BOSTON, Jan. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- According to the latest survey data, schools in 44 countries (up from 33) around the globe and 45 states (up from 40) within the United States, plus Guam and Puerto Rico, partnered with The Virtual High School (VHS Inc.) to bring online courses to students during the 2017-18 academic year. Additionally, 92 percent of partner schools from the previous academic year have continued to work with VHS in the current academic year. In fact, over the past three years, on average 94 percent of schools have stayed on as partners of the leading nonprofit online provider, year over year.
"Our high rate of retention reflects what we've been hearing from educators – they enjoy working with us and they value the resulting learning outcomes for their students," said Jane Gallagher, Vice President of Operations at The Virtual High School. "Not only did 97 percent of teachers say they were satisfied or very satisfied with their VHS experience this academic year, but we are also pleased to report that we had a 91 percent student pass rate, which is the percentage of students who finish the course and receive a grade of 60 percent or higher." The average VHS student pass rate for the past three years is 90 percent.
VHS has gained a reputation for its high standard of educational quality, including rigorous professional development for teachers. In addition to all teachers being required to complete The Virtual High School's graduate-level Online Teaching Methodologies (OTM) training course to learn best practices for online instruction and learning, VHS teachers have strong backgrounds in education, with 81 percent possessing a master's degree or higher.
VHS design and delivery standards were the model used by the National Education Association when they created the first standards for online learning. VHS has also won numerous awards, including the Stockholm Challenge Award for Global Excellence in Information Technology, and is a three-time winner of the United States Distance Learning Association's (USDLA) award for Excellence in Programming and Excellence in Best Practices.
There were more than 18,000 student enrollments in VHS courses in the 2017-18 academic year. Courses are open to students through their local school's participation in the VHS program, and are also available to homeschool and other students who choose to enroll in VHS courses directly. With more than 200 unique online courses, including 23 Advanced Placement (AP) options, the program is typically used as a supplement to give students additional course choices.
About The Virtual High School
The Virtual High School (VHS Inc.) is an online learning pioneer. Since 1996, the organization has set the standard for quality online education. VHS prepares students for college, careers, and life through supportive, instructor-led online and blended classroom experiences. The nonprofit organization provides student courses taught in global online classrooms, as well as online professional development for educators. Custom course development and offerings can be tailored to meet each school's unique needs. The Virtual High School is accredited by both Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS), and AdvancED. Courses are approved for initial eligibility by NCAA. For more information, visit http://www.vhslearning.org or call (978) 897-1900.
SOURCE The Virtual High School
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