EdCircuit StaffBoston – March 27, 2024 – Across the nation, flexible self-paced learning is capturing the interest of students and their families due to the flexibility it offers. That interest is reflected in the ever-increasing popularity of VHS Learning’s flexibly paced courses. The number of students enrolled in at least one of VHS Learning’s Flexible self-paced course offerings increased by 430% between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic years.
The flexible self-paced courses remove the restrictions of set semester and school-year start dates, allowing students to create customized academic schedules. VHS Learning first offered flexible self-paced courses during the 2022-23 academic year. At that time, 221 students enrolled. In the 2023-24 academic year, the number enrollees rose to 1,172, including almost 200 students that have signed up for VHS Learning’s new Flexible self-paced half-credit courses.
Flexible Self-paced courses are available in three categories:
- Advanced Placement (AP)® courses
- Full-credit non-AP® courses
- Half-credit non-AP® courses
Students can enroll in Flexible self-paced Advanced Placement® courses (both half-credit and full-credit) any Monday from September through December to be ready for the AP® exams in May. The remaining full-credit courses (non-AP®) are available to start any Monday, September through February. For both AP® and full-credit Flexible self-paced courses, students must complete their work by the end of the school year, meaning students who enroll later will progress through the material at a faster pace.
The new Flexible self-paced half-credit category allows for enrollment on a rolling basis year-round. It includes courses like Personal Finance, Cybersecurity, and Chinese Language and Culture. Students have up to 20 weeks to complete the course.
The Flexible self-paced AP® full-credit courses have proved the most popular option for students. Between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic years, enrollment rose 476%, from 135 to 778 students. Flexible self-paced full-creditcourses (excluding AP®) were the second most popular option, with enrollment rising 473%, from 51 to 292 students, during the same period.
“The soaring enrollments in our Flexible self-paced courses show that we’re meeting a very important need,” said Carol DeFuria, President & CEO of VHS Learning. “These Flexible self-paced options are teacher-led courses that give students the flexibility to enroll at the time that best suits their academic schedule. For many students, it’s a winning combination.”
About VHS Learning
VHS Learning is a nonprofit organization with almost 30 years of experience providing world-class online programs to students and schools everywhere. More than 500 schools around the world take advantage of VHS Learning’s 200+ online high school courses — including 29 AP® courses, credit recovery, and enrichment courses — to expand their programs of study. VHS Learning is accredited by Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS) and the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC). Courses are approved for initial eligibility by NCAA. For more information about VHS Learning please visit https://www.vhslearning.org/ and follow on Twitter at @VHSLearning.
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