California Online Public Schools: Building Classrooms without Walls

California Online Public Schools

Building Classrooms without Walls

Empowering Minds Beyond the Screen

DearReaders.

Educationisnolongerconfinedtofourwallsandaringingschoolbell.Overthelastfewdecades,wehave watchedthedigitallandscapeevolvefromatemporaryalternativeintoapowerful,permanentspaceforgenuine connectionandgrowth.Familiestodayareactivelyseekingflexibility,buttheyalsodemandthestructure, accountability,andmeaningfulsocialinteractionthatmakelearningdeeplyimpactful.Aswelookatthe educationalhorizontoday,itisclearthatthescreenisnotabarrier;itisabridgetoinfinitepossibilities.Weare thrilledtopresent“LeadersTransformingOnline&HybridLearningin2026.”Thiseditioncelebratesthe visionarieswhounderstandthattrueinnovationisaboutusingmoderntoolstomakeeducationmoreaccessible, personalized,andundeniablyhuman.

LeadingthischargeasourcoverstoryisCaliforniaOnlinePublicSchools.Sinceitsearlydaysin2004,this tuition-freepubliccharternetworkhasproventhatanonlineschoolcandeliverrigorousacademicswhile maintainingafiercelypersonaltouch.Servingover9,000studentsacross32Californiacounties,theirentire philosophyisbuiltonrelationships,adaptability,andrecognizingeachstudent’suniquestrengths.Theyhave successfullydismantledtraditionallearningbarriersbyprovidingessentialtechnology—likeChromebooksand internethotspots—andwrappingstudentsincomprehensivesupportfromdedicatedcounselorsandsocial workers.Beyondtraditionalacademics,theschoolredefinesstudentsuccessbymeasuringdailyengagement, curiosity,andconfidence.Theircommitmenttoempathyandrestorativepracticeshasevenledtozero suspensionsandimpressivestatewiderecognition.Throughdailyinteractiveliveclasses,specialized enrichmentprograms,andcollege-readinesstracks,CaliforniaOnlinePublicSchoolscreatesathriving, inclusiveenvironmentwheretop-tieropportunityreacheseverychild,regardlessoftheirbackgroundorzip code.

Alongsideourcoverfeature,thisissuehighlightsabrilliantgroupofpioneeringinstitutionsreshapingthe educationallandscapefordiverselearners.Weareproudtofeaturethegroundbreakingworkhappeningat FreedomProjectAcademy,JohnsonC.SmithUniversity,theUniversityofNewHampshireFranklin PierceSchoolofLaw,andtheUniversityofthePeople.Eachoftheseuniqueorganizationsbringsafresh perspectivetoflexible,forward-thinkinginstruction,provingthatacademicexcellenceandcommunitybuilding canthriveinanyformat.

Asyoureadthroughthesepages,youwilldiscoverstoriesofresilience,creativity,andarelentlesscommitment tohelpingeverystudentsucceed.Thefutureoflearningisalreadyhere,anditismoreadaptable,responsive, andconnectedthaneverbefore.Enjoytheinsightsahead.

Sincerely,

Simran Khan Project Editor

From The Editor’s Desk

People Behind This Issue

Publisher: Archana Ghule

Editor–in–Chief: Vikram Suryawanshi

Managing Editor: Pankaj Gholap

Project Editor: Simran Khan

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Pravin Shinde

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Cover Story

California Online Public Schools 10

articles AI Governance in Higher Education: The 2026 Framework for Policy & Risk 26. Online Schools K-12 Texas: How Virtual Learning Really Works 52. 40.

FreedomProject Academy 18. 32. Johnson C. Smith University University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law 48. University of the People 58. Why Community Involvement Is Key to a Better Society?

California Online Public Schools

Californiahasalwaysbeenatestinggroundfornew ideasineducation.Thestate’ssize,culturaldiversity, andinequitableaccesstoqualityschoolshavelong pushedfamiliestolookforoptionsbeyondtheneighborhood campus.Bytheearly2000s,homeinternetwasbecoming commonanddistrictswerebeginningtoaskwhetherpublic educationcouldtravelthroughascreenwithoutlosingitsheart. Parentswantedflexibility,buttheyalsowantedthestructure, accountability,andsocialconnectionthatpublicschoolspromise. Thattensioncreatedspaceforadifferentkindofinstitution.

CaliforniaOnlinePublicSchools(CalOPS)took shapein2004inSouthernCaliforniaasaresponseto thoserealities.Asmallgroupofeducatorssetoutto provethatanonlinepublicschoolcouldbeboth rigorousanddeeplypersonal.Theorganizationfirst servedkindergartenthrougheighth-gradestudentsin fivecounties,workingcloselywithfamilieswho neededschedulesthattraditionalschoolscouldnot offer.Astrustgrew,CalOPSexpandedtoinclude highschoolandtransitionalkindergartenand graduallybecameanetworkofsixWASC-accredited, tuition-freeonlinecharterschoolsacrossthestate.

Theschoolbuiltitsmissionaroundempathy,high academicstandards,andthoughtfuluseof technology.Leadersbelievedthatscreensshould opendoorsratherthancreatedistance,andthatevery studentdeservedinstructionshapedaround individualstrengths.Today,CalOPSservesover 9000studentsin32counties,continuallyupdating curriculumandlearningsystemswhilerefininghow teachersguideeachchild.Theorganizationhas changedinsizeandreach,yetitremainsrootedinthe samestudent-centeredpurposethatmarkeditsearly days.

CorePhilosophyandLearningApproach

CalOPSbuildsitseducationmodelonthree connectedideas:relationships,adaptability,and personalization.Theschooloperatesonthebelief thatstudentslearnbestwhenadultsknowthemas individualsratherthanasenrollmentnumbers. Teachersareexpectedtounderstandhoweachchild thinks,whatmotivatesthem,andwherethey struggle,andthenshapeinstructionaroundthose realities.Thisapproachturnslearningintoa partnershipinsteadofaone-waydeliveryoflessons.

Thephilosophydirectlyguideshowcurriculumis chosenandused.Materialsarehand-selectedforeach gradelevelandsubjectandtestedbyCalOPS educatorsbeforereachingstudents.Teachers collaboratewithgrade-levelandsubject-areateams toreviewlessonpacing,content,andassignments ensuringinstructionisresponsivetostudentneeds Thegoalistokeepacademicstandardshighwhile leavingroomforcuriosityandconfidencetogrow. Byhonoringindividuality,CalOPSaimstohelp studentsseeschoolasaplacethatrespondstothem ratherthancontrolsthem.

Cover Story

AcademicProgramsacrossGradeLevels

CalOPSdesignsitsprogramstofitthedevelopmentalneedsof studentsastheygrowfromearlychildhoodtograduation.In elementarygrades,TransitionalKindergartenthroughfifth grade,learningblendsstructurewithfamilyinvolvement. Studentsusuallyspendfourtofivehoursadayon asynchronouslessonsathomewithaLearningCoachandjoin dailyLiveClassesonZoomwiththeirhomeroomteacher. ChildreningradesthreethroughfivecanalsoenterAchieve, theschool’sGiftedandTalentedenrichmentprogram,which offersdeeperchallengesincoresubjects.

Themiddleschoolprogramexpandsacademicandsocial opportunities.Studentsingradessixthrougheightmaytake GiftedandTalentedcoursesinmathandscienceand,when academicallyready,enrollinSpanish.Ahomeroommodel supportedbycounselorsandtheschoolsocialworker emphasizessocialandemotionallearning.Programssuchas AVID,NationalJuniorHonorSociety,andonlineSocialMeet Upsencourageleadershipandfriendships.

Highschoolstudentsfollowrigorouscourseworkalignedwith UCandCSUA–G,NCAA,Honors,andAdvancedPlacement standards.DailyLiveClasses,dualenrollmentwithcommunity colleges,andparticipationinanaward-winningAcademic Decathlonteamhelpstudentsprepareconfidentlyforcollege andcareers.

AdmissionsandAccess

CalOPSoperatesasatuition-freepubliccharternetworkand doesnotselectstudentsbasedonacademicrecordsorincome. AnychildwhomeetsCalifornia’sageandgeographic requirementsmayapply,andenrollmentfollowsanopen processratherthancompetitivescreening.Theschooldesigned theenrollmentprocesstofeelstraightforwardforfamilieswho maybenewtoonlineeducationandunsurewheretobegin.

Accessextendsbeyondpaperwork.CalOPSprovidesevery studentwithessentialtechnology,includingaChromebook,so learningdoesnotdependonafamily’sbudget.Households thatqualifycanalsoreceiveinternethotspotsatnocost, removingoneofthemostcommonbarrierstoonline schooling.Theschoolpairsthismaterialsupportwithhuman support.Schoolsocialworkers,psychologists,andcounselors areavailabletohelpstudentsmanageacademicpressures, emotionalchallenges,ordifficultcircumstancesathome. Throughthesesteps,CalOPSworkstoensurethatopportunity reacheschildrenfromeverybackgroundratherthanonlythose whocanaffordit.

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EngagementintheOnlineClassroom

CalOPSbelievesonlinelearningshouldbe interactiveandrelationship-based.Theschool organizesinstructionaroundahomeroommodelthat giveseverystudentaconsistentadultwhoknows theirprogressandpersonality.DailyLiveClass sessionsbringclassmatestogetheron-screenandvia themeetingchat,wherecredentialedteachersuse discussion,groupactivities,andinteractivetoolsto keepstudentsengagedinsteadofsimplywatching.

Eachhomeroomteacherworkswithabout twenty-fivestudents,asizesmallenoughforreal relationshipstoform.Teachersscheduleindividual check-ins,trackassignmentsclosely,andspeakwith familieswhenpatternsbegintoslip.Counselorsjoin thiseffortsothatacademicconcernsdonotturninto emotionalisolation.Thestructureallowsadultsto noticeproblemsearly,whetherastudentisconfused bymathorstrugglingtologinregularly Accountabilitygrowsfromconnection,andCalOPS treatsthatconnectionasthefoundationofsuccessful onlineeducation.

ServingDiverseLearners

CalOPSapproachesdiversityasanintegralpartof everydaylearning,shapinghowtheyteach,connect with,andsupporttheirstudents.Teachersbeginby learningwhostudentsare,includingtheirstrengths, challenges,identities,andfamilyexperiences. Instructionthenadjuststothosedetailsthrough flexiblepacing,targetedinterventions,andsupports forstudentswithdisabilities.Theschoolholdsfirm academicstandardsbutrefusestotreatallchildren asiftheylearninthesameway

Educatorsareencouragedtoseebackgroundsas sourcesofknowledgeinsteadofobstacles.Lessons connecttoreal-worldexperiencessostudentscan recognizetheirownlivesinthematerial.Social Meetupsformiddleandhighschoolstudentscreate informalspaceswherefriendshipsdevelopbeyond assignments.Relationshipbuildingstartsassoonas afamilyenrolls,oftenwithawelcomecallfroma teacher,andcontinuesthroughcommunity-focused sessionsthatcelebratedifferentidentities.By groundingrigorinempathy,CalOPSaimsto offeraneducationthatfeelsbothchallengingand genuinelyhuman.

Redening Student Success

CalOPSmeasuressuccesswithawiderlensthanreport cardsalone.Gradesandcompletedcourseworkmatter, yettheschoolalsowatcheshowstudentsparticipatein LiveClasssessions,howregularlytheyattend,andhow confidentlytheymanagetheirownschedules.Skills suchasorganization,self-direction,andcommunication aretreatedassignsofgrowthratherthanoptionalextras.

Teachersandcounselorspayattentiontolessvisible changesaswell.Familiesoftendescribeshiftsin attitude,suchasachildwhoonceavoidedschool beginningtologinwithcuriosity.CalOPStracksthat senseofmotivationbecauseitoftenpredictslong-term achievementbetterthanasingletestscore.Accessto counselorsandaschoolsocialworkerensuresthat emotionalhealthreceivesthesamecareasacademics.

Theonlineformatitselfbecomespartofthemeasure. Forsomestudents,traditionalcampusescreated barriersofanxiety,travel,orrigidtimetables.When thosebarriersdisappear,andastudentbeginsto thrive,CalOPScountsthatasgenuinesuccess, proofthateducationcanprepareyoungpeopleforlife beyondgraduation.

Cover Story

PeoplebehindtheProgram

CalOPSreliesonaleadershipstructurethatresemblesa traditionaldistrictwhiletakingadvantageoftheflexibilityof anonlineorganization.Directionflowsfromthe Superintendenttositeadministratorsandteachers,yet responsibilityissharedratherthanconcentratedatthetop. Experiencedteachersstepintosupervisoryandmentorship roles,helpingnewercolleaguesrefinelessonsandclassroom managementintheonlinesetting.

ProfessionalLearningCommunitiesmeetregularlytostudy studentdataandcompareinstructionalapproaches.These groupskeepexpectationsconsistentacrossthenetwork’ssix schoolsandpreventqualityfromdriftingfromcampusto campus.Becausetheentireorganizationoperatesonline, communicationbecomesadailydiscipline.Leaders emphasizequickresponses,clearprocedures,andopen channelsbetweenteachers,counselors,andfamilies.

