CompuHigh/Whitmore School
Website: http://www.compuhigh.com/diplomaprogam.htm
Note: I gathered the information below from the school website, but did not receive a response to my request for interview.
Article:
Contact: Stan: Founder and Principal
Established: 1994
Located: Morgantown, WV
Graduation Requirements:
18 credits for general studies; 22 credits for college prep
Overview: Whitmore school is a private high school diploma program serving a national and international student population online. Whitmore School is a division of the educational company, CompuHigh. As the world's first online high school, established in 1994, we have a long history of providing excellent education using our intensive mastery-based curriculum.
Whitmore School's mastery learning philosophy offers students the freedom and responsibility of self-paced learning. Students are accountable for mastering all the skills and content of each less regardless of the amount of time it takes the student to do so. Students submit revisions of their work until the instructor determines that each answer is correct, communicated clearly, and indicative of a genuine understanding of the concepts in the lesson. In the process, students also master important life skills such as time-management, effective communication, and responsibility.
This unique method prepares our students exceptionally well for college level work. Our students score well above the national average on college aptitude tests.
Questions
1. How is your school accredited?
SACS-CASI, NCA-CASI, NCAA
2. Where does funding for your school come from?
3. What is the tuition for your school?
Three tracks: Track 1: $1185/yr; Track 2: $1585/yr; Track 3: $2000/yr
Individual courses, $350/full credit and $300/half credit
4. Is there an application fee?
5. Do you offer financial aid?
6. What grade levels do you offer?
High school students and adults--adult program offers credit for life experiences
7. Are there age restrictions?
8. What is the current enrollment of the school? How many are seniors?
9. Are courses organized in classes with fixed start/stop dates or are they independently paced?
Independently paced; no textbooks
10. What requirements do you have for teachers? State certification for high school? Virtual Teacher certification?
v CompuHigh teachers must focus on helping each student learn course content AND actively support each student on their path to learning.
v CompuHigh teachers must respond to online student posts at least every 24 hours.
v Applicants should have a college degree in the field in which they intend to teach. A teaching certification is not necessary, but may be preferable.
v With rare exception, new CompuHigh teachers live within convenient driving distance of Morgantown, WV.
v All CompuHigh teachers work part-time from their homes. Full-time positions are not available.
http://www.compuhigh.com/teachersadmin.htm
11. How are teachers paid? Are they paid only when students complete a course? Does that impact the rigor of the course or the strictness of grading?
Why aren't teachers last names included on your website?
12. What are your short-term goals for the school?
http://www.compuhigh.com/apr/SchoolImprovement2011.pdf
13. What is your long-term vision for the school?
14. Where does your curriculum come from? (Who builds it?)
15. How would you describe the philosophy behind your content development/school?
16. Who maintains your curriculum? How involved are your teachers in the course curriculum?
17. What LMS do you use?
18. How involved are your teachers in student interaction? How do they communicate with students (email, chat, phone, face-to-face) and how often?
19. How much professional development do your teachers receive?
20. What is the nature of the application/admissions process for students?
Open admissions--enrollment is for a full 12 months beginning on the date the student enrolls.
21. What are the most common challenges your students face?
22. What are the biggest challenges your school faces?
23. How do your students compare to those in brick-and-mortar schools? (statistics on graduation rate, college acceptance, SAT/ACT/AP Scores, etc.)
See screen shot below. (Later stats available?)
24. How would you describe the students who attend your school?/Honestly speaking, what would you s ay brings most of your students to your school? Is it their option of last resort?
25. I see that your OHS students participate in a number of interactions and clubs. How do they do this? Do most live in the area and get together physically, are these virtual activities, or do they commute?
26. How would you describe the teachers attracted to online teaching?
27. How would you say your teachers compare the online teaching experience to the F2F teaching experience?
28. Examples of universities that have accepted your students?
29. Could you recommend a couple of students I could interview about their experiences?
30. What other online high schools would you consider the leading schools in American/world today?
Note: I gathered the information below from the school website, but did not receive a response to my request for interview.
