NETCO Districts and Schools

Vivian Franklin, Project Director vivian.franklin@niswongerfoundation.org

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• Hancock Co.

• Greene Co.

• Cocke Co.

• Hawkins Co.

• Hamblen

• Washington

• Sullivan Co.

• Carter Co.

• Johnson Co.

• Elizabethton

• Greeneville

• Kingsport • Bristol

• Johnson City

NSCC

ETSU

WSCC Tusculum

◊ MILLIGAN

◊ TCAT

Consortium Partners

• Niswonger Foundation

• 15 LEAs

• 30 High Schools

• 7 Post Secondary

Institutions

• Over 3500 square miles

NETCO GOALS 1. Ensure all students

graduate high school

college or career ready.

2. Improve the likelihood

that students successfully

complete college.

Three important strategies

Access to online courses.

Assistance to schools and students to increase AP

course offerings.

Supporting students in earning credit through dual

enrollment.

Niswonger

Foundation Online

Learning

Why Online Learning?

Offering Online Courses is a Win-Win

for Students and Schools!!!

1. Online classes give schools more flexibility.

Provide students with a course not offered in the

regular school.

Provide a solution to a scheduling conflict.

Allow students to take additional academic or

elective courses in addition to the “regular” school

day.

Preparing for the Future!

2. Students are likely to encounter additional online

classes as they continue their academic careers.

Now that the majority of universities, colleges, community colleges, technology schools, and employer training programs across the nation offer some form of distance learning, chances are that most students will encounter several opportunities to learn virtually.

In some cases, online learning may be the only option to get all of the credits they need.

By familiarizing our students with online learning early, students are better able to succeed in all kinds of learning environments.

Learning Critical Skills!!!

3. Online learning helps students develop

critical thinking and reading skills.

Our courses require students to follow directions

carefully and take ownership for their own learning.

The majority of our online classes require a

significant amount of reading, both within the

content of the course and within the course

instructions.

Developing Communication Skills!!!

4. Employers want to hire graduates that know how to

communicate online.

Gone are the days when business was conducted primarily

through face-to-face meetings. Increasingly, employees conduct

their affairs with co-workers and clients through email, webinars,

conference calls, and other online avenues.

In online classes, students learn how to effectively communicate in

a variety of online situations, tailor the tone of their messages to

suit their audience, and respond to others.

Effectively communicating without seeing a person’s body

language or hearing their tone of voice can be deceptively

challenging. But, students that have worked with others in online

classes will have an advantage when entering the workforce.

Preparing to Transfer

Technology Skills!!!

5. Online classes teach students how to develop their own technical skills.

In addition to helping students develop communication skills, online classes give students the opportunity to adapt to new technologies.

Students learn how to figure out technical issues and troubleshoot problems they encounter.

While grads probably won’t use the same learning management systems and chat programs in the future, the specific programs aren’t particularly important. The technology will change, but the ability to adapt and develop new tech skills will be invaluable.

Lifelong Learning!!!

6. Graduates need to be prepared to learn online.

Long after they finish their academic career, whether it is high school or college,

grads will be expected to be able to learn online. Much of that learning will

happen informally.

For example, grads might be asked to perform a task that they weren’t trained

in and will have to rely on internet materials to teach themselves. Increasingly,

that learning might also happen via formal online training programs.

Many employers are beginning to rely on virtual training to keep workers up-to-

date on their skills, aware of company policies and relevant laws, and

competitive in the workplace.

People that feel comfortable online will have the advantage when employers

require short or long-term training. Whether it is helping them in college or in

the workplace, students that have at least at least some experience learning

online will have a significant advantage over those that haven’t had the

opportunity.

Overview of

Niswonger Learning Center’s

Online Program

Supplemental

• The program is a supplemental online program that

allows students, with approval of their high school, to

take up to two online courses per term.

• The online courses are designed to allow schools to

offer an alternative for students when a face-to-face

course in his/her “regular” school may not be an

option.

• The courses can provide a summer school option.

Asynchronous Learning

Students are provided all materials,

lectures, tests, and assignments that can

be accessed online at any time or any

place where they have internet

capabilities.

Certified Teachers as Facilitators

All Niswonger Learning course sections are facilitated by a certified teacher who resides in the consortium area.

Facilitators are responsible for engaging students, assisting students, answering questions, grading assignments, and providing virtual office hours.

Cost

Fully funded by the Niswonger i3

grant funds…neither students or

schools have to pay to for courses.

School’s do not “lose” any funding

or ADA with this model.

Cost expended per student taking

a Niswonger Online course is app.

$175.00

http://www.nflconline.com/

Courses Offered through NFLC

Online

Registering for a Class

Your school must recommend and approve any

student and determine which online course that

he/she may take.

If you are interested in taking a Niswonger online

course, you will need to make an appointment with

Ms. Kenner to help you determine if an online

course is appropriate for you.

What Are Advanced Placement®

Courses?

• AP® courses are college-level courses offered in high school

• Courses reflect what is taught in top introductory college

courses

• Students take AP Exams at the end of the course, measuring

their mastery of college-level work

• A score of 3 or higher on an AP exam can typically earn

students college credit and/or placement into advanced courses

in college

Advanced Placement ®: The Basics

AP Courses Offered and Enrollments

Increase in 12/13

NETCO Comparison NETCO Comparison

Number of schools

offering AP Courses 22 18 24 19

Total Enrollment in

all AP Courses 3381 3557 4622 4352

2011/2012 2012/2013

• Students learn rigorous college-level content and skills

• Taking AP is valued in the college admission process

• AP courses are interesting and rewarding academic experiences

• Opportunity to earn valuable credit and placement in college

AP®: The Benefits

• 85% of selective colleges and universities report that a

student’s AP experience favorably impacts admission decisions*

• Colleges rank grades in college-preparatory courses and

strength of curriculum as the two top factors in the admission

decision

• AP courses tell college admission officials that students are

challenging themselves and preparing for the rigors they'll

encounter in their college careers

*Unpublished institutional research, Crux Research Inc., March 2007

AP® from the College Admissions Perspective

• Taking an AP course helps students build critical thinking skills,

confidence, and the essential time management and study skills

needed for college success

• Nationally, research shows that students who score a 3 or

higher on an AP Exam typically earn higher grade point

averages in college and have higher graduation rates than

their non-AP peers*

*2009, The College Board, “The Relationship Between AP Exam Performance and College Outcomes"

AP®: Skills & Advantages that Last a Lifetime

Students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely to

complete a college degree on time.* Graduating in four years

represents a significant savings on the cost of college.

• Only 1 in 4 college students completes a bachelor’s degree in 4

years.

• The average cost of college for a single year is $21,500** for

in-state schools (tuition, fees, room/board, misc. expenses).

*College Outcomes Comparisons by AP and Non-AP High School Experiences, The College Board, 2008

**The College Board, Trends in College Pricing 2011, Figure 1

AP® Helps Students Graduate on Time & Save Money

AP courses challenge students to work and participate at a higher

level:

• Opportunities to explore topics in depth

• More time in and out of the classroom required to complete

assignments and projects

• High expectations for critical thinking, analysis, synthesis, evidence,

multiple perspectives, and clear written and verbal communications

AP®: A More Engaging Learning Experience

• AP Exams are administered by schools worldwide on set dates in May each year.

• The exam fee for 2013 is $89 per exam.

• Assistance is available for eligible students with financial need:

• The College Board offers a $26 fee reduction per exam for eligible students with financial need.

• NETCO offers assistance to for uncovered exam fees for students with financial need. Your school counselor will be given applications for this.

AP® Exam Fees