First News Winter 2003

Cover Story: Going to School . . . by Going On-Line
 

   Operating out of a 1920s vintage schoolhouse some 50 miles southeast of Trinidad, a tiny Branson school has more than pushed education into the 21st century. In fact, the Branson school district has found a way to turn computers and a small-town education into its leading export.

   Four years ago officials at the Branson school district installed an electronic K-12 curriculum on its server so its 40 students wouldn't fall behind on occasional mud days that follow a hard rain. The concept quickly gained acceptance as students went on-line to get caught up. Likewise, if they were really bright and motivated, they could work ahead or even take an additional course. This novel idea eventually led to the launch of Branson School On-Line for the 2001-2002 school year, as an alternative program for students who wished to pursue their public school education from home. The program was so successful that Branson On-Line received public school status last year and now offers courseware to 520 students scattered across Colorado. Students as far away as Penrose, Elizabeth, and Craig are now interacting with 45 teachers on a daily basis.

   “I've been in education for 40 years now and can honestly say I've never had more fun putting a program together and never had a response to a program like this. It has been very gratifying,” says Superintendent of Branson On-Line, Dr. Jalan Aufderheide, who has been a school superintendent in Colorado since 1979, and previously in Pennsylvania.

   Currently there are 27 public cyber-schools in Colorado serving nearly 2,000 students, according to Tim Snyder, who heads a project called Colorado On-Line Learning which makes on-line courses available to school districts. Branson On-Line School is not available to New Mexico students, but New Mexico does offer its own Advanced Placement and Distance Learning program, free to New Mexico students. For more information, contact David Bowman at the New Mexico Department of Education at 505/ 476-0174, or visit their web site @ http:/sde.state.nm.us/cilt.

Branson On-Line Teacher, Denise Pfalmer

   The on-line courses have become an Internet success story. The virtual Branson School won recognition from the state education department last year as a bona fide public school, and as a fully accredited, diploma-granting, K-12 public school district in Colorado governed by a locally elected board of education. The first year's enrollment in 2001 registered 110 students scattered across the state. Throughout the school year the district received inquiries and accumulated an additional 75 students on a waiting list because students can only enroll in September. Last year the board of education authorized not just continuation of the program for 2002-2003, but expansion to include as many students as can be reasonably managed. This "school without walls" concept models innovative programs presently growing in the college and university settings throughout the country.

   The reasons for enrolling in Branson are as unique and numerous as its students. For some it's flexibility, many have important obligations like raising a child or taking care of an ill family member, some are physically challenged, some walk through school buildings feeling bullied, and others like the independence of an on-line program to challenge their abilities. Now the cyber-school earns a surplus for the once impoverished district. The school district can provide this alternative method to students at no cost because it’s funded similar to traditional public schools. The district receives $5,435 per pupil in state funding and is currently building a cash reserve. It seems to be the classic lemons-into-lemonade approach to problem solving. But there is a problem. Branson On-Line, known to the state as Branson Alternative School, ranked last in performance according to data from the state's school report card released last November. School officials and parents cried foul, saying the ranking is based on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP), and 95 percent of Branson's students didn't take the CSAP. Therein lies the problem. If Branson wants continued state funding, then their students must take the state's accountability exams just like public school children. Alternative schools that receive public money must ensure its students are tested. The Branson dilemma is understandable since most of its students live throughout the state. Families had lots of reasons for not taking last year's tests. For some, it was inconvenient; for others it was a matter of political conviction. Under state rules, distance-learning students must travel to a testing site such as a library and meet a proctor. Branson educators have gone as far as Denver, 244 miles away, and Craig, 449 miles, to proctor tests. State officials say they are considering the idea of on-line testing, but pencil and paper are still the classroom norm, so the Branson school board could make test-taking a requirement when enrolling.

Branson On-Line Students: Susie and Roseann Zambonato

   If you, as a parent, are considering enrolling your child in Branson On-Line, here's what to expect:

   The school leases the courseware for its students who then access it through the Internet. In addition, each cyber-student is given a computer and printer at no cost with a $20 reimbursement each month for an Internet account, and pays for private music and sports classes taken locally. Each teacher is assigned a certain number of students.

   The teacher is responsible for assigning class content, overseeing the students' progress, and maintaining communication and the flow of information to parents. Although much of the student/parent contact occurs via e-mail, teachers and their student families also develop strong phone relationships and many also converse through Instant Messenger where real time conversations take place on the computer. In this experience, home visits, cheering on students at sporting events and having students attend tutoring sessions is common.

   Branson offers a curriculum for students K-12. Most courses are taken by the student over the Internet. A typical format has a student learning from interactive courseware, then taking an assessment. Other methods could include on-line videos, puzzles, working with the stock market or web hunts in which a student uses the unlimited resources of cyber space. Other courses may be administered from an e-text document, which is a text book on CD or on the net. Courses offered via the Internet have an appeal to both teachers and parents because it provides instant information concerning the time spent on tasks and the progress made by a student. Teachers can tell immediately how much the student is accomplishing and where they are having difficulties. Parents can also monitor progress and time spent.

   Branson students do far more than sit at a computer all day! They engage in numerous activities including sports, art, photography, volunteering, music and numerous physical activities. Just like a traditional school, many students also find themselves writing journals or working from spelling or handwriting books. In addition, many students take college courses courtesy of Branson on the Internet or on college campuses where they earn both high school and college credit. A program can be tailor-made to every individual learner and their families. While in high school, many students balance their education with a job; and this type of program allows more flexibility and individual success is based on the completion of tasks (classes). It is academic progress that is measured, not hours spent in a classroom.

Front; Becky Doherty, Troy Mayfield, Marlene Brown, Carol Mock. Back; Donna Buckner and Dr. J. Allen

   Branson is not just demanding of its students. Parents may find themselves participating in a more active manner in their child's education. This might range from helping a child through an academic difficulty to monitoring their child's progress and assisting them in remaining on task when needed. The positive and consistent collaboration between parents and teachers is essential to the success of the student's program. The 45 teachers who work with the Branson On-Line program agree it’s both a rewarding and demanding experience. Most teachers develop a schedule with their students of being on-line and making phone calls; however, many discover that they spend many evenings or weekend time chatting on Instant Messenger with students or parents, answering e-mails, making phone calls, reviewing progress, or developing new curriculum. Teachers, like their students, enjoy the flexibility of working on-line from home. Although a teacher may be physically isolated from their peers, ideas, comments and experiences are actively and regularly shared by the staff. Excitement about something new for students to learn, a class developed or discovered, or an exchange of ideas is an almost daily experience.