CalOPSalsodrawsonoutsideexpertisewhenneeded. Specialistsinmarketing,operations,fiscalservices,and specialeducationworkalongsidein-housestaffsothat educatorscanfocusonteachingwhilethebroader systemrunssmoothly.

MilestonesandMomentum

RecentyearshavemarkedsteadyprogressforCalOPSas thenetworkmaturesacrossthestate.Resultsfromthe 2025CaliforniaSchoolDashboardshownotable improvementinEnglishLanguageArtsandMath,with severalregionsrecordinggainsbetween70and90 points.Schoolleaderscreditthosenumberstofocused instructionandcarefuluseofstudentdatatoguidedaily teaching.

Thenetworkalsoreportsahealthyschoolclimate. CalOPSrecordedzerosuspensionsacrossallcampuses andearnedaBlueratingstatewide,evidencethat restorativepracticesandstudentengagementshape behaviormoreeffectivelythanpunishment.English Learnersshowedmeaningfulprogressaswell,with multipleschoolsreceivingGreenorBlueratingsand morethanhalfoflearnersinsomeareasmovingcloser tolanguageproficiency

Graduationratescontinuetoclimb,andallsixCalOPS schoolsmet100%ofstatestandardsforlocalindicators. Together,thesemilestonesreflectaculturethatvalues steadyimprovementoverquickheadlines.

StudentSupportbeyondtheClassroom

CalOPSsurroundsstudentswithsupportthatreaches beyonddailylessons.Ateverygradelevel,teachers workalongsidecounselors,socialworkers,andschool psychologiststoaddresssocialandemotionalneeds. Thegoalistohelpchildrenfeelsteadyandconfident soacademicscantakeroot.Inmiddleschool,programs suchasAVIDandNationalJuniorHonorSociety introduceleadershiphabitsandstudyskillsthatcarry intolateryears.OnlineMeetUpsallowstudentsto explorehobbies,talkwithpeers,andbuildfriendships thatonlinelearningmightotherwisemiss.

Highschoolstudentsreceivemorefocusedguidanceas graduationapproaches.Counselorshostcollege planningworkshopsandconnectfamilieswith admissionsrepresentativesfromUC,CalState,and communitycolleges.Career-boundstudentsreceive helpwithworkpermits,resumewriting,andinterview practice.Workshopsforstudentsandparentsexplain financialaidandlifeafterhighschool.Theseservices reflectCalOPS’sbeliefthateducationshouldprepare youngpeopleforwholelives,notonlyforexams.

LookingAhead

CaliforniaOnlinePublicSchoolsplanstobuildonits currentfoundationratherthanchangedirection. LeadersarefocusedonexpandingCareerTechnical Education,sostudentswhopreferpracticalpathways canexplorefieldsthatleaddirectlytoemployment. Curriculumteamsarealsostudyingnewdigitaltoolsto makelessonsmoreengagingandallowteachersto personalizeassignmentswithgreaterprecision.

Oneofthemostanticipatedprojectsisanintegrated parentdashboarddesignedtoreplaceseveralseparate platforms.Thesystemaimstogathergrades, attendance,andmessagesinasingleplacesofamilies canfollowachild’sprogresswithoutconfusion.School officialsexpectthedashboardtostrengthen communicationandmakeparentsmoreactivepartners indailylearning.

CalOPSviewstheseinitiativesasthenextstepina longexperimentinpubliceducation.Theschool intendstokeeptestingideas,listeningtofamilies,and adjustingtechnologytohumanneeds,allwhileholding fasttothebeliefthateverystudentdeservesa thoughtfulandflexiblepathtosuccess.

FreedomProject Academy

Shaping Minds with Purpose and Principle

FreedomProjectAcademybeganwithasimplebut firmbelief.Thefounderslookedbacktothe intentionsofAmerica’searlyleaders,who understoodthatastrongrepublicdependsoncitizenswho canthinkwithclarityandactwithmoralgrounding.From thatidea,theacademytookshapein2011withamission thatstillguideseverypartofitswork.Itteachesstudents howtothinkinsteadofwhattothink.Itdoessoby standingonJudeo-Christianprinciplesandbyrecognizing God’struthandsovereigntyascentraltothelearning experience.Thisapproachsetstheacademyapartina worldwheremoralrelativismoftenfillsthespacethat valuesanddisciplineonceheld.

Overtheyears,FreedomProjectAcademyhaskeptits rootssteadywhileexpandingitsreach.Whatbeganasa schoolfocusedonlivevirtualclasseshasgrownintoafull academicecosystemthatservesfamiliesindifferentways. TheteamintroducedAnytimeAcademy,whichgives studentsaccesstoasynchronouscoursestheycantakeat theirownpace,anytimeofday Theyalsobuilta Homeschoolprogramforfamilieswhowantstructure withoutlosingflexibility Theseadditionsallowparentsand studentstodesignaschedulethatfitsreallife.

Theacademyhasalsostrengthenedlearningoutsidethe classroom.Itnowofferscocurricularclubsthatbring togetherstudentswithsimilarinterests.Nuclearscience, AmericanSignLanguage,drama,artandstories,andother hands-onprogramsgivestudentsroomtoexplorenew areaswithcuriosity.Thisyear,theacademyplanstoadd MandarinChineseaswell.Eachadditionreflectsasteady efforttomakelearningbroad,engaging,andgroundedin purpose.

FPAcontinuestogrowwiththesameclarityitheldatits beginning.Itseekstodevelopstudentswhothinkwith intentionandactwithcharacter,whilegivingfamiliestools thatsupportbothstructureandfreedom.

APhilosophyRootedinClarityandCharacter

FPAbuildsitsacademicmodelonclassical, Judeo-Christianprinciplesthatfocusonclearthinkingand deepunderstanding.Theteambelievesstudentslearnbest whentheyexploreideasinastructuredwaythathonorsthe wisdompasseddownthroughWesternculture.This approachencouragesstudentstouselogic,reason,and moralgroundingwhenformingtheirviews.Italsoprepares themtospeakwithclarityandconfidenceaboutwhatthey believeandwhyitmatters.

Thecurriculumfollowsthetraditionaltrivium,which divideslearningintothreestages.Inthegrammar stage,frompre-kindergartenthroughfourthgrade, studentsbuildastrongbaseinreading,writing,and arithmetic.Theseyearsgivethemthetoolstheywill relyonaslearningbecomesmorecomplex.Thelogic stage,whichcoversfifththrougheighthgrade,asks studentstoconnectfactsandideas.Theybeginto compareconcepts,understandrelationshipsacross subjects,andthinkthroughproblemswithgreaterdepth. Bythetimetheyreachtherhetoricstageinhigh school,studentsarereadytoexpresstheirconclusions withintention.Theylearnhowtowriteandspeakin waysthatarepersuasiveandthoughtful,using techniquessuchasethos,pathos,andlogos.This structuregivesthemconfidencetolearnindependently longaftergraduation.

AcademicProgramsThatHonorDepthand Discipline

FPAoffersafullacademicpathfrompre-kindergarten throughtwelfthgrade,withcoresubjectsandawide rangeofelectives.Theearlyyearsfocusonphonics, language,andarithmetic,taughtinaclearandstructured way.Studentslearndecoding,spelling,vocabulary,and readingcomprehensionasseparateskills.Theyalso practicearithmeticfactsuntiltheygainrealfluency Thissteadyfoundationpreparesthemforadvanced worklateron.Latinisintroducedearlyaswell,sinceit strengthenslogic,vocabulary,andreasoning.

Intheuppergrades,thecurriculumshiftstowardthe WesternCanon,traditionalmathalgorithms,and Creation-basedscience.Literature,history,and philosophyinvitestudentstoseeideasintheiroriginal formratherthanthroughsimplifiedsummaries.The academyavoidsCommonCoresoitcandesignlessons thatfititsmissioninsteadofmeetingoutside benchmarks.Manycoursesarewrittenbytheacademy’s ownexpertsortrustedChristianpublisherslike ApologiaandMemoriaPress.

StudentsingradessixthroughtwelvestudyEnglish, science,math,history,Latin,andmodernlanguages. Theyalsochoosefromelectivesthatwidentheir learning.Optionsincludelogic,rhetoric,persuasion, oration,musictheory,forensicscience,economics,and health.Thismixgivesstudentsawell-rounded educationthatisdistinctfromtypicalonlineor hybridprograms.

LeadershipwithPurposeandFaith

Theacademy’sprincipal,Mr.DavidHarper,speaks withasenseofgratitudeabouthisrole.Heviewshis positionasbothanhonorandaresponsibility.Forhim, leadingtheacademymeanssupportingamissionthat shapesstudentsintopatriotleaderswhounderstandtheir identityandpurposethroughaChrist-centeredclassical education.HeoftensharesthatGodhasguidedthe academy’sworkfromthebeginning,andhebelievesthat thisguidancewillcontinueaslongastheschoolstays faithfultoitscalling.

Mr.Harperstressesthateverystudentcarriesgiftsthat deservetoberecognizedanddeveloped.Heencourages teacherstolookcloselyateachlearner,understandwhat makesthemthrive,andsupportthemwithintention.The relationshipwithparentsalsoholdsgreatimportance.He seesfamiliesaspartnerswhoplaythefirstandmost lastingroleinachild’seducation.Hishopeistobuild strongconnectionsthathelpstudentsreachtheirfull academicandspiritualpotential.

Underhisleadership,teacherspresenteverysubject throughabiblicallens.Thisapproachhelpsstudents seehowGod’struthconnectstoreallifeandhowthey canapplyitintheirdailychoices.ToMr.Harper,each studentholdsauniqueplaceinGod’skingdom,andthe academy’sworkistohelpthemgrowintothatcalling.

It’s all about unlocking and cultivating each student’s God-given talents and gifts! “

AnAdmissionsProcessBuiltonOpennessandSupport

FPAwelcomesstudentsfrompre-kindergartenthroughtwelfth grade,andtheadmissionsprocessisdesignedtobesimplefor families.Enrollmenttakesplacethroughanonlineapplication thatguidesparentsstepbystep.Onceastudentapplies,the academyconductsaplacementscreening.Thisscreening helpsdeterminetheacademiclevelthatbestfitsthestudent’s currentskills,whichsetsthemupforsuccessfromthestart. Theacademybelieveslearningworksbestwhenparentstake anactiverole,sofamiliesareinvitedtopartnercloselywith teachersthroughouttheschoolyear.Parentshelpmonitor progressandencouragehabitsthatsupportsteadygrowth.

Theacademyalsoworkstomakeitsprogramsaccessibleto familieswhomightotherwisestrugglewithtuitioncosts.It offersastrongtuitionassistanceprogramthathasgrownover theyears.Inrecentyears,theacademyhasawardedmorethan onehundredthousanddollarsinfinancialsupporttooverone hundredfiftyfamilies.Thiscommitmentreflectsalargergoal tokeepdoorsopentostudentsfromdifferentbackgrounds whileofferingacurriculumgroundedinclarity,purpose, andfaith.

CreatingConnectioninaVirtualClassroom

FPAusesadvancedtechnologytomakeitsliveonline classesfeelsimilartoatraditionalclassroom.Teachers leadlessonsthroughAdobeConnect,aplatformthat supportsreal-timeinteraction.Studentsjoin discussions,answerquestions,andparticipateinpolls. Theyalsousetoolssuchasannotations,chat,breakout rooms,andmicrophonestostayinvolvedthroughout thelesson.Thesefeatureshelpstudentspractice communicationskillsandapplywhattheylearnwhile keepingtheteacheratthecenterastheguide.

Tosupportaccountability,teachersusetoolslike Nearpodtowatchstudentscompletetasksinrealtime. Thishelpsinstructorscatchmisunderstandingsquickly andofferguidancewhenneeded.Canvasservesasthe mainspaceforassignmentsandclassmaterials. Studentsandparentscanviewsyllabi,samplepapers, instructions,andrubricstostayclearonexpectations. Teachersalsogivewrittenfeedbackonwork,which helpsfamiliesunderstandstrengths,mistakes,and areasforimprovement.

MeetingStudentsWhereTheyAre

FPAsupportsawiderangeoflearningneedsby offeringseveralacademictracksthatfamiliescan mixandmatch.Studentswhopreferstructurecan joinliveclasses,whichincludereal-timeteaching andfullrecordingsavailablearoundtheclock. OthersmaychoosetheAnytimeAcademytrack, wherepre-recordedlessonscoverthesamematerial butallowstudentstomoveattheirownpace. Familieswhowantatraditionalhomeschoolsetting canusethesameAnytimecourseswhiletakinga largerroleininstructionanddailywork.These optionscanbeblendedtocreateapaththatfitseach student’sgoalsandschedule.

