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PROGRAM PRACTICE:
Assign a Lead Teacher to Focus on Student Needs and Reach Parents
When students are first enrolled in the Arkansas Virtual School (ARVS), they receive teacher and "classroom" assignments from the lead teacher. The lead teacher matches students to an instructor by looking at the instructor's strengths - for example, specialties with struggling readers, early childhood, or special needs - and matching them to the student weaknesses. The lead teacher also investigates whether or not parents have any special needs, and then tries to assign instructors who have complementary personalities and/or skills. Making the right fit is important, as students generally remain with their assigned instructor throughout the entire enrollment period. Instructors are reassigned to students based on mutual agreement between the teachers and parents or per an administrative decision to maintain specific student-to-teacher ratios.
The lead teacher also schedules approximately one student social outing per month and coordinates face-to-face parent training and instruction sessions. During parent training sessions, teachers establish educational goals with families, which will help both parties monitor student progress. The lead teacher is also responsible for managing family records, including state test scores, required paperwork, and student attendance.
Data indicate that ARVS's methods of reaching parents have so far been successful. In an evaluation conducted during the 2005–06 school year, the majority of all parents reported that level of service provided by ARVS instructors and administrators was excellent. About 50% of ARVS parents estimate that they communicate with their child’s instructor several times per week, and approximately 37% said they communicate with their child’s instructor once every other week.
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