Jeff Maher, Principal of Stowe High School, shared the following information.
Stowe High School is in its second year of membership in Virtual High School (vhs.org), which costs them $10,000 per year. About 20 students utilize the program per semester. Apparently Virtual High School is widely used in Vermont, but is only really cost effective for much larger numbers. It has highly qualified teachers and the courses are professionally developed and reviewed. The NH State Department of Education is developing a virtual high school program that will be much less costly as it can be accessed on a per pupil basis, and Jeff believes it will adhere to the same high standards as Virtual High School.
Jeff feels the best use of online classes is to augment and enrich an existing HS curriculum, or to allow a student to get around a scheduling conflict. He feels it is an essential part of any HS program, as long as it is used for these purposes. He does not think it can be or should be used as a cost saving measure. The success of online courses rests upon the motivation of the student taking the course, and it is imperative that there be a faculty member dedicated to supporting students taking online courses.