Teachersfocusonindividualgrowthwhilestaying truetotheacademy’sclassicalapproach.Assistant teachershelpmonitorprogress,andtutoringis availableforstudentswhoneedextrasupport. EveryteacheralsoholdsaweeklyTeacherTalk session.Thistimegivesstudentsspacetoask questions,reviewassignments,andreceive personalizedguidance.

PartnershipsThatStrengthenFaith-Based Education

Theinstituteworkswithchurchesandprivate schoolstobringitsJudeo-Christianclassesdirectly intolocalclassrooms.Thesepartnershipsletschools offerafullclassicalcurriculumwithoutthecostof buildingnewprogramsfromscratch.FPAprovides liveorrecordedinstruction,assignsandgrades studentwork,andissuestranscriptsanddiplomas. Thisstructurehelpssmallschoolsstaywithintheir budgetswhilegivingstudentsaccesstoaccredited coursesthatpreparethemforcollegeoracareer

Partnerchurchesandschoolsaddtheirown strengthstothemodel.Theycreateasupportive environmentwherestudentscanparticipateinBible study,art,physicaleducation,ordiscipleship alongsidetheiracademicwork.Staffmembershelp guidestudents,monitorengagement,andsupport homeworksubmissionwhenneeded.Thepartner sitealsosuppliesthetechnologystudentsneedto joinclasses.Thesepartnershipsallowcommunities togrowfaith-basededucationlocallywhile teachingstudentshowtothinkwithpurpose andconviction.

FacultyLeadershipFocusedonQuality

FreedomProjectAcademymaintainsstrongacademic standardsthroughaleadershipstructurethatkeeps teachers,families,andstudentsconnected.Theprincipal workscloselywiththeacademicadvisingteamtoguide familiesfromthemomenttheyapply Together,theyhelp withcourseselection,textbookneeds,curriculum questions,andongoingacademicsupport.Thisteamcenteredapproachmakesthelearningprocesssmoothfor bothstudentsandparents.

Teacherleadersplayanimportantroleaswell.Each division,fromelementarytojuniorhightohighschool,has leaderswhomentorfacultyandsupportcurriculum development.Theyhelpensurethatlessonsremainclear, consistent,andalignedwiththeacademy’sclassicaland biblicalfoundation.Regulardepartmentmeetingsalsokeep communicationopen.Duringthesesessions,teachers reviewinstructionmethods,refineassessments,discuss school-wideprocedures,andsharebestpracticesforonline learning.Theseeffortshelptheacademyrespondtostudent needsandmaintainoperationalexcellenceacrossevery gradelevel.

MilestonesThatReflectSteadyGrowth

FPAhasmarkedseveralimportantachievementsinrecentyears.During theCOVIDpandemic,enrollmentnearlydoubledandsurpassedone thousandstudents.Theacademynowserveslearnersacrossallfifty statesaswellasstudentsinPuertoRico,Korea,China,Canada,France, theUnitedKingdom,Mexico,andIndia.Thisgrowthshowshow familiesaroundtheworldvalueaclassical,faith-basededucationthat remainsconsistentnomatterthedistance.

Ameaningfulmilestonecamelastyearwhentheacademycelebratedits firststudenttocompleteallthirteenyearsofschoolingwithFPA, beginninginkindergartenandfinishingintwelfthgrade.Theacademy alsoseesstrongoutcomesamonggraduates.Abouteightypercentmove ontopost-secondaryprograms,manywithscholarships.Juniorsand seniorswhotaketheACTorSAToftenscoreabovetheseventy-fifth percentilenationally.Parentsregularlyexpressappreciationforthe curriculum’srigorandtheacademicreadinesstheirchildrengain.

SupportServicesThatStrengthenStudentSuccess

FPAoffersarangeofservicestohelpstudentsgrowacademicallyand personally.Familiesreceivefreetechnologysupportsotheycanfocus onlearningwithoutstress.Studentscanaccessindividualorgroup tutoring,alongwithfreephonicsandreadinghelpforgrades Kthrough2.

Theacademyalsoprovidessummerclassesforextrapracticeor enrichmentinkeysubjects.Studyhallandhomeroomforumsgive studentsspacetomeetwithteachersorsocializewithpeers.Families whooptincanconnectthroughaworldwidedirectory.Academic advisorsguidestudentsoncollegeplanning,scholarships,and careerreadiness.

VisionFocusedonGrowthandInnovation

FreedomProjectAcademyislookingtowardsteadyexpansionwhile stayingrootedinitsmission.Theteamhopestoreachmorestudents whocanbenefitfromaclassical,Christ-centerededucation.New courseofferings,updatedcurriculum,andadditionalcocurricularclubs arealwaysunderreview.Theacademyisalsoexpandingadult enrichmentprogramsandcreatingbridgecoursesthatsupportlearners atdifferentstages.

Amajorprojectunderwayisafive-yearredevelopmentplanfor AnytimeAcademyusingamodernstudiorecordingplatform.The academywillalsointroducecondensedhomeschoolcoursesfor familiesseekingsupplementalmaterial.Longterm,thegoverningboard aimstoestablishFPAUniversityforpost-secondarystudiesinfields suchaseducation,philosophy,history,politicalscience,and thehumanities.

AI GOVERNANCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION

The 2026 Framework for Policy & Risk

IAgovernanceinhighereducationisthestructuredsystem ofpolicies,oversightcommittees,ethicalstandards,and riskcontrolsuniversitiesusetomanageAIacross teaching,research,andadministration,goingbeyondITpolicyto addressaccountability,dataprivacy,andacademicintegrity

Artificialintelligenceisadvancinginhighereducationfasterthan institutionalpolicycankeeppace.Facultyareexperimentingwith generativeAItools,studentsaresubmittingAI-assistedwork,and administrativedepartmentsareautomatingeverythingfromadmissions toadvising.

Yetmostuniversitiesarefacingagovernancegap.

AccordingtoEDUCAUSE’s2024AILandscapeStudy,80%offaculty andstaffuseAItools,yetfewerthanoneinfourareawareofaformal institutionalpolicy.TheresultisrapidlygrowingshadowAI unsanctionedtoolsoperatingentirelyoutsideinstitutionaloversight.

Foruniversityleaders,thequestionisnolongerwhetherAIwillshape highereducation;itiswhetherinstitutionswillgovernitresponsibly beforeadatabreach,regulatoryviolation,orintegritycrisisforcestheir hand.

ThatispreciselywhatAIgovernanceinhighereducationisdesigned toprevent.

WhyAIGovernanceIsBecomingCriticalforUniversities

Universitiesareinherentlyopenenvironmentsbuiltforexperimentation andacademicfreedom.

Thesevaluesdriveinnovation,buttheyalsocreategovernanceblind spotswhenpowerfultechnologiesentertheecosystemwithoutstructure. atensionexploredindepthinourlookathowAIisalreadyreshaping universityteaching,research,andgovernance.

ThreeforcesaremakingAI governanceinhighereducationurgent in2026.

1.RegulatoryPressureisAccelerating

TheEUAIAct,whichcameintoforce inAugust2024,classifiesseveralAI applicationscommoninuniversities, includingAI-assistedadmissions systemsandstudentperformance analytics,as“high-risk.”European universitiesmustnowdemonstrate complianceorfacepenalties.

IntheUnitedStates,theDepartmentof Education’s2023guidanceonAI explicitlycallsoninstitutionsto developethicalframeworksforAIuse instudentservicesandassessment.

FERPA,meanwhile,imposesstrict constraintsonhowstudentdatacanbe processedbythird-partyAIsystems.

2.AdoptionhasOutpacedPolicy

GenerativeAIplatformsarenow embeddedacrossresearchworkflows, automatedgrading,tutoringsystems, andadministrativeautomation.Without governance,practicesbecome inconsistentandunauditableacross departments,creatingcompliance risksthatinstitutionsmaynotdiscover untilaudited.

3.PublicTrustisatStake

UNESCO’sRecommendationontheEthicsof AIwarnsthatinstitutionsfailingtogovernAI transparentlyriskerodingthepubliclegitimacy thatuniversitiesdependon.Thattrust,once lostinahigh-profileAIincident,isdifficultto recover.

The“ShadowAI”ProblemonCampus

ShadowAI–AItoolsadoptedbyfaculty,staff, orstudentswithoutinstitutionalapproval representoneofthemostunderestimatedrisk vectorsinhighereducationtoday

EDUCAUSEresearchconsistentlyfindsthat universitieshavefarmoreAItoolsoperating acrosstheircampusesthanITdepartmentsare awareof.

TheseincludeAIwritingassistants,research automationtools,codingcopilots,dataanalysis platforms,andAItutoringsystems,manyof whichoperateentirelyoutsidetheuniversity’s datagovernanceperimeter.

Therisksareconcrete:

● DataLeakage:Whenaprofessoruploads anunpublishedresearchdatasettoa commercialAIplatform,thatdatamaybe stored,logged,orusedformodeltraining. Theuniversitylosescontrolofits intellectualpropertywithnoaudittrail.

● FERPAViolations:Ifstudentperformance recordsareprocessedbyanunapprovedAI system,theinstitutionmayviolatefederal privacylawevenifthefacultymemberhad nointenttobreachcompliance.

● CybersecurityExposure:AItools connectedinformallytocampussystems bypassthesecurityreviewsthatapproved enterprisesoftwareundergoes.

Thegovernancelessonisclear:awareness campaignsaloneareinsufficient. Institutionsneedactivemonitoring,notjust policydocuments.

CorePillarsofanAIGovernanceFramework

EffectiveAIgovernanceinhighereducationisnotanIT function;itisaninstitutionalone.

GuidancefromUNESCO,theOECD’sAIPrinciples,and theUK’sHigherEducationPolicyInstitute(HEPI) consistentlyidentifiesfourpillarsthatdistinguishmature governanceframeworksfromadhocpolicyresponses.

1.InstitutionalAISteeringCommittees

Governancemustbeginattheleadershiplevel.Universities, includingtheUniversityofEdinburgh,publishedoneof thefirstcomprehensiveinstitutionalAIgovernance frameworksinUKhighereducationin2024.

Structuredoversightaroundcross-functionalcommittees composedofacademicleadership,IT,legal,researchethics, andfacultyrepresentatives.

Thesecommitteesareresponsiblefordefiningacceptable usepolicies,reviewingAIvendors,monitoringemerging risks,andadvisingseniorleadership.Critically,they preventAIdecisionsfromdefaultingentirelytoIT departments,ensuringacademicvaluesremaincentralto governance.

2.EthicalAIPrinciplesinPractice

Ethicalgovernancegoesbeyondpublishingprinciples;it operationalisesthem:

A.Transparency

StudentsandfacultymustknowwhenAIisinvolvedin academicoradministrativedecisions.AI-assistedgrading, automatedfeedback,andalgorithmicadmissionsscreening shouldbedisclosed.

TheEUAIActmakestransparencymandatoryforhigh-risk AIapplications;institutionsoperatinginEuropehaveno choice.

B.FairnessandBiasAuditing

AIsystemstrainedonhistoricaldatasetscanreproduce structuralinequalities.ArizonaStateUniversity’sAITask Force,establishedin2023,requiresbiastestingbeforeany AItoolisdeployedinstudent-facingapplications,amodel thatotherinstitutionsarebeginningtoadopt.

C.Accountability

Finaldecisionsinvolvingstudentsorstaffmustremain underhumanauthority AIinforms;humansdecide. Thisprincipleisembeddedinmostleadinggovernance frameworksandisabaselinerequirementunderEUAI Actprovisionsforhigh-risksystems.

3.Human-in-the-Loop(HITL)Oversight

RatherthanpermittingAIsystemstooperate autonomously,HITLgovernancerequireshuman reviewateverycriticaldecisionpoint.

AnAIsystemmightanalysestudentengagement patternsandflagstudentsatriskofdroppingout,but advisorsretainfulldecision-makingauthorityoverany intervention.

MIT’spublishedAIPolicyPrinciplesidentifyHITL oversightasafoundationalstandardforAIsystemsthat affectstudentoutcomes,apositionreflectedinthe broadergovernanceframeworksmanyresearch universitiesarenowformalising.

ThisapproachallowsinstitutionstogainAI-driven insightswhilepreservingacademicaccountabilityand legaldefensibility

4.ContinuousMonitoringOverStaticPolicy

TraditionalITpoliciesareapprovedonceand periodicallyreviewed.AIgovernancecannotworkthis way.AImodelsareupdated,trainingdatachanges,and newcapabilitiesemergeontimelinesthatannualpolicy reviewscannotmatch.

TheOECD’sFrameworkfortheClassificationof AISystemsrecommends“continuousassurance” models,ongoingmonitoringofAIbehaviourrather thanone-timeapproval.

Universitiesadoptingthisapproachbuildaudit mechanismsdirectlyintotheirAIprocurement contracts

AIGovernanceandAcademicIntegrity

GenerativeAIhastransformedacademicintegrityfrom aplagiarismproblemintoanauthorshipproblem, andthetworequirefundamentallydifferentresponses.

ThisisoneofthemostvisibleplaceswhereAI governanceinhighereducationdirectlyshapes thestudentexperience.

