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Agora Cyber Charter School, the largest virtual public school in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is both trendsetting and challenged in today’s education marketplace. Founded in 2005 to provide families an alternative, high-quality educational option to the traditional public school, Agora serves the learning needs of nearly eleven thousands student across the Commonwealth. As a public school, within its own district, it provides a full range of educational, community, and ancillary services to all of its students, regardless of racial, religious, socio-economic or demographic status.
Providing services in primarily a virtual environment has unique challenges for all stakeholders. Many considerations are made to guarantee the most appropriate programming is being used so that the needs of vastly differing populations are met. Along with appropriate programming, the school must maintain fidelity to academic achievement, as set forth by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In order to meet this challenge Agora Cyber Charter employees multiple tools to ensure that is students are making adequate progress toward the schools goal of academic excellence.
Benchmarking Tools
Because of the unique environment in which we educate our students, Agora is under the scrutiny of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. As a virtual charter school, the school answers directly to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which grants its charter. Agora educates children from all sixty-seven counties of the Commonwealth; those students come from a variety of socio-ecomonic, cultural and educational experiences. The challenge is in determining current levels of students and then enveloping those students into a culture of excellence and accountabilit...
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...rong precedent; a student that simply attempts material is not an acceptable academic performance outcome. Study Island is a viable, research-based tool, that when fully applied could provide an additional avenue for instruction, enrichment, and intervention, driven by the needs of the individual student.
Works Cited
(2011). Performance series diagnostic assessment . (202-568-028 ed.) [Brochure]. Scantron. Retrieved from http://www.scantron.com/~/media/Scantron/Files/products/performance-series/Scantron_Performance_Series.ashx
(2012). Department strategic plan - middle school (6-8). Agora Cyber Charter School.
(2013). Aimsweb. (5349 01/13 F01901BR ed.). Pearson Inc. Retrieved from http://www.aimsweb.com/wp-content/uploads/Pearson_aimsweb_web_spread.pdf
Pssa preparation. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.studyisland.com/pa/elementary-school/pssa-preparation
Ravitch, Diane. "The Success of Charter Schools is a Myth." 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Document. 20 November 2013. .
The first, and possibly most pressing issue that Jehlen and Noguera found in the current charter school system was the lack of equity. Jehlen reminds us that many times, a school is judged on its students’ ability to do well on standardized
In the year 2012- 2013, though several 3.1 public high school students or 81 percent, graduated on time (Public High School Graduation Rates), how many students in that number truly gain the full education. Nowadays, education is necessary, which becomes a controversial issue between parents and the school. Either Charter or Public school encourages the development or improvement of the educational system to our young, beloved children. There are further charters out there which children can stay home, however, still learn enormous things. “Lottery” documentary film is about the controversy between public and charter schools, which tells the stories of four families who tried to find a better educational
One of the most hotly debated issues in the United States today is the controversial topic of education reform. Since public schools are funded almost entirely by local property taxes and money at the state level, many parents feel that they deserve a greater say in what their children learn in school. However, sometimes the opinions of parents contradict the policies at the federal level, thus causing conflict. Dissatisfaction with the public school system in their districts has led many Americas to seek other options for their children’s educations. In 1992, the first charter school opened in Minnesota, giving parents the option to send their kids to a free public school of their choice (“Charter Schools”).
... middle of paper ... ... 13 Feb. 2014. Pascua, Psyche "Public vs. Private vs. Charter Schools" Great School. Web.
United States Department of Education (1997). Overview of Charter Schools. Retrieved April 3, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://uscharterschools.org/pub/uscs_docs/gi/overview.htm
The school achieved Foundation status in September 2009. This means that it is a state-funded school and the governing body has greater freedom in the running of the school than in community schools. This follows on from the school successfully gaining Media Arts st...
First, it is necessary to examine the current paradigm within education in order to determine exactly what it is about the modern system that requires changing. One of the most immediate concerns comes as a result of the school facilities the...
Ash, Katie. Competency-Based Schools Embrace Digital Learning. Education Week, 15 Oct. 2012. Web. 18 Jan. 2014.
Over the years society has changed in many different ways. In particular, technology has been the largest change that has occurred over the year. Only a few years ago the iPhone came out and it has forever changed the way people view their phone. Internet has also become very assessable resource. There are places everywhere to access a computer or free Wi-Fi. These changes have led to the alteration of the accessibility and use of technology in the education setting. The changes made to technology in the education setting have led to many positive outcomes that have allowed many types of people access to education that could not get it prior. There are however, many critics that refute these changes and say that virtual education can be biased and expensive. Although, there are many critics that do not agree with technology in education, have this can give access to many students with disabilities as well as people who have limited time or ability to further an education.
With the wave of technology being a part of the main stream educational process, online learning is being considered as an option for most parents of a K-12 learner. Although it is a great way to learn it involves time and commitment from both students and their families. It is also making it easier for home schooled students to get their lessons, as well as for the resources parents need in teaching their child at home.
The Impact of the Internet on Education A dusty, one-bedroom schoolhouse on the edge of a village. An overworked teacher trying to manage a room full of boisterous children. Students sharing schoolbooks that are in perpetual short supply, crammed in rows of battered desks. Children worn out after long treks to school, stomachs rumbling with hunger.
All of our lives, we have gone through school learning with many other students in a classroom, and using books. But what if things were to change? What if instead of getting up to go to school, we simply had to just turn our computers on. Virtual Education is becoming a new way to teach and learn. Using computers, students can interact with other students and instructors, go to a history lecture with people all across the world, and even dissect frogs.
Andy Carvin states “ internet access in schools isn’t worth a hill of beans if teachers aren’t prepared to take full advantage of technology” (2000). Schools spend a lot of money on computer hardware and software as well as other technologies without realizing that many of their employees are unprepared to include them in their teaching and use them to their advantages. Educators often use technology as a classroom management tool rather than an educational one, allowing computer time as a reward for good behavior (Clark & Gorski, 2001). The problem with this is that students learn to use the computer for games and such because it is their reward instead of using it on their own time for educational purposes. This is teaching them the wrong idea. Margaret Honey, director of the Center for Children and Technology in NYC said it best, “The bottom line is, you don’t just put technology into schools or into homes and expect miracles to happen. The technology is only as good as the program that surrounds it” (Meyer, 2002, p.2).
A hybrid study program works well in the modern world of today 's technology. Younger students are already familiar with digital technology, so they feel at home in a virtual classroom. Still, some face-to-face contact with