Stanford has just put its name on a new online high school program, simply entitled “Stanford Online High School,” but otherwise known as the Education Program for Gifted Youth. The online school has some claiming online education has reached a new level of widespread acceptance, while others worry the between high school and college is becoming too blurred.
A Remarkable Online High School Program
Stanford Online High School is a “synchronous” program, which means students tune into lectures and class time all simultaneously. The curriculum is quite rigorous, demanding students be present for ten 60 to 90 minute lectures and an additional 10 to 15 short lectures, typically running 15 minutes long. The school combats cheating online through tests proctored by a Stanford-approved teacher. There is a constant communication flow from student to student, as well as student to teacher. There are even extra-curricular programs such as an Engineering Team. However, probably the most remarkable aspect about the school is the students.
The hopeful high school students apply to the program as they might apply to college. They write application essays, submit teacher recommendations, and send in standardized test scores. Although last year the acceptance rate was high at 70 percent acceptance, out of the 75 students who graduated from the school 69 of them have entered four-year colleges. 44 percent all the graduates have enrolled in Ivy League institutions (8 in Stanford, 25 in other Ivy Leagues).
Do Colleges Take Advantage of Online High Schools Programs?
Many American colleges have contracted with for-profit online K-12 education companies to co-create online high school programs that will bring in extra revenue for the schools. However, some are wondering whether it is an ethical move, as many of the programs use instructors not associated with the college the online high school is connected to. Others believe that the online schools’ connection with colleges is a new form of elitism, where participants in “Ivy League” online high schools get preferential entrance into the brick-and-mortar higher education institution.
Regardless, many colleges are jumping onto the bandwagon and creating new online programs quickly, as their budgets are being slashed and the profits from an online program, in many cases, could determine whether or not one of the college’s professors is cut.
Read the New York Times profile on the Stanford Online High School.