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OHIO DISTANCE & ELECTRONIC LEARNING ACADEMY (OHDELA) HAS EARNED AYP UNDER FEDERAL “NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND” ACT
AKRON, Ohio – June 20, 2005 — The Ohio Distance and Electronic Learning Academy (OHDELA), operated by White Hat Management, announced today that it achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
“We couldn’t be more excited for our students and staff,” said Mardy Chaplin, OHDELA Director. “The rigors of achieving AYP have been much in the news recently, and we are proud to stand beside some of the finest schools in our state in achieving AYP.”
Under the guidelines of AYP, “each state shall develop and implement a statewide accountability system that will be effective in ensuring that all local educational agencies, public elementary schools and public secondary schools make adequate yearly progress” (http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/ayp203/accountabilityayp03.pdf).
The state of Ohio identifies schools who meet AYP as those who meet or exceed
the following goals:
3rd grade: Reading 71.2%
4th grade: Math 46.6%
6th grade: Reading 46.7%, Math 47.3%
OGT Reading and Math: Reading 71.8%, Math 60.0%
In addition, a school must test 95% or more of its student enrollment and the percentage of students in each tested grade and associated subgroups (economically disadvantaged, race, students with disabilities, and limited English proficiency) are (1) at or above state goals during the test year, or (2) at or above state goals over a two year rolling average, or (3) demonstrate that sub groups have reduced the number of non-proficient students by 10% annually and is making progress on the state graduation goal of 73.6% and school attendance rate of 93.0%. http://www.ode.state.oh.us/accountability/faq.asp
The success in achieving AYP comes on the heels of OHDELA being awarded a National Honor Society Chapter. The school was is one of the only distance learning charter schools in the nation to have been awarded a National Honor Society chapter.
Eric Fankhauser, President of the Alternative Education Academy Board that sponsors OHDELA said, “The entire board sees OHDELA’s accomplishment as a testament to the dedication of our students, parents and school staff. This was a major accomplishment and we are proud that our school is one of the first cyber charter schools in the state to achieve this recognition.”
At a time when state legislators are considering the fate of Ohio’s cyber charter schools, this accomplishment demonstrates how in just a few short years, the innovative power of school choice can make lasting gains in our state educational system. One significant measure of that success is reflected through achievement of AYP.
“I am proud of the accomplishment of our students and their teachers in
OHDELA,” said Mark Thimmig, President and CEO of White Hat Ventures. “OHDELA is
a wonderful example and a standard for distance learning in Ohio.”
About OHDELA
The Ohio Distance and Electronic Learning Academy (OHDELA) is for students looking to achieve academic success in the comfort and safety of their own homes. This tuition-free program currently helps over 3,000 students throughout Ohio. We provide a computer with internet access in the student's home, a K-12 customized curriculum, and educational assistance from certified Instructional Master Teachers and online tutors.
About White Hat Management
To make learning more efficient and in tune with those we want to reach, White Hat Management has the broadest array of services you can find: a full complement of education-management and school-operation services, including general operations management, human resources, financial reporting, and student-data reporting to state education authorities. Our deep education-management background means we influence learning as a whole. It also allows us to provide all the services a charter school might need or consult on an as-needed basis. We're a different way to educate. We begin with a clean slate, put logic before protocol, and offer the kind of inventive solutions that actually improve learning. American education will improve. We promise.
For more information, visit www.whitehatmgmt.com.