Traditionalplagiarismdetectionlookedfor copiedtext.AI-generatedcontentisoriginalby definition,renderingtoolslikeTurnitin insufficientasstandalonesolutions.

TheUniversityofOxford’sAcademic IntegrityFramework,revisedin2024, explicitlyacknowledgesthis,pivotingfrom detection-firstapproachestowardassessment redesignandtransparentdisclosurepolicies.

Leadinginstitutionsarerespondingacross threefronts:

1.AssessmentRedesign

Oralexaminations,project-basedwork,and in-classanalyticaltasksevaluateunderstanding thatAIcannotsimulate.

Stanford’sHassoPlattnerInstituteofDesign haspilotedprocessdocumentationapproaches inselectcourses,wherestudentssubmitdrafts, annotations,andreflectivejournalsthat demonstratethethinkingbehindoutputs,not justtheoutputsthemselves.

2.Disclosure-BasedPolicies

Ratherthanattemptingblanketbans,which EDUCAUSEnotesarelargelyunenforceable, institutionslikeUniversityCollegeLondon nowrequirestudentstodeclarewhenandhow AItoolswereused,treatingtransparencyasan academicskillinitself.

3.FacultyDevelopment

SeparateEDUCAUSEfacultyreadiness

findingsindicatethatfewerthan30%of facultyfeelconfidentdesigningAI-resilient assessments.

Governanceframeworksthatinvestinfaculty training,notjuststudent-facingpolicies, producemoreconsistentanddefensible integritystandards.

TheEUAIAct:WhatUniversitiesCannotIgnore

TheEUAIActintroducesthemostsignificant regulatorychangeforuniversitiesoperatinginorwith EuropeaninstitutionssinceGDPR.

Keyimplicationsforhighereducation:

● High-riskclassification:AIsystemsusedfor studentassessment,admissionsscreening,and performancemonitoringfallundertheAct’s high-riskcategory

Thesesystemsrequireconformityassessments,bias testing,humanoversightmechanisms,andfull auditabilitybeforedeployment.

● Prohibitedpractices:AIsystemsthatuse subliminaltechniquesorexploitstudent vulnerabilitiesrelevantinthecontextofadaptive learningplatformsareprohibitedoutright.

● Extraterritorialreach:Universitiesoutsidethe EUthatprocessdatafromEU-basedstudentsor partnerwithEUinstitutionsmaystillfallunderthe Act’sscope.

InstitutionsthathavenotbegunEUAIAct complianceassessmentsarealreadybehind The Act’shigh-riskprovisionsapplyfromAugust2026 formostusecases.

AIVendorRisk:AGovernanceChecklist

EveryAItooladoptedbyauniversitycarries institutionalrisk.Astructuredvendorassessment protectsagainstshadowAIenteringthrough procurementchannels.

Universitiesincreasinglyapplyzero-trustsecurity principlestoAIvendorevaluation,treatingevery externalsystemasapotentialriskuntilverified,rather thantrustedbydefault.

BuildinganInstitutionalAIGovernanceRoadmap

Policywithoutimplementationisadocument,not agovernanceframework.InstitutionsbuildingAI governanceinhighereducationfromthegroundup shouldmovethroughfivestagessequentiallyrather thansimultaneously

Stage1:AIInventory

MapeveryAItoolcurrentlyinuseacrossteaching, research,administration,andstudentservices.Most universitiesdiscoversignificantlymoretoolsthan anticipated.

Thisinventoryprocessistypicallywhenthefullscaleof unsanctionedAIadoptionbecomesvisibleforthefirsttime.

Stage2:PolicyDevelopment

Draftacceptableusepolicies,researchethicsguidelines, procurementstandards,anddatagovernancerules.Policies shoulddefinewhatispermitted,whatrequiresapproval, andwhatisprohibited,withclarityonconsequences.

Stage3:GovernanceStructures

EstablishtheAIsteeringcommittee,datagovernance board,andethicsreviewpanel.Definedecisionrights clearly:whoapprovesnewAItools,whomonitors deployedsystems,andwhoescalatesconcerns.

Stage4:AILiteracyPrograms

Governancefailsiffacultyandstafflacktheknowledgeto applyit.TrainingshouldcoverresponsibleAIusein teaching,algorithmicbiasrecognition,andthepractical implicationsofinstitutionalpolicy,notjusttheexistenceof thatpolicy.

Stage5:ContinuousMonitoring

Buildreviewcyclesintogovernancefromdayone.AI systemschange.Regulationschange.Institutionalrisk profileschange.

AnnualauditsofdeployedAIsystems,quarterlyvendor reviews,andreal-timemonitoringofhigh-riskapplications shouldbestandardbythetimeauniversityreaches governancematurity.

PreparingforAgenticAI:TheNextGovernance Frontier

GenerativeAIisalreadyagovernancechallenge.Agentic AIsystemscapableoftakingautonomousactionsacross researchdatabases,schedulingsystems,administrative workflows,andcommunicationplatformswillbe substantiallyhardertogovern.

Multi-agentarchitectures,wheremultiple AIsystemscollaborateanddelegatetasks tooneanother,aremovingfromresearch labstoenterprisesoftware.Severalmajor edtechvendorsarealreadypilotingagentic toolsforstudentadvisingandcourse personalisation.

Foruniversities,thisraisesgovernance questionsthatcurrentframeworksarenot designedtoanswer.Earlyguidancefrom theWorldEconomicForum’sAI GovernanceAllianceandemerging institutionalpracticepointstowardthree priorityareas:

1.Accountabilitychains

WhenanautonomousAIagentmakesa decisionthatharmsastudent,current frameworksbuiltaroundindividualhuman decision-makersdonotmapcleanlyonto multi-stepautomatedpipelines.

Leadinginstitutionsarebeginningto designateanamedhuman“AI accountabilityowner”foreachdeployed agenticsystem,ensuringthatevery automatedworkflowtracesbacktoan identifiableindividualwithreview authority.

2.Accessgovernance.

Agenticsystemsrequiredynamic,scoped permissionsratherthanstaticaccessgrants.

Theemergingbestpracticealignedwith zero-trustprinciplesalreadyappliedto vendorevaluationistograntagenticAIthe minimumpermissionsrequiredfora specifictask,withautomaticexpirationand human-triggeredre-authorisationfor sensitivedataenvironments,including studentrecordsandresearchrepositories.

3.Pipelineauditability

Multi-agentsystemscanobscuretheorigin ofindividualdecisionsacrosslayersof automateddelegation.

Universitiesbuildingagenticgovernancepoliciesareprioritising end-to-endloggingrequirements,mandatingthateveryagentaction, handoff,anddecisionpointisrecordedinanimmutableaudittrailthat humanreviewerscaninterrogateafterthefact.

TheWorldEconomicForum’sAIGovernanceAlliancerecommendsthat institutionsbegindevelopingagenticAIgovernancepoliciesnow,before deploymentpressureforcesuniversitiesintoreactivepolicymaking.

TheFutureofResponsibleAIinHigherEducation

AIwillreshapeeveryfunctionofthemodernuniversity,learning,research, operations,andstudentsupport,buttheshapeittakeswillnotbe determinedbythetechnologyalone.

Itwillbedeterminedbythechoicesinstitutionsmakenowabout accountability,oversight,andwhoseinterestsgovernanceisdesignedto protect.

StrongAIgovernanceinhighereducationisnotaconstraintoninnovation. Itistheconditionthatmakesinnovationdefensible:tostudentswhosedata isatstake,toregulatorswhoarewatching,andtothepublicthatgrants universitiestheirsociallicensetooperate.

Theuniversitiesthatwilldefinethenexteraofhighereducationarenot necessarilytheearliestadopters.Theyaretheonesbuildingtheinstitutional infrastructuretoensurethateveryAIsystemtheydeploycanbeexplained, audited,and,ifnecessary,stopped.

Ifyoufoundthisinsightvaluable,shareitwithacademic leadersandcolleagueswhoareshapingthefutureofresponsibleAIin highereducation.

JJohnsonC.SmithUniversity(JCSU),locatedin Charlotte,NorthCarolina,isasymbolofacademic excellenceandculturalimportance.Foundedin1867as Freedmen’sCollege,ithasastoriedpastrootedinthe aftermathoftheCivilWar.TheRev.S.C.Alexanderandthe Rev.W.L.MillerestablishedJCSUtooffereducational opportunitiestonewlyfreedslaves.

Overtheyears,JCSUevolvedandexpanded,drivenbyits missiontoeducate,equip,andgraduateadiversearrayof skilledstudents.AtransformativegiftfromJaneBerry Smithin1923ledtotherenamingoftheinstitutionto JohnsonC.SmithUniversity,asignificantmilestone.

Importantly,JCSUhasbeenatrailblazerinhigher education,settingstandardsandbreakingnewground.It earnednationalacclaimin2000withtheIBMLaptop Initiative,providingallstudentswithstate-of-the-art technology.GenerousfundingfromTheDukeEndowment hassincesupportedinitiativesinleadership,community engagement,andscientificresearch.

Beyondacademics,JCSUfostersaninclusiveenvironment thatnurturesglobalcitizenshipandsocialresponsibility.It strivesforacademicprowessandcomprehensivegrowth, seekingrecognitionasaleadingprofessionalliberalarts HistoricallyBlackCollegeandUniversity(HBCU). Withitsdevotedfaculty,dynamicstudentcommunity,and steadfastdedicationtoitsprinciplesandgoals,JohnsonC. SmithUniversityismoldingtomorrow’sleaders.Rootedin arichheritageyetalwayslookingahead,JCSUis committedtoexcellence.

EmpoweringCareerPaths

Intoday’sdynamicjobmarket,JCSU’sCollegeof BusinessandProfessionalStudiesoffersadiverserange ofacademicprograms.WithintheDepartmentofBusiness Administration,studentscanpursueaBachelorofScience inBusinessAdministration.

ThisprogramoffersconcentrationsinAccounting,Finance, InternationalBusiness,Management,Marketing,andRetail Management.Thesespecializedtracksequipstudentswith thenecessaryknowledgeandskillstoexcelinvarious sectorsofthebusinessworld.

Forthoseinterestedintheintersectionofhealth,wellness, andmanagement,theDepartmentofHealthandHuman PerformanceoffersBachelorofSciencedegreesinSport ManagementandPublicHealth.Theseprogramsprovide studentswiththetoolstonavigatethecomplexitiesofthe sportsindustryorcontributetopublichealthinitiatives.

Inaddition,theDepartmentofSocialWorkoffersa pathwayforstudentstomakeameaningfulimpactintheir communities.ItdoesthisthroughitsBachelorofSciencein SocialWorkprogram.Forthoseseekingadvanced credentials,thedepartmentalsooffersMasterofSocial Work(M.S.W.)degreeprograms.

AdistinguishingfeatureoftheCollegeofBusinessisits flexiblelearningmodalities.Itofferstraditionalclassroom settings,hybridformats,andfullyonlinecourses.

Thisflexibilityallowsstudentstotailortheireducationto suittheirindividualneedsandpreferences.

Furthermore,theuniversity’slocationinCharlotte,North Carolina,thesecond-largestfinancialcenterintheU.S., providesstudentswithunparalleledaccesstointernships, networkingopportunities,andmentorshipfromcorporate leaders.Asoneofthefastest-growingcitiesinthecountry, Charlotteservesasanidealbackdropforstudentstogain practicalexperienceandlaunchsuccessfulcareersintheir chosenfields.

AdaptingtoWorkforceTrendswithNewPrograms

Inresponsetoevolvingworkforcetrends,theCollegeof BusinessandProfessionalStudiesissettolaunchnew programs.TheseincludeaB.S.inFinTech,aB.S.in HealthcareAdministration,a4+1BSW-MSWProgram,and MBA&MSPrograms.Thecollegeisamemberofboththe AACSBandACBSP,theworld’sleadingaccreditation bodiesforbusinessprograms.Additionally,thecollege offers100%onlinedegreecompletionprograms,cateringto theneedsofworkingadultsandveterans.

LeadershipandVisioninBusinessEducation

Dr.AlphonsoOgbuehi,theDeanoftheCollegeof BusinessandProfessionalStudiesatJCSUbringsawealth ofexperienceandexpertisetohisrole.Hisdistinguished careerincludestenuresasDeanoftheSchoolofBusinessat StocktonUniversityinNewJerseyandtheCollegeof BusinessatClaytonStateUniversityinAtlanta,Georgia.

InhisroleasDean,Dr.Ogbuehifostersadynamiclearning environmentthatpreparesstudentsforsuccessintheeverevolvingworldofcommerce.Heemphasizesinnovation andreal-worldapplication,ensuringstudentsreceivea comprehensiveeducationthatextendsbeyondtextbooks. Hisdedicationtoentrepreneurshipisevidentininitiatives likethestate-of-the-arteHubpoweredbyPNC,which providesstudentswithresourcesandsupporttopursuetheir businessideas.

