Virtual School

If your district is struggling to bring all students back to school for in-person learning, you’re not alone. Many factors are affecting how, when, and if students will return including bus schedules, negotiations with teacher unions, and the reticence of some parents.

Without a doubt, district leaders anticipated learning loss when students returned to school this year –whether that was in person, virtually, or in a hybrid model. But it is still unclear just how substantial that learning loss will be long-term.

Adjusting to teaching and learning in a virtual environment is not easy as thousands of educators and students are experiencing right now. But when done well, online learning has the potential to increase student achievement.

Online learning was never intended to replicate classroom learning.  But that doesn’t mean it can’t be just as effective. Classroom learning is fundamentally built on the ability to interact with one another – student-to-teacher or student-to-student – in a face-to-face environment.  And any effort to replicate the classroom experience online will likely overlook the benefits of using technology.

Now that schools and districts have navigated their plans for how to provide online and hybrid learning options this fall, many are evaluating their next challenge. How can educators provide options for students and families who are anxious about returning to school, and still keep them within their home school districts?

In our eighth episode of Opportunity Thrives, a podcast committed to better supporting the needs of today’s students, we discuss tools, tips, and best practices to help support teachers who are new to online learning.

I know it may seem like summer is months away, but it’s not too early to begin making your district’s plans. Let's face it, sitting on a beach sounds a lot more appealing than sitting in the classroom on long, hot summer days. But summer school programs are gaining steam.

Personalized learning comes in many different forms but the foundation for success is the same: selecting a high-quality, rigorous curriculum that accelerates and deepens student understanding. But not all digital curriculum is the same and not all will enable teachers to design a variety of rich learning experiences that meet the individual needs of every student. 

When students are below or at risk of falling below grade level in one or more subjects, it’s an immense challenge for teachers to meet their needs while continuing to meet the needs of the rest of the students in their class. If struggling students don’t get the support they need, they often lose motivation, fall further behind, score lower on high stakes exams and become at risk of dropping out.

Join us for our Winter Webinar Series! 

Apex Learning is pleased to partner with education leaders for our forthcoming Winter Webinar Series. Each of the three upcoming webinars illuminate best practices and effective strategies for implementing digital curriculum programs in your classroom, school, and district. We hope you can attend.

Teaching in a virtual learning environment can be both challenging and extremely rewarding. After seven years of teaching secondary English in a traditional classroom, I was given the opportunity to teach in a virtual environment and it was here that I learned what it means to truly differentiate instruction in order to meet the needs of every student. However, making this change was in many ways like starting over as a first-year teacher.

In order to attract students pursuing athletics at the collegiate level, schools and districts must provide courses that will maintain their eligibility status during their high school career.

Each year, the Center for Digital Education (CDE) recognizes the Top 30 Technologists, Transformers, and Trailblazers across the country. Individuals are chosen for their leadership and innovation in meeting the individual needs of each student through the use of 21st century learning tools in their classroom, schools, and districts. These educators bring forward new ideas, collaborative initiatives, and a willingness to embrace the unknown in order to transform learning in the classroom.

We are excited to announce that nominations for the Apex Learning 2015 Award of Excellence are now open. This annual award program honors schools or districts that demonstrate extraordinary vision and dedication to increasing student achievement through blended and virtual programs.

There has been an increase in focus by many districts, serving a wide range of communities, to expand access to quality instruction by opening a virtual school. As virtual programs become more prominent, districts are quickly recognizing that students, the district, and the community all stand to benefit.

If you teach at a school or in a district with students with aspirations of participating in collegiate athletics, we can help you with the process and requirements for NCAA eligibility. Requirements do change, so it's important to review both the requirements and your school or district's status before the beginning of another academic year.

It's officially summer — warmer weather, seemingly longer days, and the excitement that only the annual ISTE Conference and Expo can bring! The premier ed tech conference, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) brings together the largest and most diverse group of educators, policymakers, industry players, companies, and techies.

Apex Learning to Unveil Middle School Tutorials at ISTE

Apex Learning is honored to host the 2014 Award of Excellence recipients in our Seattle headquarters this week! Each school or district selected as a recipient of the award, announced this past school year, were recognized for their extraordinary vision and ongoing commitment to increasing student achievement through blended and virtual learning.