Virtual schools’ use of SAS® Curriculum Pathways® skyrockets

No-cost online resources to be highlighted at Virtual School Symposium 2009

CARY, NC - The use of SAS Curriculum Pathways in virtual learning environments has increased 360 percent in the past two years, with nearly 100 virtual schools now using the online resource for students and teachers. Building on the momentum, SAS Curriculum Pathways will be spotlighted in three presentations at the International Association for K-12 Online Learning’s (iNACOL) Virtual School Symposium 2009 in Austin, TX.

Popular with thousands of educators in all 50 states, SAS Curriculum Pathways provides standards-based content in the core academic disciplines of English, mathematics, social studies, science and Spanish for grades 8-12. Bruce Friend, Director of SAS Curriculum Pathways, will speak on how to start an online learning program and reduce the cost of online course development while improving quality. He will also describe the various ways that iNACOL supports new and existing online programs.

SAS Curriculum Pathways became available at no cost to all US educators in 2008. Since the beginning of the 2008-09 school year, there have been nearly 300,000 logins from virtual schools.

“Virtual schools are one of the fastest-growing segments of K-12 education and we’re positioned well to support that trend,” said Friend. “SAS Curriculum Pathways helps make online courses more engaging through the use of media-rich content and engaging, interactive online tools and simulations.”

SAS Curriculum Pathways earned a Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) CODiE Award this year for Best Reading/English Instructional Solution. In 2009, the total number of SAS Curriculum Pathways account holders has increased 65 percent, and the governors of Virginia and West Virginia recently advocated the product’s use statewide. Florida Virtual School, the country’s first statewide, Internet-based public high school, has used SAS Curriculum Pathways since 2003.

Aligned with state standards, SAS Curriculum Pathways offers more than 1,000 academic resources, including lessons, engaging activities and interactive teaching tools, along with links to more than 4,000 academically appropriate Web sites. Designed for wide-ranging classroom environments, technology capabilities and learning styles, the product can be used in one-computer classrooms, virtual schools, small groups and 1-to-1 computing initiatives.

The Virtual School Symposium will bring together more than 1,200 representatives from national, state, district, private and other virtual school programs to attend the industry’s leading event in K-12 online learning.

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