Guidedbyacommitmenttoacademicexcellenceandthe preservationoftherichculturalheritageofHistorically BlackCollegesandUniversities(HBCUs),Dr.Ogbuehi’s leadershipensuresthatstudentsatJCSUreceivea

transformativeeducation.This education,rootedinexperiential learning,issupportedbyinternshipsat leadingcompaniesinCharlotte,the nation’ssecond-largestfinancialcenter

Asavisionaryleaderandadvocatefor studentsuccess,Dr.Ogbuehiinvites prospectivestudentsandparentsto exploretheopportunitiesavailableat JohnsonC.SmithUniversity’sCollege ofBusinessandProfessionalStudies. Hisinvitationreflectshispassionfor empoweringstudentstoachievetheir academicandprofessionalgoals, positioningJCSUasapremier destinationforaspiringbusiness leaders.

BuildingConnections:Thrivingat JohnsonC.SmithUniversity

JCSUoffersavibrant,communitycentricstudentlife,teemingwith opportunitiesforengagement,growth, andconnection.Thecampusisahub ofactivity,creatingasupportive environmentwherestudentscanexcel bothacademicallyandsocially.

Theuniversityhostsover30student organizations,cateringtovarious interestsandbackgrounds.These organizations,rangingfromacademic clubstoculturalgroups,provide studentswithopportunitiestoexplore theirpassions,developleadership skills,andbuildlastingfriendships. Theuniversityalsoencourages studentstoshapecampuslifeactively throughparticipationinstudent governmentandcommunityservice projects.

Inclusivityandthecelebrationofits heritageasanHBCUarecornerstones ofstudentlifeatJCSU.Thecampus embracesdiversity,providinga welcomingspacewherestudentsofall backgroundsfeelvalued andsupported.

Outsidetheclassroom,studentscan engageinthethrillofGoldenBulls Athletics,whetherascheering spectatorsorparticipantsinintramural sports.Thecampuscalendarispacked witheventsandactivitiesorganizedby theGoldenBullsActivitiesCommittee andotherstudentgroups,ensuring thereisalwayssomethingexciting happeningoncampus.

TherelativelysmallsizeofJCSU fostersaclose-knitcommunitywhere studentsreceivepersonalizedattention fromfacultyandstaff.Locatedin Charlotte,NorthCarolina,students alsohaveaccesstothecity’svibrant culturalscene,internshipopportunities, andthediverseofferingsofadynamic city

AccessibleAdmissionsProcessand HolisticEvaluation

JCSUoffersanaccessibleand inclusiveadmissionsprocess,focusing onidentifyingtalentedindividualswho willenrichthevibrantcampus community.JCSUoperatesarolling admissionsprocess,makingitcrucial forprospectivestudentstobeawareof importantdeadlines,particularlyfor scholarshipconsideration.

Applicationrequirementsincludea completedapplicationform,anofficial highschooltranscriptdemonstratinga minimumGPA(whichvariesby program),andtheoptiontosubmit SATorACTscores,thoughtheyare notmandatory Additionally,applicants areexpectedtohavecompleteda collegepreparatorycoursehistory

JCSUadoptsaholisticapproachto admissions,evaluatingmorethanjust testscores.Theuniversityassesses applicantsbasedontheiracademic record,includingGPAandcourse selection,andstandardizedtestscores ifprovided.

Additionally,extracurricularactivities, achievements,personalstatements,and individualstoriesarealsotakeninto accountduringtheadmissionsprocess.

Notably,JCSUoffersavarietyof programstailoredtostudentswith differentGPAs,demonstratingits commitmenttoprovidingeducational opportunitiestoadiverserangeof learners.Theuniversityalso encouragesapplicationsfrom internationalstudents,further diversifyingthecampuscommunity withglobalperspectives.

DistinguishedFacultyand InnovativeTeaching

JCSU’sCollegeofBusinessand ProfessionalStudiesboastsafaculty distinguishedbyitsexceptional qualificationsandcommitmentto deliveringtop-tiereducation.

“

At JCSU, we believe in fostering a diverse and dynamic learning environment that goes beyond textbooks

With90%offacultyholding terminaldegreesintheir disciplines,studentsbenefit fromtheexpertiseofseasoned professionalswhobringa wealthofknowledgeand experiencetotheclassroom.

Notonlyarethefaculty membersatJCSUexpertsin theirfields,buttheyarealso passionateeducatorswhouse innovativeteachingmethodsto engagestudents.Theuseofthe caseteachingmethodanda focusonexperientiallearning ensurestudentsgainpractical insightsandskillsapplicableto real-worldscenarios.

Furthermore,facultymembers activelycollaboratewithlocal companiesandnon-profit organizationsintheCharlotte region.Thiscollaboration providesstudentswith opportunitiestoworkonrealworldprojectsandgainvaluablehandsonexperience.Thisblendofacademia andindustrycreatesadynamiclearning environmentthatpreparesstudentsfor successintheirchosencareers.

Besidesthat,thecollegealsohouses cutting-edgefacilities.Theseincludethe FinanceLearning/TechnologyLab, equippedwithstate-of-the-artsoftware forfinanceandinvestmentcourses.The presenceofthePNCEntrepreneurship Hub(eHUB)highlightsthecollege’s commitmenttopromoting entrepreneuriallearningandfostering innovationamongstudentsandthelocal community

CultivatingDiversityandBelonging atJCSU

JCSUnurturesacampusculturethat celebratesculturaldiversityandfosters asenseofbelongingforallstudents.

Fromadmissionstocampuslifeandsupportservices,JCSU integratesdiversityandinclusionintovariousaspectsof universityoperations.

Intheadmissionsprocess,JCSUproactivelyrecruits studentsfromdiversebackgrounds,valuingawell-rounded studentbodywitharangeofperspectives.Byadoptinga “wholepackage”approachthatextendsbeyondtestscores, theuniversityensuresindividualsfromallwalksoflife haveopportunitiestocontributetoandbenefitfromthe JCSUcommunity.

Onceoncampus,studentsfindaninclusiveenvironment thatrespectsculturaldifferencesandpromotes understanding.Theuniversity’ssupportforstudent organizationsrepresentingvariousethnicities,religions,and backgroundsunderscoresitscommitmenttofosteringa diverseandwelcomingcampusculture.

AsaHistoricallyBlackCollegeandUniversity(HBCU), JCSUhasalong-standingtraditionofempoweringminority studentsandenhancingthevibrantdiversityofthecampus community Thisrichhistoryformsthefoundationfor promotinginclusivityandequityinallaspectsofuniversity life.

Forinternationalstudents,JCSUoffersdedicatedsupport servicestoeasethetransitiontolifeintheU.S.These servicesrangefromimmigrationguidancetocultural events,providinginternationalstudentswiththeresources theyneedtonavigatetheiracademicandpersonaljourney successfully.Furthermore,internationalstudentsare eligibleformerit-basedscholarshipsandotherfinancialaid options,ensuringthatfinancialbarriersdonotobstruct accesstoeducation.

FosteringAcademicExcellenceandCareerPreparation

JCSUisdesignedtofosteracademicexcellenceandcareer preparationforallstudents.Itprovidescomprehensive, holisticexperiencesthatofferawiderangeofinclusive educationalopportunities,servicesandsupportstoenhance studentengagementandsuccess.

Thecollegecomprisessixdivisions:theCenterforStudent SuccessandAcademicExcellence,theSmithInstitutefor Research,CareerDevelopmentandPost-Graduate Readiness,theBiddleInstitute,theMcNairScholars Program,StudentSupportServices,andUpwardBound. Eachdivisionisdedicatedtoadvancingandfulfillingthe missionoftheuniversity

IgnitingInnovation:CultivatingEntrepreneurialSpirit

JCSUisdedicatedtofosteringanentrepreneurialspiritamongits students.Itprovidesasupportiveenvironmentwherebudding entrepreneurscanflourish.TheCollegeofBusinessand ProfessionalStudiesplaysacentralroleinthismission,integrating entrepreneurshipconceptsintoitscurriculumandemphasizing experientiallearning.Thisapproachequipsstudentswiththeskills andknowledgetheyneedtosucceedinthebusinessworld.Through courseworkandpracticalexperiences,studentscanexplorevarious aspectsofentrepreneurship,fromgeneratingideastodeveloping businessplans.

AkeyelementofJCSU’ssupportforstudententrepreneursisthe eHubpoweredbyPNC.Thisdedicatedspaceforinnovationand entrepreneurshiponcampusoffersselectedstudententrepreneurs, knownasPNCFellows,accesstoincubatorspace,mentorship, technologyresources,andseedfunding.Thisinitiativeequips studentswiththenecessaryresourcesandsupporttoturntheir entrepreneurialaspirationsintoreality.

InadditiontotheeHub,JCSUencouragesstudentparticipationin businessplancompetitions.Thesecompetitionsprovidestudents withvaluableexperienceinpitchingtheirideasandtheopportunity tosecurefundingfortheirventures.Theyexposestudentstorealworldscenarios,helpingthemrefinetheirentrepreneurialskillsand fosteringaspiritofinnovationandcreativity

Facultymentorshipiscrucialinsupportingstudententrepreneursat JCSU.Businessprofessors,manywithindustryexperience,offer guidanceandsupporttostudents.Theysharetheirexpertiseand helpstudentsnavigatethechallengesofstartingandrunninga business.

Throughone-on-onementorship,facultymembersassiststudentsin developingtheirentrepreneurialideasandovercomingobstacles. JCSUalsooffersstudentsopportunitiesforlearningandgrowth throughworkshopsandseminarsonvariousentrepreneurshiprelatedtopics.

Theseincludebusinessplandevelopment,marketingstrategies,and fundraisingtechniques.Theseeventsallowstudentstogain practicalknowledgeandinsightsfromindustryexperts,enhancing theirentrepreneurialskillsandabilities.

Moreover,JCSUencouragesstudentstoexploresocial entrepreneurship,whichfocusesonaddressingsocialissuesthrough innovativebusinessmodels.Theuniversityprovidesresourcesand supportforstudentsinterestedinlaunchingbusinessesthatcreate positivesocialchange,underscoringitscommitmenttofostering entrepreneurshipforthegreatergood.

Online Schools K-12 TEXAS

How Virtual Learning Really Works

AcrossTexas,morefamiliesare searchingforK-12onlineschoolsin Texasthattheycanrelyon,asparents seekflexiblealternativestotraditional classrooms.

Whatbeganasalimitedoptionforcredit recoveryorremotelearnershasdevelopedintoa structuredecosystemofpublicvirtualschools, university-runprograms,andaccreditedprivate academies.

Today,studentscancompletetheirentireK–12 educationonlinewhilestillmeetingstate academicstandards.Publicvirtualprograms operateundertheoversightoftheTexas EducationAgency,ensuringthatstudentsfollow thesamecurriculumexpectationsasthosein physicalclassrooms.

Thisincludesattendancetrackingthrough instructionalminutesandparticipationin statewideassessments.

MajorstatewideprogramssuchasTexasVirtual AcademyatHallsville,TexasConnections AcademyatHoustonISD,andiUniversityPrep havemadefull-timevirtuallearningaccessibleto thousandsofstudents.

Yetchoosingtherightoptioncanbecomplex. Programsdifferinaccreditation,teachingformat, enrollmentrules,andcost.Forparentsbeginning thisresearch,understandingthesedifferencesis thefirststeptowardfindingaprogramthattruly fitstheirchild’slearningneeds.

UnderstandingOnlineK–12Educationin Texas

OnlineeducationinTexasisnotasingle programbutanetworkofvirtuallearning modelsthatallowstudentstocomplete courseworkoutsideatraditionalschool building.Theseprogramscombinedigital curriculumplatforms,certifiedteachers,and structuredschedulestodeliverfullacademic instructionremotely.

ThesystemisoverseenbytheTexasEducation Agency(TEA),whichensuresthatpublic virtualschoolsmeetthesameaccountability standardsasbrick-and-mortarcampuses.

Forfamilies,thismeansonlineschoolingcan stillprovide:

● Texas-alignedcurriculumstandards

● Certifiedteachers

● Gradedcourseworkandprogressmonitoring

● Statetestingrequirements

Whatdiffersishowlearningisdelivered.

Mostonlineprogramsuseamixoftwo instructionalformats:

1.Synchronouslearning

Studentsattendliveonlineclasseswhere teachersdeliverlessonsinrealtime.These sessionsallowinteraction,discussion,anddirect instructionsimilartoaphysicalclassroom.

2.Asynchronouslearning

Studentscompletelessonsattheirownpace throughrecordedlectures,assignments,and digitallearningmodules.Teachersmonitor progressandprovidefeedbackthroughthe learningplatform.

Manyprogramsblendbothapproachesto balanceflexibilitywithacademicstructure.

TexasLawsGoverningVirtualSchools

OnlineK–12educationinTexasoperates withinadefinedlegalandpolicyframework designedtomaintainacademicaccountability whileexpandingdigitallearningopportunities.

ThecentralregulatoryauthorityistheTEA, whichoverseespublicvirtualschool operations,fundingeligibility,andacademic performancerequirements.

