Accountability for the Virtual Teacher

So, having read the blog to this point, you might think that teaching online is a fairly attractive proposition with less detractors than the traditional classroom, coupled with the potential for meaningful, engaging learning focused firmly on the students. Well, in many cases I'd agree, but there is still the issue of accountability. Just because it's a virtual classroom doesn't mean the teachers aren't held to a performance standard for their teaching. As there is in the traditional school, virtual school teachers also have accountability standards they must meet or they will be under more direct supervision and training in order to prevent them from falling into the abyss of ineffective teaching,or being forced to leave the profession altogether. I, for one, believe it is necessary for these accountability standards to exist, for the benefit of the students and ensuring quality pedagogy for the school.

In talking to my virtual school host English teacher, she explained that her particular virtual school, there is an expectation to meet certain learning standards, but they aren't as rigorous as those of most traditional schools. For example, while she isn't expected to make sure her Senior students pass state standardized test re-takes if they haven't already, there is a need to ensure basic literacy skills and to enhance their critical reading ability. Because much of the work done in the virtual school's Senior English course is independent, she said it is important that the students have a reasonable level of reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. If a student is deficient in these areas, this is where the need for tutoring would come in, and often does. Additionally, to make sure that the students are learning the course materials and meeting learning standards, she said there is a pre and post test for the class that every student must complete. Again, because of this test is online, delivering, accessing, storing, viewing, and analyzing this data is far more efficient and secure than that of the digital classroom.

What is most startling to me, and must seem like a revelation to many traditional school teachers, state standardized testing and the students' performance on these tests do not weigh heavily over the heads of the educators in the virtual school, at least not this one (and yes, I see the light from the heavens too). Still, there are numbers, benchmarks the teachers are expected to meet. My host teacher said the primary one is that each teacher in her virtual school is expected to have an 85 percent yield for students, meaning 85 percent of those enrolled in the class will successfully complete the class with a grade of "C" or higher. The onus is on the teacher to see that this happens.

"That’s were all the literacy checks come in, individual tutoring, peer coaching, etcetera," she said. "That's where the teacher, and skills, and tools the teacher are supposed to use ensure that success for the student."

Now, how many teachers hit that 85 percent mark? Well, she said primarily, to her knowledge, most of the teachers in her virtual school average around 90 percent, above the expected cutoff. Though, she said, there are courses that these numbers don't hold true for.

What happens when the teachers fall below 85 percent? She said during the first six months that a teacher does not meet their yield, they are put on a professional development program track which is for both new and veteran teachers who might need to improve their teaching. In her experience, she said, the teachers who do not meet 85 percent are usually those who are "barely keeping their head above water," just surviving as teachers.

When asked what she felt was most important to ensure teacher success and meeting of accountability standards in the virtual school, my host teacher said that it is "communication," which includes communicating with schools, students, parents, guidance counselors, and colleagues. She said she believes this is also true in the traditional school. However, because there is less bureaucracy in the virtual school, she said communication is often more effective: "We don't have those big gaps. We can just call somebody...We aren't tied up as much by red tape."

In thinking on this, I realize that accountability for teachers in the virtual school isn't that different than that of the traditional school, in theory. What I mean my that is that there are standards that do exist, but the teacher seems to be able to address them more effectively in the virtual school, particularly in not having to deal with bureaucracy found in many traditional schools. Further, the pressure to contribute to the school's overall success on a standardized test is not as much of a concern. Rather than student performance on a state test being the end-all, be-all of a teacher's success, their ability to help students successfully navigate course curriculum is the main focus. To me, this is a much more reasonable, beneficial standard and measurement for performance for both teachers and students.

In searching the Internet for some additional resources relating to virtual schools' accountability I came across this site: http://www.k12.com/press__policy/facts_about_k12_public_virtual_schools/index.html
There one can find easy-to-use information regarding facts and answers to frequently asked questions regarding virtual schools in general and their standards for student and teacher performance.
For example, according to the site:

What about academics and accountability?
Public virtual schools are similar to traditional “bricks and mortar” schools in many ways, including academic services and accountability requirements:

• Teachers are responsible for overseeing and managing student learning, and ensuring that students are meeting all academic progress and accountability requirements.
• All students must participate in state assessment tests.
• All students must meet attendance requirements.
• The schools are subject to federal AYP goals under No Child Left Behind.
• The schools use an established curriculum that consists of thousands of lessons in the core subjects of Math, Language Arts/English, History, Science, Art, and Music. The curriculum aligns with state standards.
• Any eligible student may enroll, regardless of income, race, academic ability, special needs, etc.
• Special education needs, IEPs, and other related services are identified and met by school’s special education staff.
• Schools are subject to audits, and state reporting is mandatory.

Reference:
http://www.k12.com/press__policy/facts_about_k12_public_virtual_schools/index.html