Dr. Kelly S Bingham, Superintendent Online Academy 1971 University Blvd. MSC Box 710026 Lynchburg, VA 24515-1 Document Generated On March 30, 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Description of the School 2 School's Purpose 3 Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement 4 Additional Information 6
Introduction Every school has its own story to tell. The context in which teaching and learning takes place influences the processes and procedures by which the school makes decisions around curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The context also impacts the way a school stays faithful to its vision. Many factors contribute to the overall narrative such as an identification of stakeholders, a description of stakeholder engagement, the trends and issues affecting the school, and the kinds of programs and services that a school implements to support student learning. The purpose of the Executive Summary (ES) is to provide a school with an opportunity to describe in narrative form the strengths and challenges it encounters. By doing so, the public and members of the school community will have a more complete picture of how the school perceives itself and the process of self-reflection for continuous improvement. This summary is structured for the school to reflect on how it provides teaching and learning on a day to day basis. Page 1
Description of the School Describe the school's size, community/communities, location, and changes it has experienced in the last three years. Include demographic information about the students, staff, and community at large. What unique features and challenges are associated with the community/communities the school serves? (LUOA) seeks to provide quality academics through a Biblical Worldview for students in the United States and around the world. LUOA began in 2007 under the direction of the late Dr. Jerry Falwell and continues to enjoy the full support of the current President and Chancellor, Jerry Falwell, Jr. and the Executive Leadership of Liberty University. From its inception, LUOA leaders have built the Academy with qualified faculty and staff. Teachers and administrators are fully degreed and credentialed. Currently, 55 of the 93 Teachers/Department Chairs hold advanced degrees. They are spiritually unified as born-again Christians who are consciously committed to Jesus Christ and to the training of children from a biblical worldview. The Academy currently enrolls 3,455 students in grades K-12 from all 50 states and 26 foreign countries. The Academy employs 88 teachers who reside throughout the United States and abroad. Five Department Chairs and 27 staff members and support personnel who work from the university offices located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Page 2
School's Purpose Provide the school's purpose statement and ancillary content such as mission, vision, values, and/or beliefs. Describe how the school embodies its purpose through its program offerings and expectations for students. Mission Statement exists to support parents and guardians in their biblical responsibility to nurture and train their children. Thus, the Academy provides opportunities that allow students to experience spiritual and academic development through an individualized, Christ-centered, technology-based, academic experience. Vision Statement seeks to lead students to faith in Jesus Christ and to develop young men and women who adhere to a Christian world view and are prepared to participate as godly members of home, church, and society. Philosophy of is an "academic arm" of Liberty University. Teachers and administrative staff for the Academy must be born-again Christians who are consciously committed to Jesus Christ, knowing their lives serve as examples to those whom they teach. Recognizing that the primary responsibility for education rests with parents (Psalm 78:5,6), serves as an extension of the family to aid parents in this task. The philosophy of is based on the premise that man's ultimate purpose is to glorify God (I Corinthians 6:19, 20; 10:31). The Academy exists to help each student reach his full potential by guiding him in developing spiritually and morally, personally, socially, and academically (Luke 2:52). The faculty and staff recognize that only when a student accepts Christ as Savior and yields to His Lordship can he realize his own unique potential (Romans 10:10-13). Education and learning are Biblical imperatives (Deuteronomy 6:6, 7; Proverbs 3:1-9); therefore, all instruction is Biblically based (Deuteronomy 4:2-9). The specific content grows from the following: 1 God's mandate at creation for mankind to have dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:1; 26-28), which has grown to require learning in the areas of language, mathematics, the physical and natural sciences, technology, and the fine arts. 2. The hostile environment resulting from the fall of man (Genesis 3:9-24), intensifying his need to understand more deeply all of the curricular areas, as well as the social-and health-related sciences and the study of God's written Word. 3. The command for Christians to evangelize the lost and to disciple believers (Matthew 28:18-20), further elevating the need to master all of the above areas. Page 3
Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement Describe the school's notable achievements and areas of improvement in the last three years. Additionally, describe areas for improvement that the school is striving to achieve in the next three years. Over the last three years, LUOA leadership presented the Executive Leadership of the University with a proposal to develop its own curriculum and expand enrollment from grades 3-12 to grades K-12. This proposal included a thorough review of Learning Management Systems (LMS) with the assistance of the university information technology team and an estimated budget and timeline for curriculum development with the goal of launching the new content in July 2014. LUOA received approval to begin developing content directly into the new LMS, Canvas. With the addition of two new department chairs, LUOA adjusted the duties, responsibilities and compensation of the chairs. These changes included oversight of the development of the new curriculum and the selection of Subject Matter Experts (SME) to create the online content. Department Chairs, administration and other staff worked to develop the new curriculum in stages to ensure meeting the goal of the July 2014 launch date. Two staff members were hired for the new positions of Instructional Designer and Instructional Technologist. They were responsible for overseeing the process of implementing curriculum content in to the LMS to ensure digital content was created in a manner to foster student academic achievement and success. In July 2014, LUOA successfully launched this new curriculum written from a biblical worldview. The administration added a Director of Advising and a Director of Admissions to aid with the increased enrollment and workload. Hiring additional faculty helped lower the student/teacher ratio for elementary students, allowing for more individualized attention in those formative years of development. Over the past year LUOA has experienced an increase in student enrollment of 958 students over the previous year. Much of this increase has been attributed to the launch of the new LUOA curriculum and the addition of grades K-2. The largest increase appeared in grades K-6 (420 of the 958 total increase). During this same time period, LUOA realized an increase in the conversion of student application to student enrollment from 68% to 94%. Inquiry, application, and enrollment rates continue to trend upward over the past four years resulting in a 143% increase. In addition to the Dual Enrollment program where high school juniors and seniors can enroll in Liberty University online courses, LUOA added an Associate's of Arts program. Last year, 4 of the 150 seniors graduated with a high school diploma as well as an Associate's of Arts Degree. This year 15 students are scheduled to do the same with 35 expected to graduate from this program in 2016. Teachers are required to engage students in weekly virtual office hours in which they can ask questions or gain additional assistance in completing course work. To address issues with academic dishonesty, LUOA has implemented an automated originality reporting system across disciplines in grades 5 through 12. Increased analytic functions provide administration and support staff with guidance to improve academic content and services to all stakeholders. Using increased analytic functions, stakeholder surveys, and other data, curriculum will be reviewed on a four-year cycle and revised by content experts as necessary. A proprietary tool is being developed that will help identify struggling students so that faculty and staff can intervene and provide individualized academic assistance. Additional staff will be hired to improve engagement with all stakeholders. The creation of a parent advisory committee will also provide an avenue for communication between parents, teachers, administration and staff. In an attempt to improve student performance on writing assignments at all levels, several steps are being implemented. Benchmark assessments will be used to identify students in grades 4 through 12 who need additional assistance in academic writing. A concentrated writing program with a dedicated writing center will foster student achievement in this area. Page 4
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Additional Information Provide any additional information you would like to share with the public and community that were not prompted in the previous sections. As LUOA continues to experience growth on a yearly basis, the commitment to the success of this program by the university executive leadership grows as well. In March of 2015, the university Provost and President appointed a Vice Provost for the Liberty University Online Academy. This action demonstrates the level of commitment to the K-12 division by the executive leadership and establishes LUOA as a significant academic division of the university. In 2014, the university information technology department established a Canvas LMS, K-12 division dedicated to the needs associated with the digital learning experiences for faculty, staff and students. A project manager assigned by this division collaborates with the Superintendent and the Instructional Technologist to ensure all technical needs are being met as well as forecasting future needs as LUOA continues to grow. Page 6