WWASPS Academic Program

[spots]

WWASPS method of attaining an accredited education.  It appears to me that the Program has "bought" both its accreditation and the accreditation company.  [asterisks emphasis mine]

From the ISAC Tranquility Bay Report, August 2003:
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Northwest Association of Schools and of Colleges and Universities

Many, if not all, of the individual schools operating under the WWASP/Teen Help referral umbrella are accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and of Colleges and Universities (herein referred to as NASCU).

NASCU was formed as a voluntary organization in 1917. At present, more than 1,500 schools in 9 states are members.

The association operates as an independent, member-based organization. *NASCU is not a state or governmental agency.*

Schools are granted membership in the organization following the submission of a $100 application fee and the completion of an onsite visit by an ?outside team of peers.?

According to the policies of NASCU, membership is renewed annually through *voluntary self-regulation and ?periodic, self-evaluation.?*

The schools are then ?validated? by an ?outside team of peers? *once every 6 years.*


The Website

According to the NASCU website, Academy at Ivy Ridge, Casa by the Sea, Cross Creek Academy, Carolina Springs Academy, Midwest Academy, Spring Creek Lodge, and Tranquility Bay are all member schools, or candidates for membership. Academy at Dundee Ranch was recently removed from the list.

According to NASCU?s own policy, member schools must **?Be approved, accredited, licensed, or recognized by the legally constituted educational agency it its state or by a federal government agency.?**

To the best of our knowledge, NONE of the WWASP affiliated schools located in the United States are approved, accredited, licensed or recognized by the Department of Education in ANY state.

Joe Atkin, former Director of Academy at Dundee Ranch allegedly told another employee that representatives of WWASP-affiliated schools try to attend every NASCU meeting because ?that way, we get what we want.?

Belle (sic) Academy in Porterville, California, owned by Karr Farnsworth, former President of WWASP, Dace Goulding, owner of Casa by the Sea, and Jade Robinson, is also listed as a candidate for membership. Bell Academy is not promoted as a WWASP-affiliated school, however the facility reportedly accepted students from Academy at Dundee Ranch when it was closed in May 2003.

On the list of member schools, the location for Casa by the Sea is listed as Chula Vista, California, even though the school is located in Ensenada, Mexico.

On the NASCU directory, the phone number listed for Belle (sic) Academy is the same as the one listed for Casa by the Sea.

This phone number reaches the office of Casa by the Sea in Mexico.


International Schools

NASCU accredits foreign schools, such as Tranquility Bay and Casa by the Sea, upon completion of a visit by an International School Visitation Team.

The following officials from WWASP affiliated schools are presently members of this visitation team or have applied to be members:

Eugenia Collins, Academic Coordinator at Tranquility Bay

Dace Goulding, Director of Casa by the Sea, Mexico

Orval Hagerman, Spring Creek Lodge Academy, Montana


In the opinion of ISAC, these memberships do not represent an ?outside team of peers? and could present a conflict of interest.

Schools and other facilities that house juveniles must be visited and/or evaluated by persons having absolutely no bias whatsoever.

[Anonymous]

"In the opinion of ISAC, these memberships do not represent an ?outside team of peers? and could present a conflict of interest."

Explain conflict of interest when:

"According to the policies of NASCU, membership is renewed annually through *voluntary self-regulation and ?periodic, self-evaluation.?*

The schools are then ?validated? by an ?outside team of peers? *once every 6 years.*

[Anonymous]

Did you look to see who was on the visitation team??
Wake Up!

[Anonymous]

I'm wide awake!  Read the post - self-regulation, self evaluation - what about that is confusing?  The "outside" team is once every 6 years. I don't see a conflict, so I was asking where the conflict is.  Self to me means they do it themselves.  Please correct me if that's not what it means.

[Anonymous]

Hey, I read the other posts about the academic program.  You guys are funny!  We had history, science, math, english, etc., all day, 5 days a week.  What's the crap about one book until it's finished?  funny!  We had to be in class, but it was up to us how much work we did.  I had the same teacher the whole 15 months I was there.  Upper levels could tutor, but we had to raise our hands to ask.  I was a tutor for history a lot.  Anybody can pick apart something, but you guys, at least most of you, are just plain mean.

[Anonymous]

P.S. - ALL of my credits transferred back to my home high school.  I got caught up when I was there and just graduated H.S. in June - I started out at Spring Creek and graduated from Cross Creek over 2 years ago.  Get a life and find something else to do...

[Anonymous]

Our school works so well because it is self-paced," said Mary Ann Gustafson, director of development.

"We get 11th-grade students who are reading at an eighth-grade level. They can work separately using packets for each of their subjects, so they never have to feel embarrassed. They just do their work."

Subjects are broken down to chapterlike packets, and students are tested at the end of each. With a score of 80 percent or more, students pass and move on to the next packet. Lower performers are required to repeat packets until their scores are up to par, Gustafson said.

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Okay, it's NOT like homeschooling, it's like a charter school. It sounds EXACTLY like what the wwasps programs offer in the classroom.  For the complete story:

 http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... 827Z2.html

[spots]

Here's a little more of the quote from the Arizona Republic newspaper:

"Subjects are broken down to chapterlike packets, and students are tested at the end of each. With a score of 80 percent or more, students pass and move on to the next packet. Lower performers are required to repeat packets until their scores are up to par, Gustafson said.

