remained focused on addressing the following challenges: Strengthening the School Community, Enhancing the Academic Program and Leveraging its Network of Resources. Additionally, a fourth challenge the school is currently addressing is continuing to grow its fulltime student enrollment base. Currently NUVHS has 26 fulltime students enrolled, which equals a small percentage of the school s overall student enrollment growth which remains part-time or supplemental students. It is important to note however, that analysis of first time admissions to student course enrollments indicates a trend of students returning to NUVHS to take more courses. In order to address these challenges, NUVHS has integrated into its Schoolwide Action Plan and other related planning documents resources and strategies intended to help address each of these critical challenges. Specific initiatives include: STRENGTHEN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY Expand student/parent communications and participation Enhance student enrollment Maximize resources to support student retention Improve overall communication among stakeholders Expand community and organizational relationships ENHANCE THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS Refine and expand curricular offerings Enhance support and training for all staff Integrate student achievement data and analysis into schoolwide plans and future strategic directions Enhance curricular offerings through assessment data analysis Obtain external review and accreditation to help further foster institutional reflection and assessment and increase school s reputation Participate in current and emerging technology research focused on online learning LEVERAGE NETWORK OF RESOURCES Develop and enhance prioritization of resources focused on target school initiatives that support student learning Implement additional measurement mechanisms to track student achievement and to help drive schoolwide improvement and planning efforts Augment enrollment to ensure the school s fiscal sustainability With a dedicated administrative and teaching staff, increased participation on the part of students, parents, community members and the institution s increased and expansive network of resources available through National University and the NU System, NUVHS has remained dedicated at continuing to assess its progress, identify strengths and areas for opportunity for quality improvement and Page 12

15 growth and to maximize its potential to provide students and partners a quality, relevant and accessible high school college preparatory program using 21st century technology, the internet and other mediums relevant to today s digital learners. To that end, NUVHS has witnessed significant achievements that have positively impacted the school s students ability to learn and achieve. Highlights of these achievements include: Awards of foundational grand funding that has resulted in over $200,000 in scholarship offerings for students in the mathematics, sciences and technology Advancements in technology support and services including enhanced functionality for student and parent communications through Talisma, and an enhanced reporting functionality in the school s administrative student record database Expanded functionality of the learning management system, multi-media interfaces in the courses and curriculum and increased student assessment data collection and analysis External accreditation and recognition including University of California as an online provider of college preparatory curriculum, NCAA and NAIA Approval, College Board approval of all Advanced Placement courses WASC Accreditation through 2013, with a renewal visit scheduled for spring 2013 Expanded library and other student support services such as the math and writing center Access to multiple professional development opportunities for all staff through both internal and external opportunities Through the school s annual planning process and embrace of a culture of self-reflection, assessment and commitment to continuous improvement, NUVHS continues to position itself as a quality online high school program offering college preparatory programs to its students and partners and is dedicated to ensuring that the school continue to move toward further enhancement of its academic program, student support services, and focus on providing relevant and rigorous academic options accessible to all students. Page 13

16 Section 4: Conclusion What is your school most proud of and why? Is there any other information you would like to share with the public and the school community? Narrative: NUVHS began operation in 2003 and since its inception has continued to participate in and witness numerous achievements that have positively impacted the institution and its students. NUVHS staff, students and stakeholders share a collaborative appreciation and celebration of these achievements and are proud to be affiliated with NUVHS, the NU System and its various milestones. Since the school achieved initial WASC-ACS accreditation in 2007 and especially during the last six years there are several milestones that have further positioned NUVHS as a relevant, rigorous and comprehensive online option for students seeking a quality educational experience that prepares them for post-secondary studies and a 21st century workforce. Since operation began NUVHS has served as an educational resource to almost 6,000 students and has continued to witness consistent growth in student admissions and enrollments each academic year. These growth trends are expected to continue as NUVHS broadens its academic and student support services aimed at ensuring that students receive quality education and learning opportunities. Because NUVHS continues to keep student learning at the center of its mission and vision, the school is proud of its sustained affordability as a private school that delivers premier high school learning options. NUVHS has continued to ensure that tuition rates are competitive with industry trends which speaks to the institution s commitment to affordability and accessibility and has only adjusted tuition rates once during the last 3 years. This type of commitment to affordability is possible as a result of the institution s comprehensive resource and strategic planning processes. The school has consistently remained focused on providing high levels of academic quality in its programs and is especially proud of its dedication in this area. Curriculum development, review and delivery in an online format is key to the school s success and NUVHS has regularly focused appropriate efforts and resources at ensuring that the school s courses remain interactive, relevant and rigorous consistent with college preparatory standards. The school s academic quality is further validated by the institution s achievement of multiple external validators which is another area of pride for the school. In addition to WASC-ACS accreditation, the school has also achieved recognition by the University of California System as a quality online high school program, approval by the NCAA and NAIA and approval of all Advanced Placement courses by the College Board. The school s affiliation with National University and the National University System is perhaps one of the most distinguishing factors for NUVHS for which not only NUVHS staff and students are proud, but also NU System stakeholders who take pride in supporting and collaborating with NUVHS. Because of its affiliation with NUS, the school has access to a significant amount of resources including technology, facilities, financial, and human resources. It s because of the school s affiliation with a larger System supported to advancing quality education that the school has witnessed its tremendous success over the last seven years. Perhaps of all the distinguishing factors for which NUVHS staff is proud, the most important is its students. NUVHS has been able to provide students access to quality educational options that prepare them for post-secondary studies or workforce readiness through a humanistic touch approach to online learning. NUVHS students have gone on to post-secondary studies at a number of widely recognized institutions including the UC, CSU System, Cornell University, Brown University, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and the University of Washington. Students and student learning continue to remain at the center of all NUVHS operations and the school, while proud of its institutional accomplishments both within California and increasingly on a national basis as a quality 21st century institution is most proud of its students and the success demonstrated in ensuring they are lifelong learners prepared to participate in a global community. Page 14