Valor Preparatory Academy of Arizona

Mission

Valor Preparatory Academy of Arizona’s (VPA) mission is to “provide every student, no matter how they learn or regardless of their academic background, an educational experience that values a blended approach. VPA uses teacher-facilitated instruction, digital curriculum, and technology to develop Arizona college and career-ready citizens as well as contributing members of the community. [Their] students will excel in collaboration and critical thinking, [as well as] show mastery of the Arizona State Standards.”

Demographics

VPA is located in a mid-sized, suburban setting and serves students from ages 11 to 22 in grades 6-12. Approximately 40% of their students identify as Latine, 38% identify as white, and 11% identify as Black.

Experience Overview

VPA is a hybrid, public charter school for students in grades 6-12. Students at VPA take courses using a digital curriculum both at home and in person on the school’s campus. Students are required to attend in-person classes from Monday to Thursday for four hours, during which they apply their learnings from the foundational online component. Optional tutoring is also available with educators during the remaining half of the day. Middle school students attend classes from 8 a.m. to noon, with tutoring from noon to 3 p.m., while high school students attend classes from noon to 4 p.m., with optional tutoring from 8 a.m. to noon. Friday attendance is optional but allows students to attend tutoring and club activities to deepen their relationships with peers.

When on campus, students engage in teacher-led instruction with a student-teacher ratio of 25:1. They also have the opportunity to pursue virtual independent study and take free college classes through VPA’s partner, Estrella Mountain Community College, which is located across the street from the campus.

Learning In Action

The tenets of VPA’s program include three core components:

1. High-impact, applied learning during in-class experiences;

2. High-quality tutoring; and

3. High-level relationships to bring the experiences together.

As illustrated by their instructional model, VPA balances what educators can do best with what their online platform – StrongMind’s digital curriculum – can provide. In addition, the school takes a gradual release approach, allowing students more flexibility to follow their passions once they have demonstrated competency in balancing online and face-to-face learning.

VPA offers service-learning courses through which students earn up to one credit per year for 120 hours of service-learning participation and 60 hours of accompanying coursework or reflection. This opportunity allows students to connect with the community while building their expertise and social capital in an area of interest. Students may also attend the CTE program West-MEC free of charge.

Teaching In Action

Teachers use a flipped classroom model, where students engage in online coursework and lectures at home while in-person class time is used for small groups, guided practice, and collaborative projects. In-person instruction also centers on a station rotation model tied to student full-time attendance requirements.

Teachers can easily build face-to-face lessons based on foundational online learning from StrongMind’s hybrid lesson plans for each unit. Their instruction also includes frequent student discussions, unit projects, and a variety of assessment opportunities to support ongoing student feedback and differentiation.

Conditions for Success

• Learning Materials and Tools: VPA utilizes MAP assessments as a diagnostic tool to customize student learning, with the goal of students meeting or exceeding Arizona Learning Standards.

• Community and Culture: Recognizing the importance of parents and caregivers in student success, VPA encourages families to actively participate in student learning by providing feedback, guidance, and motivational support.

• Time: VPA offers a flexible student schedule, requiring students to attend instruction in person from Monday to Thursday for four hours, with the option to continue learning at home or remaining in person to meet the required 30 hours of work per week.

• Student Support Programming: Students have the opportunity to engage in optional daily tutoring or monitored independent study to support their progression through coursework and mastery of content standards.

• Facilities: The campus is designed to foster student collaboration, with ample available, open workspaces and modular furniture that can adapt to learners’ needs – rather than rows of seats. Students take advantage of these facilities as they engage in rigorous project-based learning centered on the ‘4Cs:’ creative problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. Students’ daily schedules also do not adhere to a bell system, providing students an opportunity for self-pacing and flexibility in their day.

Other Key Highlights

Students use an interactive dashboard to access their courses, assignments, and activities, and this tool helps to support student agency and self-directed learning. In addition, students have three levels of course options they can enroll in: Level 1 – a grade-level course, Level 2 – honors-level instruction, and Level 3 – a college course.