THE DIPLOMA MILL ALTERNATIVE: THE REGIONALLY ACCREDITED VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL
Presented by: Donald Jones, American Central High School Howard Liebman, Smart Horizons Career Online Education Gene Hart, Hart Investigations Gregory Jones, American Central High School
REENGAGING HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUTS REENGAGING HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUTS Presented by HOWARD LIEBMAN, SUPERINTENDENT SMART HORIZONS CAREER ONLINE EDUCATION Smart Horizons August 4, 2011
REENGAGING HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUTS HOWARD LIEBMAN, SUPERINTENDENT, SMART HORIZONS CAREER ONLINE EDUCATION Smart Horizons Career Online Education a national leader in delivering affordable, career based online education to students throughout the world. Founded in 2009 and located in Pensacola, Florida, Smart Horizons Career Online High School offers complete 18 credit, career based high school diplomas, designed to prepare students for entrance into or advancement within the workplace. Howard Liebman, Ph.D. Cofounder & Superintendent of Schools A visionary in the field of innovative online education, Dr. Howard A. Liebman is a nationally recognized educator and entrepreneur with experience in founding and leading successful public and private educationrelated enterprises. Smart Horizons August 4, 2011
REENGAGING HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUTS Drop Out Crisis US Representative George Miller (D CA), chair of the committee on education and labor notes, "the crisis we're seeing in our nation's high schools is real, it's urgent, and it must be fixed. It's become increasingly clear that addressing the dropout crisis is on of the most important things we can do to turn our economy around and regain our competitive footing for good. Albright, A., & Salmanowitz, M. (2009, May 12). High School Dropout Crisis Threatens U.S. Economic Growth and Competiveness, Witnesses Tell House Panel. Committee on Educatoin & Labor, United States House of Representatives. Retrieved from http://edlabor.house.gov/newsroom/2009/05/high school dropout crisis thr.shtml Smart Horizons August 4, 2011
REENGAGING HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUTS Consider the Following Nationwide, 7,000 students drop out every day and only about 70 percent of students graduate from high school with a regular high school diploma. Across United States public schools, just 74.9 percent of students who were freshmen in the fall of 2004 graduated from high school on time in 2008 Albright, A., & Salmanowitz, M. (2009, May 12). High School Dropout Crisis Threatens U.S. Economic Growth and Competiveness, Witnesses Tell House Panel. Committee on Educatoin & Labor, United States House of Representatives. Retrieved from http://edlabor.house.gov/newsroom/2009/05/high school dropout crisis thr.shtml National Center for Educational Statistics, 2010 Smart Horizons August 4, 2011
REENGAGING HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUTS Incentive to Obtain a High School Diploma Without a high school diploma, median income is approximately $24,000. More likely to be unemployed. More likely to have health problems More likely to incarcerated. Cataldi, E., Laird, J., KewalRamani, A., & Chapman, C. (2009). High School Dropoout and Completion Rates in the United States: 2007 ( No. IES 2009 064, NCES NCES 2009 064) (p. 84). National Center for Education Statistics, Institue of Education Sciences, US Department of Education. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2009/2009064.pdf Smart Horizons August 4, 2011
REENGAGING HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUTS 2007 2008 Graduation Rate by State Smart Horizons August 4, 2011
REENGAGING HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUTS Drop Out Traits and Behaviors Regularly misses school, continued absences leading to poor academic performance and noninvolvement in school activities. Does not participate in extracurricular activities. Receives more counseling than most students. Exhibits a genuine dislike for school. Typically has poor grades. Is one or two academic levels below grade level. Has been retained one or more times. Has failed three to five classes by high school. Struggles with discipline. Comes from a low socio economic background. Has a family that moves a lot. Smart Horizons August 4, 2011
A DISCUSSION OF DIPLOMA MILLS AND Presented By R. GENE HART, CFE HART INVESTIGATIONS, INC. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
R. GENE HART, CFE HART INVESTIGATIONS, INC Since 1981 Hart Investigations has conducted investigations for many corporations, colleges, proprietary schools, and technical schools throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. We have worked with the Inspector General s Office, Department of Education, the California Student Aid Commission and various other agencies on institutional problems. Hart Investigations has reported hundreds of cases to federal and state agencies on violations since 1981, and assisted in the prosecution of those responsible for the improper and illegal conduct. In addition, we investigate violations of the Cleary Act (reporting of crime on and around campus), college hazing, and federal work study program issues. Mr. Gene Hart, founder and president of Hart Investigations has nearly 40 years of law enforcement and investigative experience. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
DIPLOMA MILLS There are thousands of diploma mills throughout the United States and foreign countries. Diploma mills are an estimated $300 million a year industry. Diploma mills have been around for years. In the 1980 s two of the most popular were: 1. Calvary High School, Ingles, Florida 2. St. John s University, Springfield, Louisiana Several diploma mills are operated by former school Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011 personnel.
