ONTARIO – When Meagan Rowell went looking for a high school environment better suited to her personality and with the flexibility to accommodate her mission work, she found a familiar source – the internet – and in the process joined the hottest trend in education.
“These were just normal kids leading normal lives, wanting to get out of the traditional large public school setting,” Meagan said of her classmates at the Chaffey District Online High School, which saw its enrollment nearly double this past year to 123 students.
Part of the Chaffey Joint Union High School District, the online high school offers students a personalized educational environment, flexibility and the opportunity to graduate with a traditional diploma. The program targets students from a wide variety of backgrounds, seeking an alternative to standard brick-and-mortar education.
Their reasons vary: Traditional schools could be too big or too distracting, or they might need to accommodate work schedules or family care responsibilities.
“These are real-world challenges, and online education offers a contemporary, real-world solution,” said Chaffey District Online High School Principal Thomas Mitchell. “Delivery curriculum online provides the opportunity for students to work independently, with individualized instruction and at a pace that’s appropriate to their needs.”
Indeed, experts say, online learning is not a way out of the education system, but a way back in – by reaching students who are otherwise disconnecting with traditional schools. And the trend is growing at an explosive rate. According to the Evergreen Education Group, a Colorado consulting firm, the number of students enrolled in full-time online public schools nationwide grew from 50,000 in 2006-2007 to 275,000 in 2011-2012, and should approach 400,000 by 2015. The Massachusetts-based Sloan Consortium projects that by 2016, 25 percent of all high school courses will be online.
Chaffey’s Online High School has experienced its own impressive growth, beginning the 2012-2013 school year with 65 students and ending with 123. While it is too early to project enrollment for the start of the 2013-2014 academic year, district officials believe they’ve only scratched the surface.
“The need for this kind of flexible, independent instruction is huge – far beyond what the enrollment numbers show today,” said Mathew Holton, Superintendent of the Chaffey Joint Union High School District. “Our commitment as a district has always been, and will continue to be, to meet the needs of the community and provide every student the opportunity to succeed. The Online High School is a critical part of that equation.”
The Chaffey Online High School offers the same benefits as a traditional school within the district. Students can participate in extracurricular activities and can attend the Learning Lab, Science Lab and the Physical Education Lab. Graduates who meet University of California and California State University entrance requirements are guaranteed admission to Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State San Bernardino and Cal State Bakersfield.
This past year, graduates of the Chaffey District Online High School were accepted to colleges such as the University of Southern California, UC Berkeley and UC Riverside. The difference is the way they get there.
The Online High School has a low teacher-student ratio, allowing for one-on-one and small group interaction. Instruction is individualized to address diverse student needs. And school work can be completed any time, 24 hours a day, from anywhere with internet access.
Students within the boundaries of the Chaffey District are eligible to enroll. Students outside the district’s boundaries but who live in the counties of San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside are eligible to apply for an inter-district transfer. Meagan Rowell, one of 24 graduates of the Online High School in 2013, said she began her online education at a different district but found the Chaffey program more intimate.
“There were three teachers per class and they were all very supportive,” Meagan said, adding that expectations were high as well. “There are a lot of quizzes and teachers encourage you to go beyond what is required so you can stay ahead. Although she considers herself an outgoing person, she said she felt uncomfortable in a large high school setting. Also, she does mission work and travels over the summer, which coincides with the traditional school calendar.
Enrollment and other information on the Chaffey District Online High School is available at www.cdohs-cjuhsd-ca.schoolloop.com/.
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