Virtualprogramsmustfollowstatestandards relatedto:

● CurriculumalignmentwithTexasEssential KnowledgeandSkills(TEKS)

● Certifiedteacherinstruction

● Attendanceverificationthrough instructionalminutes

● Participationinstatewideassessments

Thisframeworkensuresthatstudentsenrolled inonlineprogramsreceiveaneducation comparabletothatoftraditionalpublic schools.

1.TheRoleoftheTexasEducationAgency

TheTEAisresponsiblefor:

● Approvingvirtualcampusoperations

● Monitoringacademicoutcomes

● Verifyingaccreditationstatus

● Ensuringcompliancewithstatetesting requirements

ForparentsevaluatingonlineschoolsinTexas, TEAoversightisanimportantindicatorof programlegitimacyandquality

2.TransitiontoChapter30BVirtualEducation

Texashasrecentlymodernizeditsapproachtodigitallearning throughupdatedlegislationgoverningfull-timevirtualcampuses.

Thenewframeworkexpandstheauthorizationprocessforschool districtstooperatevirtualprogramswhileclarifyingexpectations aroundfunding,attendance,andinstructionaldelivery.

Underthismodel,virtualschoolsmustdocumentstudentengagement throughinstructionalminutesandcourseworkcompletion,whichare usedtocalculateAverageDailyAttendance(ADA)forfunding purposes.

AccreditedOnlineK–12SchoolsinTexas

WhenparentssearchforTexasK-12onlineschools,themost importantfactortoverifyisaccreditation,whichensuresthatthe schoolfollowsstateacademicstandards,hiresqualifiedteachers,and issuesdiplomasrecognizedbycollegesandemployers.

PublicvirtualprogramsinTexasoperateunder theoversightoftheTexasEducationAgency, whilesomeprivateorindependentprogramshold accreditationthroughorganizationssuchas CogniaortheTexasPrivateSchoolAccreditation Commission.

Forfamilies,thismeansthatnoteveryonline schoolisequal.Somearetuition-freepublic programs,whileothersoperateasprivate academieswithseparatetuitionstructures.

Belowaresomeofthemostrecognized accreditedonlineprogramsavailabletoTexas students.

1.TexasVirtualAcademyatHallsville

Oneofthelargestpubliconlineschoolsinthe stateisTexasVirtualAcademyatHallsville.

OperatedthroughtheHallsvilleIndependentSchoolDistrict andpoweredbythedigitalcurriculumproviderStrideInc., theacademyservesstudentsfromkindergartenthroughhigh schoolacrossTexas.

Keyfeaturesinclude:

● Tuition-freepublicenrollmentforTexasresidents

● State-certifiedteachers

● Structuredliveandself-pacedlearningsessions

● Collegeandcareerreadinesspathways

TheprogramfollowsTexascurriculumstandardsand requiresparticipationinstateassessmentsadministered underthesupervisionoftheTexasEducationAgency

Formanyfamilies,thisprogramofferstheclosest experiencetoatraditionalpublicschooldeliveredvirtually.

2.TexasConnectionsAcademyatHoustonISD

Anothermajortuition-freeoptionisTexasConnections AcademyatHoustonISD.

ThisprogramoperatesthroughtheHoustonIndependent SchoolDistrictandusesdigitallearningsystemsdeveloped byPearson.

TheacademyservesstudentsingradesK-12andfocuseson astructuredscheduleofliveclassescombinedwith independentcoursework.

Studentsbenefitfrom:

● Real-timeteacherinstruction

● Interactivedigitalcurriculum

● Collegepreparationpathways

● Studentclubsandvirtualextracurriculars

ProgramslikethishighlighthowTexasdistrictsare expandingaccesstofull-timevirtualpubliceducation.

3.iUniversityPrep

Foracademicallydrivenstudentsseekingadvanced coursework,iUniversityPrepiswidelyrecognizedasone ofthemostrigorousvirtualschoolsinTexas.

OperatedbytheGrapevine-ColleyvilleIndependentSchool District,theprogramservesgrades5–12andemphasizes collegereadiness.

Distinctivefeaturesinclude:

● ExtensiveAdvancedPlacement(AP)courseofferings

● Dual-creditopportunitieswithuniversities

● Competitiveacademicadmissionscriteria

4.TexasTechK-12

University-basedonlineprogramsareanotherpathwayfor Texasstudents.

TexasTechK-12,operatedbyTexasTechUniversity,offers flexibleonlineinstructionforstudentsworldwide,including Texasresidents.

Unlikedistrict-runvirtualschools,thisprogramallows studentsto:

● Enrollatanytimeofyear

● Workthroughcoursesattheirownpace

● Recovercreditsoraccelerategraduation

TheprogramisaccreditedthroughCogniaandprovidesa fullyrecognizedhighschooldiploma.

Thisflexibilitymakesitpopularamongstudentsbalancing academicswithathletics,performingarts,ortravel schedules.

5.UTHighSchoolOnline

Anotheruniversity-operatedoptionisUTHighSchool,part ofTheUniversityofTexasatAustin.

UTHighSchoolprovidesfull-timeonlinediplomaprograms aswellasindividualcourseenrollments.

Studentsbenefitfrom:

● Accreditedonlinecurriculum

● Certifiedteachers

● Flexiblepacingoptions

● Collegepreparatorycourses

Tuition-FreevsPrivateOnlineSchoolsinTexas

Acommonmisconceptionamongfamiliesresearchingonline schoolsinK–12Texasisthatallprogramsrequiretuition.

Inreality,Texasofferstwoprimarycategoriesof virtualschools.

1.Tuition-FreePublicVirtualSchools

Theseschoolsoperatethroughpublicschooldistricts andarefundedbythestate.Texasresidentsgenerallydo notpaytuition,thoughenrollmentmaybelimitedby capacityandeligibilityrequirements.

2.PrivateorIndependentOnlineSchools

Privateprogramsoperateindependentlyfromthepublic schoolsystem.

Examplesinclude:

● TexasTechK-12

● UTHighSchool

Theseschoolstypicallychargetuitionbutoffer advantagessuchas:

● flexibleenrollmentschedules

● individualizedpacing

● globalstudentaccess

HowOnlineK–12SchoolWorksinTexas

FormanyparentsresearchingK-12onlineschoolsin Texas,thebiggestquestionissimple:

What does a normal school day actually look like?

Whileeveryvirtualprogramhasitsownstructure,most followapredictableroutinethatcombineslive instruction,independentlearning,andteacher interaction.Publicprogramsoperatingunderthe oversightoftheTexasEducationAgencymuststillmeet theacademicexpectationsrequiredoftraditional schools.

Studentscompletetheircourseworkthroughsecure digitallearningplatformswhereteachersassignlessons, trackattendance,andmonitoracademicprogress.

Atypicalvirtualschooldayusuallyincludesthree components.

1.LiveVirtualClasses

Manyonlineschoolsschedulereal-timeclasseswith certifiedteachersseveraltimesperweek.Thesesessions functionsimilarlytotraditionalclassroominstruction.

Studentsloginto:

● Attendlectures

● Participateindiscussions

● Askquestions

● Collaboratewithclassmates

ProgramssuchasTexasConnectionsAcademyatHouston ISDandTexasVirtualAcademyatHallsvillerelyheavilyon thisformattomaintainstructuredlearning.

2.IndependentCoursework

Outsideofscheduledclasses,studentscompleteassignments independently

Lessonstypicallyinclude:

● Recordedlectures

● Digitalreadingmaterials

● Quizzesandassessments

● Project-basedassignments

Thisasynchronouslearningmodelallowsstudentstowork attheirownpacewhilestillmeetingweeklyacademic expectations.

3.TeacherSupportandFeedback

Althoughinstructiontakesplaceonline,teacherinteraction remainscentraltothelearningprocess.

Teachersprovidesupportthrough:

● Virtualofficehours

● Discussionboards

● Emailcommunication

● One-on-onetutoringsessions

ProgramssuchasiUniversityPrepemphasizeregular teacherinteractiontoensurestudentsremainacademically engaged.

TheRoleofParentsasLearningCoaches

OneofthedefiningcharacteristicsofonlineK–12education istheroleofparentsorguardiansasLearningCoaches.

ALearningCoachisnottheprimaryinstructor.Instead,they helpstudentsstayorganized,motivated,andaccountable throughouttheschoolday

Forparentswhowantadeepercomparisonbetween virtualschoolandafullyparent-ledapproach,our guideonhowtohomeschooloutlinesthekey differencesinstructure,cost,anddailycommitment.

Mostvirtualschoolsaskparentstosupporttheir childrenby:

● Ensuringstudentsattendliveclasses

● Monitoringassignmentcompletion

● Helpingmaintaindailylearningschedules

● Communicatingwithteacherswhenneeded

Foryoungerstudentsinelementarygrades,the LearningCoachrolecanrequiremoreinvolvement, whileolderstudentsinhighschoolgenerallymanage theirschedulesmoreindependently.

Mostprogramsprovideorientationresourcesand onboardingsessionstohelpparentsunderstandthis responsibilitybeforetheacademicyearbegins.

STAARTestingforOnlineStudents

Eventhoughinstructionhappensremotely,online studentsinTexasmuststillparticipatein statewideassessments.

TheprimarytestingprogramistheStateof TexasAssessmentsofAcademicReadiness (STAAR)administeredunderthesupervision oftheTexasEducationAgency

Studentsenrolledinpublicvirtualschoolsare typicallyrequiredtocompleteSTAARexams atapprovedtestinglocationsordesignated schoolcampuses.

Theseassessmentsmeasureprogressin subjectssuchas:

● Mathematics

● Readingandwriting

● Science

● Socialstudies

Thisrequirementensuresthatvirtualschool studentsareheldtoidenticalacademic standardsastheirpeersintraditionalcampuses.

ComparisonofTopOnlineK–12Schoolsin Texas

Parentscomparingonlineschoolsoften struggletoevaluateprogramssidebyside.The tablebelowhighlightskeydifferencesamong someofthemostrecognizedvirtualschools availabletoTexasstudents.

Eachoftheseschoolsoffersadifferentlearning environment,whichiswhyparentsshould evaluateoptionsbasedontheirchild’s academicgoals,scheduleneeds,andlearning style.

HowtoEnrollinOnlineK–12Schoolsin Texas

Enrollmentproceduresvarydependingonthe typeofprogram,butmostK-12onlineschools inTexasfollowastructuredapplication process.

Publicvirtualschoolsoperatethroughschool districtsandmustfollowenrollmentpolicies establishedbytheTexasEducationAgency. Thismeansfamiliesmustverifyresidency, submitacademicrecords,andconfirm eligibilitybeforeastudentcanbeginclasses.

Theenrollmentprocessusuallyincludesthefollowingsteps.

Step1:VerifyEligibility

PublicvirtualprogramsgenerallyrequirestudentstobeTexas residents.Familiesmustsubmitproofofresidencyandprevious academictranscripts.

Schoolsmayalsorequest:

● Birthcertificateorstudentidentification

● Immunizationrecords

● Previousreportcardsortranscripts

Programswithcompetitiveadmissions,suchasiUniversityPrep,may alsoreviewacademicperformancebeforeacceptingapplicants.

Step2:SubmittheOnlineApplication

Familiescompleteanonlineapplicationthroughtheschool’s enrollmentportal.

LargeprogramssuchasTexasVirtualAcademyatHallsvilleandTexas ConnectionsAcademyatHoustonISDallowparentstoupload documents,selectgradelevels,andtrackapplicationprogressdigitally.

Step3:AttendOrientation

Onceaccepted,familiestypicallyparticipateinavirtualorientation session.

Thesesessionsintroducestudentsandparentsto:

● Thelearningplatform

● Dailyschedules

● Teachercommunicationsystems

● TheresponsibilitiesoftheLearningCoach

Orientationensuresthatbothstudentsandparentsunderstandhowthe virtualschoolenvironmentworksbeforetheacademicyearbegins.

EnrollmentWindowsParentsShouldKnow

ManyTexasvirtualprogramsopenapplicationsfortheupcoming schoolyearinthespring,thoughtimelinesvarybydistrict.Because manyprogramshavelimitedseats,earlyapplicationisstrongly recommended.

University-basedprogramssuchasTexasTechK-12andUTHigh Schooloftenprovidemoreflexibleenrollmentschedules,allowing studentstobegincoursesatmultiplepointsthroughouttheyear

Parentsresearchingonlineschoolsshouldalways confirm:

● Applicationopeningdates

● Grade-levelavailability

● Documentationrequirements

Planningearlysignificantlyincreasesthechancesof securingaseatinhigh-demandprograms.

HowtoChoosetheRightOnlineSchoolinTexas

Selectingtherightvirtualschoolisnotjustabout convenience.Thebestchoicedependsonhowwella programalignswithastudent’sacademicneedsand learningstyle.

Parentsevaluatingoptionsshouldfocusonseveralkey factors.

1.AccreditationandStateOversight

Alwaysconfirmthattheprogramisrecognizedbythe TexasEducationAgencyoraccreditedthroughreputable organizationssuchasCognia.

