The document discusses North Carolina Virtual Public Schools (NCVPS), an online learning program founded in 2002 that offers over 100 honors and AP courses to any North Carolina public school student. It aims to increase access to advanced courses, as only around half of North Carolina schools offer certain AP classes. The program allows for enhanced communication between students across the state and exposes them to different viewpoints. A former AP Computer Science student praises NCVPS for supplementing her knowledge in a field not typically offered in her high school and interacting with bright students with differing opinions.

1. NORTH CAROLINA
VIRTUAL PUBLIC
SCHOOLS (NCVPS):
A Case Study in Educational
Technology
Angela Schmith, Dara Schwartz

2. What’s the Problem?
Not all schools are
the same!
In NC…
• 45% offer AP Biology, 66% offer AP
English and Calculus, 58% offer AP
History
• High range of average SAT scores

3. The Solution: NCVPS
 Founded in 2002 by the state government’s
Business Education Technology Alliance
 Offers over 100 Honors and AP courses
through an online learning platform
(Blackboard/Moodle)
 Available to any NC public school student with
a computer, regardless of location

4. Positive Effects of NCVPS
 Opens up opportunity to
take advanced classes,
some of which are not
even offered in well-off
schools
 Allows for enhanced
communication among
students in the state
 Therefore allowing
students to be exposed to
more viewpoints on key
issues

5. Testimonials
“NCVPS helped my high school experience by supplementing my
knowledge with further knowledge in a field not typically taught in high
schools. Also I got to interact with bright kids around the state and see
how their opinions differed from mine on issues such as
supercomputers and nanotechnology.” – Jessica Zhou, Former NCVPS AP
Computer Science Student

6. Sources
 http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/accounta
bility/reporting/sat/2012/satreport2012.pdf
 http://www.ncvps.org/

7. Images
 http://www.familiesonlinemagazine.com/report
_card_1.gif
 http://registration.ncvps.org/ncvps/static/image
s/banner.jpg
 http://info.kauaicc.hawaii.edu/admissions/fa/im
ages/computer%20std.jpg