NEBRASKA EDUCATIONAL VIRTUAL ACADEMY

NEVA’s Purpose“The Good Life”

• Maintaining our rural lifestyle without sacrificing educational opportunity for our students

• We can Live Small and Play Big

The Past1999-2009

• Western Nebraska Distance Learning Consortium formed in 1999

• 20 school districts in ESU #13 all participating as equal members (one district = one vote)

• Coordination and participation fees divided equally

• ESU #13 has run an alternative ed program (VALTS) for over ten years.

2005-2006

• DL has worked wonderfully, but there are times when more flexibility is needed.

• We found and liked a system that had many of the components we saw in the NEVA hybrid. – 80% online– 20% Skype, DL, cell phone (they have our

numbers), land line, Instant Messaging, email, site coordinator, personal teacher visits

2006 - 2007

• Pilot Summer– Algebra and American History

• 14 students between Garden County and VALTS

• Partnership with WNCC/ESU 13– 42,600 sq ft facility–$3.5 million – ESU 11,000 sq ft $875,000– ¾ owned by WNCC, ¼ owned by ESU

2007-2008

Construction starts at WNCC

Decision to add two staff members was made-

• ESU would fund 08-09• Funding becomes

consortium responsibility in 09-10

• The six VALTS Supts. approved the concept of merging NEVA and VALTS

2007-2008

– NEVA’s first delivery philosophy is born (Not buying products, but creating courses based on Nebraska Academic Standards, and infusing 21st Century Skills)

– 7 courses identified by ESU schools and created by NEVA staff

• English 9 and English 10

• Algebra 1

• Physical Science and Biology• US History and World History

– Moodle-NROC

Phase I: Fall 2008

• Construction completed Nov. 2008

• 7 courses up and running, involving:– 9 school districts– 41 students

• District Site Visits

Phase II: Spring 2009

•7 courses (with mixture of 1st & 2nd semester offerings)

•8 school districts

•36 students

•Planning Stage:•Using District input

• Phase 3 & 4 course offerings

•Identification & capacity building (training) adjunct faculty

Phase III: Summer 2009

- Commitment to offer 4 – one semester courses (from each core area)

- 8 school districts

- 45 students

- Strengthen WNCC relationship

- Design and build two new courses

- College Calculus & College Physics

- Expand resource base with training in module design and social authoring concepts

WHAT WE LEARNED

• Re-phasing to deal with:– OUR FORMAT – consistent look– Modules vs Courses– District Curriculum Needs– Technology Issues

• Internet Bandwidth• Schools’ Network Idiosyncrasies • Student Computers Idiosyncrasies• Network Security/CIPA regulations/eRate/email

– Sustainability• FTE’s: COURSE DEVELOPMENT, INSTRUCTION

Funding

Sustainability • Summer, 2007-Summer, 2009 – ESU

funds pilot project

• Fall, 2009 and beyond: Funding becomes consortium responsibility. Fee structure similar to current DL consortium

Phase IV: Fall, 2009

• Implementation Stage – Offerings according to district needs from

the existing 7 courses, additional courses & modules

• Planning Stage– Course Creation according to district

needs and funds available

Where do we go from here?

• Learning opportunities for students• Professional Development• Statewide Networking• 21st Century Learning Skills• Global Community• Continuation of “The Good Life”

• What questions do you have for us?

• Contact Info– Kirk Begley (kbegley@esu13.org)– Craig Hicks (chicks@esu13.org)– Julie Schaff (jschaff@esu13.org)– BJ Peters (bpeters@esu13.org)– Jeff West (jeffwest@esu13.org)