Forparentsalsoweighingtraditionaloptions,ourguideto thebestpublicschoolsintheUSAoutlineswhatstrong academicbenchmarkslooklikeacrossschooltypes.

Accreditationensuresthatdiplomasarerecognizedby collegesandemployers.

2.TeachingFormat

Differentschoolsbalanceliveinstructionandindependent learningdifferently

Someprogramsemphasizedailyliveclasses,whileothers allowstudentstoworkatamoreflexiblepace. Understandingthisstructurehelpsfamilieschoosea formatthatmatchestheirchild’slearningpreferences.

3.AcademicPathways

Manyonlineschoolsnowofferspecializedprogramssuch as:

● AdvancedPlacementcourses

● Dual-creditcollegeclasses

● Careerandtechnicaleducationpathways

ProgramslikeiUniversityPrepareknownforadvanced academicofferings,whileuniversity-basedprogramslikeTexas TechK-12focusonflexiblepacing.

4.StudentSupportServices

Virtualschoolsincreasinglyprovidesupportsystemssimilarto traditionalcampuses,including:

● Academiccounseling

● Tutoringservices

● Virtualclubsandactivities

Theseserviceshelpensurestudentsremainengagedandsocially connectedwhilelearningonline.

TheFutureofVirtualEducationinTexas

Onlinelearninghasmovedfarbeyonditsearlyroleasaniche optionforcreditrecoveryorremotelearners.Today,itrepresents anexpandingsegmentofTexaseducationpolicyandinnovation.

StateoversightfromtheTexasEducationAgencycontinuesto shapehowvirtualcampusesoperate,whileschooldistrictsand universitiesareinvestingindigitallearningplatformsthat providegreaterflexibilityforstudents.

Astechnologyevolves,virtualeducationwilllikelyplayaneven greaterroleinexpandingaccesstopersonalizedlearning pathwaysacrossTexas.

ASmarterWaytoExploreOnlineSchoolsinTexas

ThevirtuallearninglandscapeinTexasisbroad,well-regulated, andgrowing.ForfamiliesnavigatingtheK-12onlineschoolsin Texas,theoptionshaveneverbeenmorestructuredor accessible.

Whetherafamilyisdrawntothestructureofadistrict-runpublic programortheflexibilityofauniversity-affiliatedschool,there isaverified,accreditedoptiontofitnearlyeverystudent’sgoals.

Thekeyistoevaluateprogramsbasedonaccreditation, instructionalformat,andsupportservicesandtoapplyearly,as seatsinhigh-demandprogramsfillquickly

Ifyoufoundthisguidehelpful,shareitwithotherparents exploringonlineeducationinTexasandhelpthemmake confident,informeddecisions.

UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FRANKLIN PIERCE SCHOOL OF LAW

Introducing the Legacy of Distance-Learning in Legal Education

Withadvancementsin technology,theeducation systemhaswitnessed incrediblechangesandupdatesinits teachingpatterns.International institutesareofferingonlineeducation tostudentsglobally Whilethischange towardsonlineeducationhasbeen embracedbyalmostallfacetsofthe educationsector,somearedoingit exceptionallywell.

TheUniversityofNewHampshire FranklinPierceSchoolofLawisone ofthoseschools.Sinceits establishmentin1973,UNHFranklin Piercehasbeendedicatedtoinnovation toensurethatitmeetsthelatestand futureeducationalneedsandexpands accesstosuchprogramsforits students,notesAssociateDeanfor AdministrationandEnrollmentShane Cooper. UNHFranklinPiercehas expandedaccessibilityoflegal educationonseveralnewfrontiers, includingauniquespecializedmostlyonlineJDprogram–thefirstofitskind –andgraduateonlinecertificate, Masters,andLLMprogramsdesigned forworkingprofessionalslocated aroundtheworld.Alloftheironline

coursesareprovidedasynchronouslyto meettheneedsoftheseprofessionals andaresupplementedbyin-person learningopportunities.

MeetingtheFuture’sEducational Needs

TheHybridJDinIntellectualProperty, Technology,andInformationLawis designedforworkingprofessionalsin thetechsectorsothattheycanlearn whilestayingintheirhomesandjobs. TheHybridJDinIPisdesignedto launchtheleadersoftomorrow Intellectualpropertyisthelegal frameworksurroundinghuman innovationandcreativity,andisthe primarydriveroftheglobaleconomy. UNHFranklinPiercehashadatop-10 programinintellectualpropertylaw forthelast30years,andhaslaunched thecareersofleadtechandIP attorneysatcompanieslikeSamsung, Bayer,Microsoft,LG,Disney, WeWork,TurnerBroadcasting, Mastercard,andFoxStudios.The HybridJDprovidesaninnovativeway toexpandtheaccessibilityandreachof alawdegreethroughacarefully designedscheduleofselectresidential

periodsandcombinedsynchronousand asynchronousdeliveryplatforms.The programoffersparityinteachingand serviceswithUNHFranklinPierce’s residentialprogram.Byofferinga specializedJDdegreeinamostly onlineformat,UNHFranklinPierceis makingagoldstandardlegaleducation accessibletopeoplewherevertheyare located.

Asfortheschool’sonlineLLM, mastersandcertificateprograms,UNH FranklinPierceiscommittedto makingthemaccessibleworldwide, saysSarahDorner,Directorof InternationalandGraduate Admissions.“Wehaveonlineoptions thatallowlawyersandnonlawyersto pursueapostgraduatedegreein specializedareasofthelaw These programsassistourstudentsin acquiringskillstobealeaderintheir fieldwithourinnovativecurriculum andpractice-basedapproachtoalegal educationintheareasofintellectual property(IP)lawandinternational criminallawandjustice.”UNH FranklinPierce’smastersprograms offertheflexibilitytoday’sonline learnerneeds;theycanbemoldedto suiteachstudent’sindividualsituation sothattheycaneffectivelybalance career,family,andeducational commitments.

AVarietyofPrograms

UNHFranklinPiercehasbeenoffering varioustrailblazingcoursesforthelast 50years.Theschoolhasmaintainedits toprankinginofferingUSlegal educationinglobalinnovation.Itranks fourthinIntellectualPropertyprogram offeringsintheUS.Intotal,thelaw schooloffersthefollowingprograms:

1. JurisDoctor(JD)

2. HybridJDinIntellectualProperty, Technology,andInformationLaw

3. LLMinIntellectualProperty

Graduatingfromthelawschoolalso enablesstudentstojoinitsalumni networkin80countriesaroundthe worldwhilepursuingonlineeducation. Italsooffersclinics,institutes,and immersiveprogramsforstudentsto takeadvantageofthemanybenefitsof aUS-basededucation.Studentspraise theinnovativeandinteractive educationandopportunitiesprovided bytheschool.

SimplifiedLearningProcess

Thereisaconsiderabledifference betweendistancelearningandphysical learning,butUNHFranklinPierce SchoolofLawhasclosedthatgapby ensuringsocialinteractionandstudent engagementthroughgrouptasksin onlinelearning.Theonlineplatforms helpthefacultytofocusoneach studentandtheirlearningstyle. ProfessorsatUNHFranklinPierce arrangeindividualmeetingsfor

students,andeachstudenthasown facultyadvisor.Inthefirsttwoweeks ofthesemester,professorsspend considerabletimewitheachstudent andhaveaconversationregarding onlinelearning,thechallengesfaced bythestudents,andthesolutions.To increasetheparticipationofstudentsin theprograms,professorsmayassign grouptasks.AccordingtoProf.Albert “Buzz”Scherr,chairoftheonline InternationalCriminalLawandJustice program,onlinelearninggivesmore opportunitiesforgroupworkthanfaceto-facelearning.Discussionboardsand topicargumentsboostparticipation significantly.Moreover,apersonalized feedbacksystemensuresthestudents acquireconfidenceandperformwellin theireducation.

“One of the great advantages of online teaching is that you have more tools at your disposal for teaching to different learning styles than you do with faceto-face teaching.” saysProf.“Buzz” Scherr.

Distancelearningcomeswithalong rangeofadvantageswheretimeisnot aconstraint.Physicalresidential classescanonlycoveronetopicwhile onlineclassesoftenrequiremore detailedexplanations.Withsuch conversations,theflowofinformation exchangecontinuesandhelpsthe studentstoacquiremoreknowledge. Severalonlinetoolshelpdifferent learningstylesandstudentscan understandtheimportanceofwritten assignments,researchprojects,and discussionforums.

PLANS FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE

AsRebeccaPurdom,AssociateDeanfor AcademicAffairs,states:“Ouronline programbuildsonthelawschool’slong historyofinnovativework,providinga pointofentryforstudentsfromaroundthe globewhowishtobepartofUNHFranklin Pierce’slegacyofIPinnovationand instruction.The alumninetwork ofUNH FranklinPierce graduatesspan theglobeand withanonline program studentscan nowbepartof thatnetwork andlegacy whilepursuing anonline degree.”

UNHFranklin Pierce,is continuously upgradingits educational programsfor itsstudents. Moreover,itaimstoproviderichand interactiveguidanceforahealthy atmosphere.UNHFranklinPiercebuildsup confidenceinitsstudents,assuringstudents theycanandwillachievetheireducational andprofessionalgoals.

COMMUNITY

INVOLVEMENT

Is Key to a Better Society?

Evergetthatfeelingwhereyoulookaroundatyourtown,your

neighborhood,andyoujustthink, “Hmm, I wonder if I could contribute somehow?” It’snotalwaysaboomingthought,more likeaquietlittlenudge,right?Andthat,inanutshell,isoftenthestarting pointforwhatwecallcommunityinvolvement.It’snotabouthavingtojoina millioncommitteesoranythinglikethat(unlessyouwantto!),butit’smore aboutthosemomentswhereyoudecidetoactivelyparticipateinmakingthe placeyoulivealittlebitbetter,alittlemoreconnected.

Thinkaboutit–maybeit’shelpingoutatalocalfoodbank,orjustofferinga handtoaneighborwho’sstrugglingwiththeirgroceries.Thosesmallthings? Theyreallyaddup.Andyouknow,inaworldwherewe’reoftengluedtoour screens,actuallyengagingwiththepeopleandplacesarounduscanbe surprisinglyfulfilling.

So,inthisblogpost,we’regoingtokindofwanderthroughthiswholeidea ofcommunityinvolvement.We’lllookatwhyit’sactuallyimportant(beyond justfeelinggood),exploreawholebunchofdifferentwaysyoucanget involved,nomatterhowmuchtimeyouhave,andyeah,we’lleventouchon someofthethingsthatmightmakeyougo, “Ugh, I don’t know about that.” Readytoexplorehowyoucanbeamoreactivepartofyourcommunity?

Solet’sunpackthepowerof communityinvolement.

The“Why”beyondthefeel-good: Benefitsofcommunityinvolvement

Youeverjustkindafeellikeconnecting withfolksaroundyou,right?It’snot alwaysgottabesomebigorganized thing,justalittlefeelingyouwannabe morepartofthings.That’softenwhere communityinvolvementsortofpops up,youknow?Itain’talwaysabout joiningtonsofcommittees(unless that’syourthing!),butmoreabout thoseeverydaymomentsyoudecideto bepartofwhat’shappeninginyour neckofthewoods.Thinkofit:your community?Likeabigoldpotluck, andcommunityinvolvementisyou bringingyourdish.

Whybother,though?Well,solidreasonsbeyondjust feelinggood.For you:

● YouGetGoodatStuff!

Seriously.Communityprojectsteachunexpected skills–logistics,listening,teamwork.Andgetthis:a2013 studyactuallyfoundthatvolunteeringisassociatedwitha 27%higheroddsofemployment.That’sprettysignificant, right?Thestudylookedatdatafrom2002-2012andfound thiswasstatisticallysignificant.Interestingly,forfolks withoutahighschooldiploma,thatincreasejumpedto 51%,andforthoseinruralareas,itwasawhopping55%! So,yeah,it’snotjustabouthelpingout;itcanreallyhelp yourcareertoo.

● ItLiftsYourSpirits,ForReal.

Feelingdown?Gettinginvolvedcanbeagreatpick-me-up. Researchindicatesthatsocialsupportcanbenefitsymptoms ofdepressionin83%ofstudiesinvolvingnon-pregnant women.Plus,studieshavefoundthatvolunteeringhas significantpositiveeffectsonmentalhealthoverall. Volunteersoftenreportbetterphysicalhealthandlower ratesofdepressioncomparedtothosewhodon’tvolunteer. Infact,onestudyshowedthatanadditionalparticipationin voluntaryservicesresultedinan8.54%increaseinmental healthanda4.30%decreaseindepression.Andgetthis: 93%ofvolunteersreportedanimprovedmood,and79% reportedlowerstress!

● YouJustGrow,YouKnow?

Steppingoutsideyourusualroutine,meetingdifferent people,seeingtheirviewpoints–itchangesyou,makesyou moreunderstanding.Kindaliketravel,nojetlag.

Andforthecommunity:It’stheglueholdingittogether:

● MakesThingsStronger,NoLie.