Article:
Contact: Stan: Founder and Principal
Established: 1994
Located: Morgantown, WV
Graduation Requirements:
18 credits for general studies; 22 credits for college prep
Overview: Whitmore school is a private high school diploma program serving a national and international student population online. Whitmore School is a division of the educational company, CompuHigh. As the world's first online high school, established in 1994, we have a long history of providing excellent education using our intensive mastery-based curriculum.
Whitmore School's mastery learning philosophy offers students the freedom and responsibility of self-paced learning. Students are accountable for mastering all the skills and content of each less regardless of the amount of time it takes the student to do so. Students submit revisions of their work until the instructor determines that each answer is correct, communicated clearly, and indicative of a genuine understanding of the concepts in the lesson. In the process, students also master important life skills such as time-management, effective communication, and responsibility.
This unique method prepares our students exceptionally well for college level work. Our students score well above the national average on college aptitude tests.
Questions
1. How is your school accredited?
SACS-CASI, NCA-CASI, NCAA
2. Where does funding for your school come from?
3. What is the tuition for your school?
Three tracks: Track 1: $1185/yr; Track 2: $1585/yr; Track 3: $2000/yr
Individual courses, $350/full credit and $300/half credit
4. Is there an application fee?
5. Do you offer financial aid?
6. What grade levels do you offer?
High school students and adults--adult program offers credit for life experiences
7. Are there age restrictions?
8. What is the current enrollment of the school? How many are seniors?
9. Are courses organized in classes with fixed start/stop dates or are they independently paced?
Independently paced; no textbooks
10. What requirements do you have for teachers? State certification for high school? Virtual Teacher certification?
v CompuHigh teachers must focus on helping each student learn course content AND actively support each student on their path to learning.
v CompuHigh teachers must respond to online student posts at least every 24 hours.
v Applicants should have a college degree in the field in which they intend to teach. A teaching certification is not necessary, but may be preferable.
v With rare exception, new CompuHigh teachers live within convenient driving distance of Morgantown, WV.
v All CompuHigh teachers work part-time from their homes. Full-time positions are not available.
http://www.compuhigh.com/teachersadmin.htm
11. How are teachers paid? Are they paid only when students complete a course? Does that impact the rigor of the course or the strictness of grading?
Why aren't teachers last names included on your website?
12. What are your short-term goals for the school?
http://www.compuhigh.com/apr/SchoolImprovement2011.pdf
13. What is your long-term vision for the school?
14. Where does your curriculum come from? (Who builds it?)
15. How would you describe the philosophy behind your content development/school?
16. Who maintains your curriculum? How involved are your teachers in the course curriculum?
17. What LMS do you use?
18. How involved are your teachers in student interaction? How do they communicate with students (email, chat, phone, face-to-face) and how often?
19. How much professional development do your teachers receive?
20. What is the nature of the application/admissions process for students?
Open admissions--enrollment is for a full 12 months beginning on the date the student enrolls.
21. What are the most common challenges your students face?
22. What are the biggest challenges your school faces?
23. How do your students compare to those in brick-and-mortar schools? (statistics on graduation rate, college acceptance, SAT/ACT/AP Scores, etc.)
See screen shot below. (Later stats available?)
24. How would you describe the students who attend your school?/Honestly speaking, what would you s ay brings most of your students to your school? Is it their option of last resort?
25. I see that your OHS students participate in a number of interactions and clubs. How do they do this? Do most live in the area and get together physically, are these virtual activities, or do they commute?
26. How would you describe the teachers attracted to online teaching?
27. How would you say your teachers compare the online teaching experience to the F2F teaching experience?
28. Examples of universities that have accepted your students?
29. Could you recommend a couple of students I could interview about their experiences?
30. What other online high schools would you consider the leading schools in American/world today?