A Denver public high school recognized by President Barack Obama for its innovation and improved graduation rate relies on online learning to support the efforts of its teachers to best meet individual student needs.
In his State of the Union remarks, President Obama praised Bruce Randolph High School for achieving a 97 percent graduation rate last May. Focused effort by the school’s teachers and staff, strong support from district administrators, and access to online learning contributed to a remarkable turnaround at the school that three years ago was one of the lowest performing in Colorado.
“After the first year of the school's transformation, the principal who made it possible wiped away tears when a student said, ‘Thank you, Ms. Waters, for showing that we are smart and we can make it,’” President Obama said Tuesday evening. “That's what good schools can do, and we want good schools all across the country.”
Apex Learning supplies the digital curriculum used by Bruce Randolph High School. Students are able to earn credits in courses required to meet state and district requirements for graduation.
Seventeen other Denver high schools are also using the Apex Learning digital curriculum in classroom-based programs to improve learning and keep students on track to graduate. During the 2009-2010 school year, more than a quarter of the students at Bruce Randolph, Lincoln, Montebello and North high schools participated in the online learning program using the Apex Learning digital curriculum, completing more than 2,400 courses. Since the beginning of the current school year, students at these four schools completed over 700 Apex Learning courses.
“These Denver schools offer a great example of how digital curriculum is today providing opportunities beyond the traditional classroom model to achieve systemic change,” said Cheryl Vedoe, CEO of Apex Learning. “We congratulate the students and staff at Bruce Randolph High School and the other Denver high schools.”
Apex Learning authors and publishes a complete online high school curriculum featuring multiple course pathways to reach students who are struggling, on pace to graduate, or seeking to accelerate their learning.