Whenpeoplegetinvolved,theyconnect.Themetricfor socialcapital,whichincludesparticipationincommunity organizations,showsthis.Across-sectionalstudyeven lookedathoweconomicconnectedness,socialcohesion, andcivicengagementrelatetohealthacrossallUSstates. Plus,the2024AmericanSocialCapitalSurveyhighlights theimportanceoftheseconnections,evennotingracialand classdivisionsinhowsocialcapitalisformed.Itreally underscoreshowcommunityinvolvementiskeytobuilding thosevitalcommunitybonds.

● HelpsFixRealProblems.

Gotanissueintown?Foodbanklow?Parkrough? Communityinvolvementiswherefolksbandtogetherto act.

● CanEvenHelpLocalBusinesses,BelieveItOr Not.

Communitywherefolkscareandareengaged?Tendsto beamoreattractiveplace,helpslocalshopsthrive, benefitseveryone.

So,yeah,thatwarmfuzzyfeeling?Definitelyaplus.But therealpowerofcommunityinvolvement?Stronger individuals,moreconnected,resilientcommunities.

Explorethedifferentlevelsandtypesofcommunity involvement

Youknow,it’sfunny,thewaypeoplegetinvolvedin theircommunities.It’sneverjustonething,isit?Like, youseesomefolkswhoarejustnaturallydrawntothe big,organizedstuff,thecommitteesandtheofficial meetings.Andthenyou’vegototherswho,youknow, theyjustquietlydotheirthing,helpingoutaneighboror pickinguplitterinthepark.Thatwholespectrum,that’s communityinvolvement,really.It’sthisbig,sprawling thingwithallsortsofwaystojumpin,dependingon whatclickswithyou.

1. FormalVolunteering

Thisiswhatmostpeopleprobablypicture,right? Signingupwithareal-dealorganization–thelocal animalshelter,thefoodbankthat’salwayshustling, thosefolkstryingtosavetheplanet.Yougive‘emyour time,maybeyourskills,whateveryou’vegot.It’sa solidwaytofeellikeyou’recontributingsomething tangible,youknow?

2. CivicEngagement

Everfeellikethingscouldbebetterinyourtown?Well, thisiswhereyoucanactuallytrytodosomethingabout it.Voting,obviously,that’skey.Butit’salsoabout reachingouttoyourrepresentatives,showingupat thosesometimes-kinda-boringlocalgovernment meetings,andjustgenerallybeingawareand participatinginhowyourcommunityisrun.It’syour place,afterall.

3.

Philanthropy

Thisdoesn’tmeanyouhavetoberollingin dough,byanymeans.It’saboutgivingwhat youcan,whetherit’safewbuckstoacause youbelievein,donatingclothesyoudon’t wearanymore,orevenorganizingalittle bakesaletoraisemoney.Everylittlebit,as theysay.

4. InformalCommunityBuilding

Youknow,Isometimesthinkthisisthemost underratedpartofcommunityinvolvement. It’sthelittlethings–helpingyourelderly neighborwiththeirmail,startinga neighborhoodgarden,justbeingfriendly andsayinghitopeopleyouseearound.It’s thosesmallconnectionsthatreallymakea communityfeellike…well,acommunity

5. Skills-BasedVolunteering

Whatareyougoodat?Seriously,think aboutit.Gotaknackforfixingcomputers? Maybethelocallibrarycoulduseyourhelp. Goodatwriting?Non-profitsalwaysneed helpwiththatkindofthing.It’sacoolway touseyourspecifictalentstomakeareal difference.

6. DigitalInvolvement

Thesedays,youcanevengetinvolved withoutleavingyourcouch(thoughmaybe getupandstretchsometimes!).Online petitions,socialmediacampaignsforgood causes,evenvirtualvolunteering gigs–therearetonsofwaystocontribute usingtheinternet.It’sprettywild,actually.

Honestly,whenyoulookatallthese differentwaystogetinvolved,itkindofhits youthatthere’ssomethingouttherefor prettymucheveryone.It’sjustamatterof figuringoutwhatmakesyoutick,whatyou careabout,andhowyoucanbestuseyour timeandtalents.Andtrustmeonthisone, eventhesmallestbitofcommunity involvementcanhaveabiggerimpactthan youmightthink.

AddressingPotentialChallengesandDifficulties

Alright,sogettinginvolvedinyourcommunity?Soundsgreat,butreal lifehappens,right?Timecanfeelimpossibletofind.Thethingis,it doesn’thavetobehuge.Thinksmall–even15-30minutesaweek helps.Micro-volunteeringonlineorshortprojectscanwork.Find thoselittlepocketsoftime.

Thenthere’sthe“WheredoIevenstart?”feeling.Overwhelming, right?Thinkaboutwhatyoucareabout–animals,environment,kids? Googlelocalgroupsdoingthat.Theirwebsitesusuallylistneeds. Don’thesitatetoreachoutandaskwhathelptheyneed.

Workingwithdifferentpeople?Canbeinteresting.Differentviews, personalities.Sometimesyouclash.Rememberthesharedgoal. Patienceandgoodcommunicationarekey.

Feelinglikeatinycog?Especiallyinbigorganizations,impactcan feelsmall.Trysmaller,localgroupswhereyouseethedifferencemore directly.Orasktheorganizationhowyourhelpcontributes.

IswhatI’mdoingevenmattering?Youdon’twanttowastetime. Whenlookingatopportunities,understandtheirmissionandhow volunteershelp.Askaboutpastimpact.Thishelpsyoufeelyour involvementisvaluable.

Look,communityinvolvementisn’talwayseasy Therecanbe hiccups.Butbybeingsmartaboutitandtryingdifferentthings,you canfindwaystocontributethatworkforyouandmakeareal difference,evenifitfeelsalittleawkwardsometimes.

Makingcommunityinvolvementasustainablepartofyourlife

So,youwannamakethiscommunityinvolvementthingareal, lastingthing,right?Here’showitkindaworksforfolks,andyou know,formetoo,alittlebit:

Whatreallygetsyougoing?Like,whatdoyouactuallycareabout? Wheneveryoustepout,itshouldfeellikesomethingyou’redoing foryourownhappiness.Anyactivityyou’llbedoingshouldnotfeel likeaburdenorajobtoyou.Andthatcouldbeanythinglikefeeding strayanimals,birdsorevengoingtotheparkandmeetingpeople anddoingsomeactivitywiththemandbeingengagedwiththem. Totallyuptoyou.

Don’tthinkyougottabeasuperherorightoffthebat.Iremember whenIfirststarted,Ijustofferedtowalkthedogsonceaweek.Tiny thing,butitwasconsistent.That’sthesecretsauce,Ireckon–little bits,regularly

Thecoolsurprise?Thefolksyoubumpinto. Seriously,attheshelter,I’vemetsomeofthe mostawesomepeople,allintothesamekinda stuff.Makesshowingupwayeasierwhenyou knowyourbuddies’llbethere.

Anddon’tforgettopraiseyourself!Althoughit mayseemlikeasmallthing,astheysay,“Astitch intimesavesnine.”Realizethat,andmaybethen youcangiveyourselfabreakorgetsomegood night’ssleepknowingwhatyoudeserved!

Makingcommunityinvolvementathingyoustick withisreallyaboutfindingyourownrhythmand, yeah,enjoyingtheride.It’sthosesmall,regular actionsthatendupmeaningthemost,yaknow?

KeyTakeaways

Inthewindingdownofourcommunity involvementseries,herearesomekeyconceptsto takeawayandactuallymovethedialwith howeverthatlooksonthevolunteer end/rendezvous.Thesearethethreadsthatrun throughallthedifferentlivesofengagementyou canparticipatein.

● Everytimeyoustepup,howeversmall, createachainofpositiveimpact.

● Identifyingyourareaofinterestisamustif youwantthatlevelofinvolvementinorder forittobesustainableandenjoyableinyour life.

● Therelationshipsyoubuildwhileworking inthecommunityarefrequentlyasimportant toyou,ifnotmoreso,thanthework.

Besuretocredittheworkyouputin,everylittle bitcreatesabigimpacttowardsastronger community.

Intheend,communityinvolvementisabout seeingthatweallhaveadutytogetherandjust howamazingcollectiveactionis.Alifelong adventurethatenhancesnotonlythepersonbut alsotheentirecommunity.

aswellasgraduatelevelMBA,M.Ed. andMSITprograms.

Additionally,UoPeopleoffersavariety ofcertificateprogramsinbusinessand healthsciences.Theseprogramsenable studentstogainacomprehensive educationandextensiveunderstanding ofbusinessandthetoolsneededforthe industryaswellassciencerelatedto communityhealthanddevelopment.In addition,thecomputerscience programsprovidetheoreticaland practicalknowledgeofanalyzingand managingITnetworksandsystemsfor theconstantlychangingITindustry

Alllearningmaterialsandtextbooksat UoPeopleareOpenEducation Resources(OER)andareavailablefor free.Thecoursesaredesignedusing readingassignmentsandotherOER materialscarefullyselectedbythe facultyandcoursedevelopers.An onlineLearningManagementSystem (LMS)isusedbytheuniversityto deliverthecourses.

ExclusiveApproachtoOnline Education

UoPeopleaimstoprovideaccessto highereducationgloballyandhelps qualifiedhighschoolgraduates overcomefinancial,geographic, political,andpersonalconstraintsthat keepthemawayfromeducation.The university'smissionandeducational modeldiffersfromotheronline universities.Itisdedicatedto providinghighereducation opportunitiestoasmanypeopleas possible,regardlessoftheirfinancial state.Insteadofofferingavarietyof programs,itofferseducationinthe sectorshavingthegreatestdemandin thejobmarket.

Knownforitsaffordableeducation, UoPeople’sinnovativeandsustainable highereducationbusinessmodel providesqualityaccreditedprograms

thatcostupto95%lessthanthefees chargedbyotherAmerican universities.Theuniversitydoesnot chargeanytuitionandallthecourse materialsarefreetouse.

Theuniversitymustchargesomefees tokeepitsoperationsrunningandto maintainhigh-qualityacademic programsandservicestostudents. UoPeoplechargesaone-time$60 applicationfeeandanominal assessmentfeeof$120attheendof eachundergraduatecourseand$300 foreachgraduate-levelcourse. Studentscancompletetheirbachelor’s degreefor$4,860orlessthan$4,000 foragraduatedegree.Tofulfillthe missionthat“noqualifiedstudentis leftbehind,”UoPeopleoffersvarious scholarshipsforthosewhoareunable toaffordthemodestcourseassessment fees.

EffectiveDistanceLearning Programs

Tobeeffective,onlinelearning programsneedtoofferaccessibleand qualityeducationthroughflexible, affordableandaccrediteddegreegrantingprograms.Thelearning methodsneedtobeadjustedinorderto buildcommunicationandcooperation amongstudents.

Withthatsaid,UoPeople’sideaof effectivedistancelearninginvolves employingpeer-to-peerlearning.Peerto-peerlearningpedagogymakessure thatstudentsspendtimelearning togetherandinteractingwitheach otheronaregularbasiswhileassessing eachother’sworkandcollaboratingon groupwork.

RobustOnlineUniversityCulture

Thereisasignificantdifference betweenface-to-faceanddigitalsocial interactionsineducation.Facultyneed tobetrainedonhowtoteachonline

Shai Reshef President

andhowtobestaddressthechallenges onlinestudentsfacethatinclude motivation,self-discipline,andthe abilitytolearnindependently Arobust universitycultureneedstobecreated onlinesostudentsdonotfeelisolated. Thisincludesprovidingstudentswith supportservicesandacademic advising.

Ensuringasmoothlearningprocess andstudents’success,UoPeoplestrives tocreateabalanceinonlineeducation withhumantouchpointsthatinclude studentadvisors,studyspot-checks, andwell-trainedfaculty

BoostingStudentParticipation

UoPeople’srobustlearning environmentresultsinmaximum studentengagement.Allthecourses aretaughtbyqualifiedandexperienced faculty Theyalsoguideandsupport studentsthroughouteachcourse.Onan average,eachclasshas20studentsand thestudenttofacultyratiois14:1. Thesesmallclassesandthe

“Never give up on your dream to obtain higher education. You will face obstacles along the way and it will not always be easy, but UoPeople will always be here to help you succeed. ” MESS A GE T O STUDENTS

internationalcompositionofthe studentbodyencouragestudent participation.Compulsoryonline discussionforumsandpeer-to-peer reviewsinsmallclasseswithpersonal attentionincreasestudents’ engagement.Additionally,students makeconnectionsfromallaroundthe worldthatbooststheirparticipationin onlineclassroomdiscussions.

StrengtheningFutureEducation

UoPeopleprovidesanarrayof excellentonlineprogramsinnumerous disciplines.Itisconstantlylookingfor waystostrengthenitsacademic coursesandenhancethequalityofits programswhileaddingvaluetoits degreeprograms.Inaddition,the universityconsistentlyreviewsand makesassessmentsofitscoursesto ensuretheymeethighstandards.