"There is a 15-1 student-teacher ratio. Students spend most of their time working independently, and class work is self-paced. Faculty and staff members teach, tutor, counsel and listen."

Lower performers repeat?  endlessly?  Low performance usually indicates a serious gap in earlier education.  Repeating packets will not improve dyslexia.  Repeating packets will not teach how to cope with ADHD.  Repeating packets will not teach anything, except most kids realize after 6 repetitions of the same material, with the same tests, that there is a pattern to getting the right answers.  They may not know the answers, but they can find the pattern of right answers.  

Also, repeating until an 80% score is attained is why WWASPS can boast that their students have a "B" average.  If they don't, they just keep retaking the same "class".  IOW, to count in the statistics, you HAVE TO HAVE a "B".  You have not completed the packet unless you do.  

To the Anon who has come on strong here; you are making a blanket statement that we are supposed to fully believe, based on your own experience at Spring Creek and Cross Creek.  No one on this board is attempting to be "funny". You may have had a more rounded education at Cross Creek, but that experience seems to be unique.  In other words, not a lot of folks seem to have had the same experience.  My personal knowledge through letters from a still-confined child [which I believe, because I see no reason not to believe what she is saying about her schooling] is this:

---she goes to school (sits in a room at a table) 6 hours a day, 6 days a week.
---she is allowed to "study" only one subject at a time, her choice, until she passes the packet and can then choose another.
---she can pick a "hard" subject, for which she must submit 2 pages of notes on each chapter read, or she can pick an "easy" subject, for which only one page of notes is required per chapter. The Program determines which subjects are hard and which are easy.  There is very little demand for the Biology book, and the Careers and Health courses see a lot of action.
---she cannot take a test unless she can find a complete testing packet (missing no pages), which is hard to find and often delays completion of the subject.  
---she tried Biology, but without labs, group discussion, etc., she was forced to pack it in.  She is currently taking Geometry, but I am sure one of the neatest things about geometry (working with protractors and compasses to make geometric figures) is not allowed, as these tools would constitute weapons in WWASPS' mind.
---she has no...repeat, NO...teachers.  The majority of staff at her facility speak only Spanish, and spoken English is usually punishable.  Staff is typically young and very under-educated.  From a relative who is a contact working at other Gringo schools in the norther Mexico area, pay runs between $1.00 and $2.50 an hour.  I cannot speak exactly for the WWASPS facility, but this wage is average for similar facilities in the area.  The only non-student in a classroom is the staff serving as a guard.  Contrast this with the charter school 15:1 accredited teacher ratio.  

I simply cannot fathom how the featured charter school can be compared with a WWASPS education. Nor can it be compared with home schooling.  In my somewhat-rural community, home schoolers (a large number are involved) have "study groups" where the group is transported frequently on field trips, or work together in social groups for science projects, etc.  I have a group that visits my ranch to participate in clinics on animal training.  The benefits of 1:1 teachers (the parent) is multiplied by the time spent within a social situation.  Home schoolers do learn how to fit in with their peers, AND ARE NOT PUNISHED FOR SPEAKING WITH PEERS.  In fact, communication and chatter is a happy useful thing, as each student learns from peers instead of from a packet.

Transfer of credits is an "iffy" thing, with more school districts closely examining the accreditation group.  If your high school does accept full credit, you may expect further hurdles when you submit these credits to the college of your choice.  It is already hard for parents to convince college admissions that the education from a therapeutic boarding school is "the same" as from a public or private school.  With publicity mounting, a WWASPS education and transferable credits is looming as a real problem.  Other than the universities in Utah or Idaho, admissions boards are taking a very close look and rejecting a lot of school credits.

[Anonymous]

Spots - good points.  I've certainly heard that Cross Creek has certified teachers,excellent therapists and trained staff.  I understand the points you've made on Casa by the Sea. I'm assuming they are different.

This should definitely go to the "recommendation" thread that all teachers be certified with at least a 15-1 ratio-teacher/tutor involvement.

Most charter schools don't have the same "tools" to use as their previous high schools, but these kids seem to get it nevertheless.  This is especially true of ADDers in being able to work at their own pace.  Once they pass with 80% or greater, they usually understand the content, whereas in a regular classroom it was a constant battle just to keep up.  This constant battle results in not feeling good enough, feeling stupid, etc., and the teachers aren't there for them nor do they have alternatives needed to help them create a successful school experience.

Taking a GED is also a good alternatives, but wwasps seems to prefer the classroom approach over that.  I see a lot of good in this type of education for many previously unsuccessful students.

[Anonymous]

Can't speak for any of the other programs with wwasps, but my son's credits all transferred to his high school a couple of years ago.  He has been attending college, and there was no problem with this.

Secondly, the academic program was exactly what he needed. It doesn't matter that he would have to take or retake tests with an 80% orhigher.  He learned HOW to study, retain and take tests, which is something his school and tutors were never able to help him with.  He wasn't open to it.  He's not stupid, just didn't fit in with the ADDers that took meds, or the kids that did well in school.  I personally appreciated the time the teacher took with him and probably the other boys too.  I never heard any complaints about his academic experience there.  I guess if you've never experienced a kid that never got past C's in school, and those were rare, finally get A's honestly and by his own work, you'd have issues with this type of learning.  Life isn't always black and white.