Kentucky

The Kentucky Virtual High School opened in January 2000 as a service of the Kentucky Department of Education. The third piece of an online learning triad for Kentuckians, the Kentucky Virtual High School (KVHS) joined the Kentucky Virtual University and the Kentucky Virtual Library in providing anytime, anywhere learning opportunities. Governor Paul Patton proposed the statewide virtual high school to provide equal opportunity for rigorous coursework to all students in Kentucky. This is accomplished by offering more curriculum choices, flexibility in scheduling, and access to quality teaching, specifically in areas where teacher shortages exist, such as foreign language, math and science.

Kentucky has led the nation in education technology by implementing a high-speed network to all public schools. Online learning takes advantage of this infrastructure by offering equitable learning opportunities to all Kentucky students. Originally designed to provide equal access to rigorous coursework for Kentucky high school students, the KVHS offered core graduation requirement, foreign language, and advanced level courses its first semester. The course catalog quickly expanded, by request of the local districts, to include more graduation requirement, special topic, and Advanced Placement courses.

In addition to courses developed by Kentucky certified teachers, course content offered through the Kentucky Virtual High School is licensed from a variety of sources including Apex Learning, Colorado University, Intelligent Education and KET - The Kentucky Network. The Kentucky Virtual High School utilizes a virtual campus approach, which provides students a portal with a common toolset and access to other resources at the click of a mouse. The Kentucky Virtual Library and an online Student Center are examples of resources accessible to all students. The campus, hosted by eCollege.com, provides a foundation to launch a variety of online solutions such as online courses, professional development, and a "home on the web" for common interest groups.

In the summer of 2000 the Kentucky Department of Education was awarded a three-year, $1.1 million federal grant, which helps Kentucky high schools expand their Advanced Placement course offerings. The grant is designed to increase access to AP courses for high-poverty and minority students. The existence of the Kentucky Virtual High School allowed this grant to provide Advanced Placement opportunities in multiple forms with very little ramp-up time. Beginning in the Fall 2001 semester eleven AP courses were offered online. Over one hundred students were awarded scholarships to take these courses. Additionally, AP teachers in schools are given the opportunity to use an online course companion to extend their classroom by providing online tutorials, activities, and communication opportunities for the students. Key decision makers at each of ten mentor sites across the state are enrolled in an online course designed to help schools plan and implement an Advanced Placement program..

Through KVHS, the benefits of an online learning community were quickly recognized as a way to provide customized solutions for unique needs in schools, effective professional development, and workgroup management. Examples of this include:

• Gifted Middle School students in northeastern Kentucky needing challenging math class are now earning a high school Algebra credit online.
• Schools previously unable to offer advanced placement courses can now do so through the KVHS. More than 100 students are now enrolled in AP courses that were previously unavailable to them.
• Teachers around the state are learning to enhance their reading classes through the use of the World Wide Web by participating in a six-week online professional development course via KVHS.
• Primary School consultants across the state are communicating and sharing work more effectively through an online community. Part of their work includes the development on online professional development for district level primary school coordinators and teachers.
• Decision makers from six school districts in Kentucky are working together and with Education Commissioner Gene Wilhoit to address the gap in minority student achievement. Their online community allows frequent, open sharing of ideas and methodologies.
• Four students from schools previously unable to award the Commonwealth Diploma are now eligible to receive the Commonwealth Diploma as a result of AP courses taken via the Kentucky Virtual High School. The Commonwealth Diploma is an award of distinction earned by taking a demanding and rigorous program of studies to prepare the student for college.

Contact
Linda Pittenger
Director, Kentucky Virtual High School
Kentucky Department of Education
19th Floor, 500 Mero Street
Frankfort, KY 40601
502-564-4772 (p)  502-564-6470 (f)
E-mail: lpitteng@kde.state.ky.us