Accountability & Outcomes

Our staff turnover rate was 0% in the 2023-2024 school year. 100% of teachers had satisfactory or better evaluations. Somerset Virtual Academy (SVA) teachers are evaluated annually utilizing a proprietary evaluation protocol developed in consultation with SVA administrators and instructional team leaders and aligned with National Standards for Quality Online Teaching. The comprehensive faculty assessment and development system designed specifically to assess the quality of teachers in the virtual education setting. The program evaluates teachers across several standards of effective online instruction, taking quantitative data of student learning gains into account, in order to provide a complete picture of the virtual instruction acumen and effectiveness of each faculty member. 15% of the total score is derived directly from student performance.

Student completion and promotion rates are available for download below using the link titled “ SVA Completion and Promotion Rates”.

Information about student participation and performance in statewide assessments is available for download below at the corresponding links.

Curriculum & Program

Information about our online courses, including content sources, design practices, bias-free, effectiveness, accessibility, and NCAA status is provided for download below at the link and under the titled “ SVA Curriculum Information” document.

Please Type : State: Florida

City: Pembroke Pines

High School: Somerset Virtual Academy

Our current course catalog is available for download below at the link titled “MVA Course Catalog 2024-2025”.

Instruction

Personnel

SVA teachers schedule instructional time with individual students and frequently check email, voicemail, and instant messages (IM’s), for student communications at least twice per day. All email, voicemail, and IM's will be responded to within 24 hours during the workweek. Teachers will be available to students and parents either by pager, cell phone, or telephone until a minimum of 8:00 PM on school days. Teachers will talk personally with each student and parent at agreed times, and all calls or conversations will be entered into the SIS.

The certification status, physical locations, state certification, highly qualified status, endorsements (if any) and office hours of instructional personnel are available for download below at the link titled “Instructional Personnel Information”.

Student / Teacher Ratios

Our average teacher-student ratio for grades 6-12 is 1 to 50. Details by grade level bands are as follows:

K-3: 25:1

4-8: (Grades 6-8- 50:1 - Grades 4-5- 25:1)

9-12: 50:1

Full-time teachers have a total load of 200 – 225 students and part-time teachers 50 – 100 depending on whether they are half or quarter time. Because SVA offers a unique program where certified teachers provide guided and supervised online instruction at all times, each teacher has no more than two-course "preps." For example, a half time Mathematics teacher may teach two sections, Algebra and Geometry, with no more than 100 students combined. These ratios hold true for grades K-12 in both core and elective courses which include grade level bands K-3, 4-8 and 9-12.

Policies & Procedures

Somerset Virtual Academy’s Student/Parent Handbook and Faculty Handbook are available for download below at the corresponding links.

Anti-Discrimination

In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. SVA is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any person because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, disability, age or any other characteristic protected by law (referred to as "protected status"). This nondiscrimination policy extends to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment as well as the use of all company facilities, participation in all company-sponsored activities, and all employment actions such as promotions, compensation, benefits and termination of Somerset Virtual Academy – Faculty Handbook (2023-2024) Page 4 of 16 employment. SVA’s employment policies and procedures comply with the anti-discrimination provisions of Section 1000.05, Florida Statutes. Discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, disability, or marital status against a student or an employee in the system of public K-20 education is prohibited. No person shall, on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, disability, or marital status, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any public K-20 education program or activity, or in any employment conditions or practices, conducted by a public educational institution that receives or benefits from federal or state financial assistance. SVA will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including selection, job assignment, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training. Any employees with questions or concerns about any type of discrimination in the workplace are encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of their immediate supervisor or the Human Resources Manager. Employees can raise concerns and make reports without fear of reprisal. Anyone found to be engaging in any type of unlawful discrimination will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Nonsectarian Policy

SVA is committed to providing employees with the best work experience possible. SVA is nonsectarian in its programs, admissions policies, employment practices, and operations as specified in Section 1002.45, Florida Statutes. The policies provided serve as a source of information about the policies and procedures for teachers, parents, and students participating in SVA programs. SVA, upon resolution by its Board of Directors, reserves the right to amend, add or change the policies, protocols, or procedures as it deems necessary or as required by law.


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