1. Casey Krogman

2. 1. Relevance of the Project Purpose to Distance Education a. This project is relevant to distance education because it is a plan for the implementation and day-to-day management of a high school distance education program. 2. Content of the Project a. This project is based on the framework for distance education policies found in An Administrator’s Guide to Online Education on pages 35 & 36. The framework has been slightly modified to make it more appropriate for a high school distance education policy. 3. Application or Effect in Administering & Managing a Distance Education Program a. This policy framework may be applied to manage a school district’s policy for distance education. 4. Conclusions, Recommendations, Benefits, or Ways to Use the Project a. I would use this project to create a distance education policy if I were to become a tech coordinator for a school district, with modifications based on the district’s current policies. 5. References or How Information was Obtained for the Project a. Most of my information was obtained by looking at local school distance education policies. I also looked at the two articles I read for the article reviews: “Asking the Really Tough Questions: Policy Issues for Distance Learning” and “e-Learning Frameworks for NCLB.” The basic policy framework was found on pages 35 & 36 of An Administrator’s Guide to Online Education.

4. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Admission Policies What is expected of students before they may take an online class? Students must have at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA and write a short statement regarding their reasons for requesting an online class. Grading Policies How will a distance class offered through another district be graded in the student’s home district? Students taking a distance class will receive the numerical grade given by the instructor, however, it will be lined up with the district’s grading scale.

5. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Academic Records How many credits will be given for a distance education class? When must a class be completed during the school year? “The timeline for completion of an independent course shall be as follows: A first semester course shall be completed by December 1 of the current school year, and a second semester course shall be completed by May 1 of the current school year. This will allow for the grades to be finalized and posted to the proper semester grading period. If a dual credit class from one of the universities is being taken, each semester course will count for 0.5 high school credits, regardless of the college credit earned (Rutland).”

6. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Evaluation How will teachers be evaluated? The teacher of a distance course must be certified in the content area. The teacher will be evaluated by those taking the course based on several factors, including ease of contact and teacher response time (Collins). Credentials What qualifications ofthe teachers of distance education courses are expected by the district? All distance education courses accepted by the district for credit must be taught by highly qualified teachers in that subject area according to NCLB (Collins).

7. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Accreditation What type of accreditation must the host school have to provide distance courses? The school providing the distance class must be accredited by either the SD State Department of Education or the Board of Regents. Course/program Approval How will distance courses be approved? All courses taken by students must be approved by the SD State Department of Education and meet the state standards for the content area. Course/program Evaluation How will courses be evaluated before, during, and after students have taken them? Courses will be evaluated using their syllabus to make sure they meet state content standards. The assigned district teacher will also evaluate the type of assignments given and the implementation of the course materials.

9. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Tuition Collection and Disbursement What will students be expected to pay for an online class? When do students need to pay for a class? DDN or SD Virtual High School “course fees are paid by the school, unless the student needs to repeat the course or has been… not completing the work on time. If the student has not completed a course in the allotted time (a one semester course should be completed during one semester or a year long course should be completed within two semesters), he or she will… reimburse the school for the cost of the course (Rutland).”

10. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Special Fees What types of items will students be expected to pay for outside of tuition? Students are expected to pay for any costs outside of tuition-for example, if a calculator is required, the student must pay for it. Also, should a textbook be required that is not provided by the school offering the course, the student must pay for it as well.

11. Sub-categoryDescription of AreaExample of wording Admission Policies Grading Policies Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Administrative Costs What are the expected costs to the district to offer distance classes as an option for students? The district will pay course fees for students who choose to take DDN courses or classes through SDVHS. Telecommunication Costs What can the district expect to spend to provide courses using the internet? The district will provide standard internet access to all students choosing to take distance courses. The cost of internet access is already accounted for in the district budget.

12. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording In-district vs. Out-of- District Where may the host schools be located? Students may take courses from schools offering distance education courses regardless of the distance from the district as long as the host school is accredited. Consortia Agreements Is the district allowed to enter agreements with host schools to provide for distance education courses? The district may enter into distance learning agreements with other schools so long as the school is within the state and is accredited.

13. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Board Oversight How will the school board oversee distance classes offered in the district? The school board will hear reports from supervising teachers and students taking distance classes at the end of every 9 weeks. Consortia Contracts What type of agreements would the district need to enter into in order to provide online courses? The district would enter into an agreement with the host schools to accept student credits from schools that are approved by the state board of education or SD Board of Regents. Provider Contracts What services are expected from the provider of the course? The host school is expected to maintain current grades that are accessible to students and maintain a syllabus and curriculum that meets state standards. The host school is also expected to provide textbooks if reasonably able.

15. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Overload Compensation How will teachers asked to supervise a distance class be compensated for their supervision? Teachers who choose to create an online course? Compensation for supervising an online class will be decided on a case by case basis based on the number of students enrolled in the class and the level of the course. Teachers who choose to offer a distance course will receive a one-time stipend to create the course and an annual salary bonus of $200 per student enrolled in the distance course.

16. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Course Evaluation How will courses created by faculty on staff be evaluated? Courses created by faculty will be evaluated by a committee of 3-4 other instructors based on the content standards and the success rate of students in and out of the district. Promotional and Contract Are teachers required by their contract to create and maintain any kind of distance course? Faculty under contract will not be required to create a distance course without their express agreement however, it shall be made known that there is a salary increase possible. Instructors choosing to create an online course will have that course considered in their schedule and receive a class period a day to work on it accordingly.

17. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Staff Development/ Training What type of training will the faculty and staff overseeing the distance education courses receive? Teachers who choose to offer a distance course? The faculty and staff supervisors will receive training in the course management system as needed. Teachers who choose to offer an online course will be offered the opportunity to attend trainings on the use of a course management system of their choice or the district may ask an expert to train a faculty member in the use of a course management system. Local Facilitators Who will oversee the course onsite? Depending upon the number of students enrolled in a particular class, an additional aide may be employed to oversee the class. A content area teacher will also be assigned as a mentor/advisor for the students in the course.

19. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Copyright/Fair use How will violations of copyright law or fair use guidelines be handled within the district? Copyright law and fair use guideline infringement will NOT be tolerated. First violation: students who are found to be in violation of either copyright laws or fair use guidelines will be receive a zero on the assignment. Second violation: students in violation a second time will receive a zero on all distance assignments in the week of the offense. Third violation: students will receive a zero in the course and lose their distance course privileges for the year. (If near the end of the school year, students may lose privileges for the next year.

20. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Student What are students responsible for in the course of a distance education course? Students are responsible for turning in assignments on time unless there are extenuating circumstances. Students are also liable for any copyright or fair use violation they commit. Faculty What shall the supervising faculty be responsible for? The supervising faculty will be responsible for answering student questions about the course material and giving assistance with technical issues. School Will the school be responsible for the content of the course? The district will make every effort to preview all course materials, however the host school is solely responsible for maintaining the curriculum.

22. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Advising How will students be advised while completing a distance course? Distance education courses will be overseen by an assigned teacher in the district. Teachers will be assigned based on the content area they are certified in. Resources & Laboratories What kind of resources will be available for students taking distance courses? Every effort will be made to ensure a wide variety of resources are available to students taking distance classes. Students will be able to check out additional books from the state-wide library if necessary and extra access to the computer lab if needed.

23. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Training What type of training will students be given in order to adequately learn in the course? Students will receive a tutorial in the course management software used in the class and will have an opportunity to ask the technology coordinator questions if need be. Testing & Assessment How will students’ learning be assessed? Students are expected to complete assignments, quizzes, and tests regularly. Assignments will be assigned by the instructor of the class and students may be asked to show assignments to their onsite supervisor.

24. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Equipment & Software What type of equipment will the school provide for students taking distance courses? The district will provide access to the DDN equipment, internet access, and a laptop (depending on age of student). Software may be provided for the student depending upon the cost & number of students. Financial Aid What type of financial aid may students expect? Students enrolled in DDN or SDVHS courses may have all tuition fees paid as long as they pass the class. Students choosing to take classes from approved universities may apply for federal financial aid.

25. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Privacy What type of information should students share? Students taking distance education courses are expected to share only information necessary for the completion of the course. Students sharing personal information with anyone other than the instructor may be asked to leave the course. Access & Equity How much access will students be provided to the course material during school hours? Students will be expected to work on distance class coursework during one period of the day per distance class.

27. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording System What type of computer system will students be offered? The students will be offered the same standard laptop as all other students. Required software for the course may be added under the supervision of the tech coordinator. Contractual Agreements If provided a laptop for distance education use, what are the expectations of the student? Students who are provided a laptop for course purposes will sign a contract. The contract shall state who is responsible for the damage of the computer and the expected behavior of the student while using the computer.

29. Sub-categoryQuestions in AreaExample of wording Vision What does the district see for the future of distance education for their district? We believe distance education courses will become a vital part of preparing our students for their future outside of the district. In the future, we hope to not only receive distance education courses for our students, but to offer students outside our district the opportunity to learn from our teachers as well. Mission What is the hope of the district or the reasoning for offering distance courses as an option? The _______ School district sees distance education courses as a way to bridge the gap between what we offer to what other schools offer. We understand there are courses our students may be looking for that we cannot provide within our walls and look to distance education to extend opportunities to those students.

30. Collins, S.R. E-learning frameworks for NCLB. US Department of Education. Gellman-Danley, B. & Fetzner, M.J. (Spring 1998). Asking the really tough questions: Policy issues for distance learning. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 1. Lake Preston School District Distance Learning Policy Rutland High School Handbook: Distance Education Options Shelton, K. & Saltsman, G. (2005). An administrator’s guide to online education. Information Age Publishing, Inc. Sioux Falls School District Virtual/Online Courses.