University of Miami, private school team up to offer virtual high school

Black Issues in Higher Education, July 15, 2004 by Ronald Roach

CORAL GABLES, FLA.

The University of Miami has partnered with a private Florida-based K-12 school to collaborate on an online high school. Last fall, the Sagemont School in Weston approached the university with plans for a partnership that would allow the university's professors to conduct research on online education, while Sagemont acquires the benefit of the university's name on its program, according to officials.

The online entity became the University of Miami Online High School this past May, and it has 225 students in 26 countries. Most of the school's students are tennis players, but the school hopes to attract youngsters who play other sports, including golf, soccer and hockey. As professional athletes and performers who travel often, the students are notable to attend a traditional high school, officials explain.

The high school wants to become the "establishment school in the sports world," owner and director Dr. Richard Goldman told the Wall Street Journal.

The three-year-old private program charges $9,750 a year, according to Goldman. The virtual school serves ninth through 12th grades, and next year will start to offer eighth grade as well. It is fully accredited and offers college-level courses that earn the students college credits.

University of Miami officials have said that Sagemont's accreditation as a high school made it feasible for the university to consider teaming with the private school. "The Sagemont Virtual School collaboration is the next wave in the future for UM's distance learning initiatives," said Paul Orehovec, the University of Miami vice president of the division of continuing and international education.