CPS Virtual Learning Program Quick Facts
Office of Student Support & Engagement
The Virtual Learning Program offers online courses for students
through the Office of Student Support and Engagement
through the Department of Learning Supports.
Jocelyn Basley, Director of Learning Supports
Luciana Dickens, Credit Recovery Program Manager
Keisha Kidan, Virtual Learning Program Manager
Virtual Learning Program
The Virtual Learning Program offers courses from two vendors:
Aventa Learning
&
Illinois Virtual School
Aventa Learning is the provider for all of our credit recovery courses.
They are our course provider for ensuring that students have access
to CPS graduation requirements and elective options.
Illinois Virtual School offers supplemental courses and give us access to
Advanced Placement courses and other enrichment and
acceleration options.
CPS 2010-2011 Online Vendors
Aventa Learning
Illinois Virtual School
Course offerings
Credit recovery and some
elective courses
Advanced Placement,
acceleration, enrichment
courses
Term
10 week term
17 week term
Registration
Open enrollment
Monthly enrollment dates
Flexibility
Aventa gives students flexibility
with their enrollment. If they
need more time to complete a
course, they may extend the
course end date. If they need
less time, they can complete
the course quickly. Students
can also drop a course, and pick
the course back up, picking up
where they left off, when they
are able to complete it.
IVS has a standard course term
without flexibility for start and
end dates. They may make
accommodations for students
who begin courses and have
special circumstances. But, IVS
students should prepare to
begin and complete their online
courses and coursework by the
end of the course term.
Purpose
• The Purpose of the CPS Virtual Learning Program is to ensure
that active CPS students have access to any credit recovery
courses they may need to graduate that are not available at
their school, or that conflict with a student’s schedule or
other commitments.
• In addition, the program provides courses for enrichment,
acceleration and advancement courses through the Virtual
Learning program.
CPS
Allocation Guideline
•
Participating schools cannot exceed the enrollment limits on the program. Each
participating school has been allotted 30 credit recovery seats and 10
supplemental seats for the 2010-2011 school year. If you have additional needs
please contact Keisha Kidan kakidan@cps.k12.il.us
30
Credit
Recovery
40 Seats
Total/School
10
Supplem
ental
Seats
• There is a limited budget for the CPS Virtual School program. Your
school will be directly billed for any enrollments that exceed limits.
Participation
School Requirements
Dedicated computer lab for
virtual learners to use for a
full period, daily. (Can be
before or after school)
Comply with enrollment
limits on the program.
Must assign a local school
virtual mentor.
Virtual mentor must be
released to attend
professional development
opportunities.
Identify and enroll
students (to be approved
by the district).
Participation
Virtual Mentors
Attend mentor training
Facilitate the learning
environment.
Assist in identifying students to
participate in the program.
Provide coaching and support to
ensure course completion.
Enroll students in the appropriate
course.
Regularly communicate with online
teacher and virtual school support
personnel.
Oversee the students work on a
daily basis.
Receive final grade reports to
ensure that the grades are given to
the proper person at the local
school, and accurately reflected on
the student transcript.
Participation
Successful Online Students
Want
Need
Benefit
The most successful online students are students who Want to participate,
Need to course for graduation, and can Benefit from the online learning
environment. You should not simply sign up all of your students who have
credit deficiencies without first evaluating their readiness for online learning.
Your mentor will receive training to and tools to complete an evaluation.
Get Started
In order to enroll students, your virtual school mentor has to be
trained and given enrollment credentials through our
vendors:
Aventa Learning
&
Illinois Virtual School
You will work closely with the vendors to facilitate the virtual
learning courses for your students.
Getting Started With Aventa Learning
Credit Recovery & Some Elective Credit Courses
• Aventa Learning requires mentors to attend the (free) Online
New Mentor Training offered every Tuesday (10am CST) and
Thursday (3pm CST). Please sign up for the training at
http://aventalearning.com/training.
• Once you have signed up for the online training, email Paul
Tayaban at pault@aventalearning.com (with a copy to me
kakidan@cps.k12.il.us) to let him know which session you
have signed up for. After attending the online training, a
follow up meeting must be conducted by Paul before
enrollment begins.
Getting Started With Illinois Virtual School
Enrichment, Electives & Advanced Placement Courses
• Illinois Virtual School (IVS) requires mentors to complete a school
partnership packet. The packet can be found in the CPS virtual
learning online folder (www.tinyurl.com/cpsvirtual). Or, on the
Illinois Virtual website (www.ilvirtual.org).
• If you need any assistance programming or enrolling students,
please contact Jennifer Kolar-Burden at jburden@ilvirtual.org or
309-676-1000 ext. 56.
• IVS tidbit: Here are the top 5 most popular IVS courses from last
semester:
Consumer Education, Psychology, American History, Oceanography
and Environmental Science. Visit www.ilvirtual.org to review all of
the available courses.
Thank You
Thank you for your interest in our Credit Recovery and CPS Virtual Learning Programs.
For more information, visit or contact:
http://www.cps.edu/Programs/Path
ways_to_success/Pages/Distancele
arning.aspx
http://www.cps.edu/Programs/Path
ways_to_success/GraduationPathw
ays/Pages/EveningHighSchool.aspx
Keisha Kidan
Virtual Learning
kakidan@cps.k12.il.us
(773)553-3473
Luciana Dickens
Credit Recovery Manager
ladickens@cps.k12.il.us
(773)553-1565