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VHS Learning Once Again Earns High Satisfaction Rates from Schools Around the Globe


Newest survey shows expansion and strong school retention as well as high educator and student satisfaction with VHS Learning experience

Students from schools in 66 countries (up from 44) and 46 U.S. states (up from 45) have enrolled in VHS Learning courses in the past academic year. While its geographical scope increased, VHS Learning’s retention rate has remained steady; 92% of schools that partnered with VHS Learning in the 2018-19 school year continued to do so in the 2019-20 school year. In fact, VHS Learning’s school retention rate has been over 90% for the last ten years, indicating strong satisfaction in the program.

“Our high retention rate and increased participation is a testament to how dedicated VHS Learning is to providing excellent service and support to the educators and students who utilize our program,” said Carol DeFuria, President & CEO of VHS Learning. “According to our latest participant surveys, the vast majority of administrators (98%), site coordinators (91%) and teachers (85%) reported satisfaction with their VHS Learning experience.”

Christopher Savio, a teacher at Glen Ridge High School in New Jersey said, “I think the thing I love the most is meeting students from around the world. I have also been able to meet students, from China in particular, and learn much more about their culture and their ways of life.”

“VHS Learning is a great program,” said Karen McGrath, a site coordinator at Sandwich High School in Massachusetts. “It helps us offer courses our students want to take that we cannot provide at our school at this time.”

VHS Learning has gained a reputation for its high standard of educational quality, including rigorous professional development for teachers. All VHS Learning teachers must complete VHS Learning’s graduate-level Online Teaching Methodologies (OTM) training course to learn best practices for online teaching and learning. Teachers who provide instruction for VHS Learning courses are certified in their subject areas and have strong backgrounds in education, with 81 percent possessing a master’s degree or higher.

VHS Learning design and delivery standards were the model used by the National Education Association when they created the first standards for online learning. In 2019, in collaboration with the international nonprofit Quality Matters, VHS Learning contributed to the National Standards for Quality (NSQ) in three areas: Online Courses, Online Teaching, and Online Programs.

There were more than 18,600 student enrollments in VHS Learning courses in the 2019-20 academic year. Courses are open to students through their local school’s participation in the VHS Learning program and are also available to homeschool and other students who choose to enroll in VHS Learning courses directly. With more than 250 unique online courses, including 24 Advanced Placement (AP) options, the program is typically used as a supplement to give students additional course and scheduling choices.

In the 2019-20 academic year, students’ overall pass rate (defined as completing a course with a final grade of 60 or higher) was 91%. And for the last three years, 91% of students taking a VHS Learning course have succeeded in achieving a final grade of 60 or higher.

“Positive feedback from our partner schools is always gratifying, but it’s especially meaningful now given the challenges we’re facing due to the pandemic,” said DeFuria. “Our 25 years in online education has prepared us for this moment, and we’ll be doing everything we can to help our partner schools continue to provide students with the rigorous instruction necessary to prepare them for college, careers, and beyond.”

About VHS Learning

VHS Learning is a nonprofit organization with 25 years of experience providing world-class online programs to students and schools everywhere. Offering more than 250 unique online courses, including 24 AP® courses, credit recovery and enrichment courses, and a selection of dual-credit options, VHS Learning is accredited by Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS), Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC), and Cognia. Courses are approved for initial eligibility by NCAA. For more information about VHS Learning please visit https://www.vhslearning.org/  and follow on Twitter at @VHSLearning.

 

eSchool News Staff

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