New year, new school? Virtual schools ease transition

Educators say many families switching their kids’ schools mid-year are turning to virtual schools like Connections Academy, for a variety of reasons.

First, more families than ever have embraced virtual education in general: Some 2 million American K-12 students now get some or all of their education virtually, according to research firm Ambient Insight. Second, the format of virtual schools eases a student’s adjustment period – and physical transitions for both student and family. Finally, family finances sometimes come into play. Virtual public schools – like all public schools – are tuition free and virtual private schools like National Connections Academy cost a fraction of traditional “bricks and mortar” private schools. Yet they deliver the academic rigor and highly personalized educations that are hallmarks of independent schools. So families with children enrolled in traditional private schools who are struggling to meet hefty tuition obligations often find they can save significant money and still get an independent school-caliber education.

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E-Learning Industry on the Rise

The for-profit e-learning company K12 Inc. grew 40 percent last year, generating $385 million in revenue by providing virtual courses to 70,000 students across the country.

Connections Academy, another such provider, generated about $120 million in revenue serving up online courses to some 20,000 students. And recently, the education technology company Plato Learning announced that it is now offering online Advanced Placement courses, marking the first time the company will do so as part of its courseware for school districts.

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Students and parents give high marks to online academy in Nevada

It’s a public school and it’s free, the only difference is the home is the classroom and instead of raising your hand, students get access to their teacher with the click of a mouse.

It’s a virtual school, and the concept is gaining popularity around the country and in Nevada. The Nevada Connections Academy has 15,000 students across the state. It’s breaking the mold of what a traditional classroom should look like, and the concept is a hit with its young and tech-savvy students.

“Some of my friends think it’s pretty cool I go to school on a computer,” says Connections Academy student, Nick Hansen.

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Virtual Learning in Nevada – online public school

Nevada Connections Academy

Nevada Connections Academy

Nevada Connections Academy Receives State’s Top Virtual School Rating; Kicks Off 2010-2011 School Year

RENO, Nev., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ — Nevada’s virtual public school, Nevada Connections Academy (NCA), announced today that it has achieved across-the-board success in making adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward the educational goals for grades K-12 as defined by the federal No Child Left Behind Act and Nevada Senate Bill 1. Nevada Connections Academy is the only virtual school in the state of Nevada to receive this rating for all grades K-12. This is the second year in a row that NCA has met the student progress measure. Enrollment is still going on for Nevada Connections Academy and students must enroll by September 17th to secure their virtual seat for the 2010-2011 school year.

NCA’s top rated virtual school status comes on the heels of other good news for the virtual academy. Nevada Connections Academy recently was awarded accreditation by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools (NAAS). The rigorous, months-long, accreditation process and subsequent designation provide a valuable “seal of approval” for families in the process of choosing a school for their child. Additionally, the results of a recent NCA parent satisfaction survey show that 93% of parents reported that their children are making good academic progress, arguably the keenest evaluation of a child’s education. And 95% of NCA parents actively recommend the program to other families whose children are not currently enrolled in the program.

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Video: Nevada Connections Academy

Nevada Connections Academy

Nevada Connections Academy