GCS Students Excel In N.C. Virtual Public School

The district’s pass rate is higher than the state average

Greensboro, NC – Guilford County Schools (GCS) students are taking advantage of the North Carolina Virtual Public School, and recent data is showing positive results. In the fall of 2009, GCS students outperformed their peers across the state with an 87.62 percent pass rate on the online courses. The average pass rate in North Carolina was 85.84 percent. In fact, GCS had the highest average pass rate of the state’s largest school districts, performing better than Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Wake, Forsyth and Cumberland students.

Approximately 99.14 percent of GCS students completed the courses. The average completion rate statewide was 98.47 percent. Of the more than 10,000 students across North Carolina who participated in the N.C. Virtual Public School, 232 of them were GCS students.

“We are excited to see our GCS students performing well on online courses,” said Dr. Barbara Zwadyk, GCS chief curriculum and organizational development officer. “As part of the strategic plan, we want to ensure all students are aware of N.C. Virtual Public School and know how to take access this opportunity. A one size fits all approach doesn’t work in today’s world, and these classes may be the perfect alternative for some of our students.”

The N.C. Virtual Public School offers 72 online courses that may not be available at students’ local schools. The classes augment local programs of study and give students across the state additional educational opportunities. Currently, classes offered include Advanced Placement, world language and credit recovery courses.

Certified North Carolina educators teach all courses using video, interactive whiteboards, wikis, active worlds and online discussion tools. Once the online course is complete, students receive credit on their home school’s transcript. For more information, visit www.ncvps.org.