DIPLOMA MILLS Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
DIPLOMA MILLS Admission personnel find ways to meet their goal. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
DIPLOMA MILLS
DIPLOMA MILLS
False GED s and diplomas are purchased every day. There are countless ads in magazines and online. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
School personnel create false educational documents and templates. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
St. Louis, Missouri GED S R US Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
Kansas City, Missouri Admissions Representative made diplomas and GED s for students. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
Two Admissions Representatives and School Director indicted. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
Fraudulent Documents
Fraudulent Documents Chicago, Illinois Admissions Representatives and DOA made diplomas and GED s for students. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
Fort Lauderdale, Florida Federal program review identified diploma on their infamous Blacklist. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
School audits all files and found several diplomas and GED s were compromised. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
Students make their own diplomas. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
Colleges sell grades and diplomas. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
Schools strive for students and enrollments. Wonderlic de certified two Proctors. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
Basic warning signs. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
Basic Warning Signs
Basic Warning Signs Life Experience earns you a degree: Real colleges may give a few credits for real world experience but no legitimate school would give you a master s in business administration jus because you own your own business, or award you a doctorate in divinity because you taught Sunday school. No homework required: Legitimate schools require substantial homework. Flat fee: Real colleges charge by the credit hour. No waiting: Operation that promise degrees in a matter of days, weeks or months are not legitimate. A legitimate degree takes time. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
Diploma Mills Characteristics of diploma mills: Name of institution is deceptively similar to well known reputable universities. Degrees can be obtained within a few days, weeks or months from the time of enrollment, and back dating is possible. Either there are no faculty members or they hold advanced degrees from the institution itself or from other diploma mills. Academic credit is offered for life experience. Tuition & fees are paid on a per degree basis rather than on a per semester, per quarter or per course basis. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
Diploma Mills Characteristics of diploma mills: Prospective students are encouraged to enroll now before tuition or fees are increased. The institution has no library personnel, publications or research. Promotional literature contains grammatical and spelling errors, words in Latin, extravagant or pretentious language and sample diplomas. The school is advertised using e mail spam or other questionable methods. Jurisdiction shopping: the school is situated in another country or legal jurisdiction, where running diploma mill is legal, standards are lax or prosecution is unlikely. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
Diploma Mills Characteristics of diploma mills: Prospective students are encouraged to enroll now before tuition or fees are increased. The institution has no library personnel, publications or research. Promotional literature contains grammatical and spelling errors, words in Latin, extravagant or pretentious language and sample diplomas. The school is advertised using e mail spam or other questionable methods. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
Diploma Mills Characteristics of diploma mills: Despite being situated in such a diploma mill friendly country, the school has no students from that country, and is run entirely by non native staff. Unusual academic subjects. Instead of hard sciences, where competence is easier to verify, the subjects are esoteric and may be based on pseudoscience, e.g. astrology, natural healing and religious literature. Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
A message from the Inspector General GAO F. T. C. News Media Hart Investigations Hart Investigations, Inc. August 4, 2011
American Central High School What is it? Strategic partnerships