Issues and Trends In

Seventh-day Adventist Education

A Call To Faithfulness

Larry Blackmer.NA Vice President

Overview

• Why Adventist Education?• Where is Adventist Education in relationship to

educational technology• What are the trends to follow• What are the technology issues within Adventist

education that are and could effect who we are and how we deliver education

• Whom do we serve?• So What?• Q & A

Why Do We Run Adventist Schools

• Academics?• Great sports program?• To help students to know Jesus?

• Yes and No!

• The ONLY reason to operate Adventist schools is to inculcate Adventist values in students.

So who should we serve?

• Should we have unlimited admissions?• Who is our target market?• Mission-appropriate students• What about special needs students?• What about those not in the formal side of

Adventist education?

K-12 Enrollment

19461956

19661976

19811983

19851987

19891991

19931995

19971999

20012003

2005

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

NAD EnrollmentBy Grade

K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

5,500 04-0505-0606-0707-0808-0909-10

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009750

800

850

900

950

935

927933

915

915

890

867864

820

814

Total Number of Schools

New Schools Opened

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 20090

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

39 38 37

2623

26 27

19

8

Net Gain/Loss of Schools

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

-47

-32

-55-48 -48 -49

-30

-63

Average Gain/Loss -33.33 Schools or 4.08%

Demographics

Under age 5

Ages 5 to 9

Ages 10 to 14

Ages 15 to 19

Ages 20 to 24

Ages 25 to 34

Ages 35 to 44

Ages 45 to 54

Ages 55 to 59

Ages 60 to 64

Ages 65 to 74

Ages 75 to 84

Age 85 & older

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18%

Adventists

U.S. Census

Canada

Can We Afford to Stay Status Quo?

• CognitiveGenesis says we are providing great education

• We are on the low side of tuition compared to other private school

• Our Adventist population is shrinking and our non-Adventist population is growing, percentage wise

• So What do we do?

Where is Adventist Education in relationship to educational technology

• Looking at the NAD K-12 system, Do you consider the system:a) A leading technology system in the private school

worldb) Adequate in technologyc) Way behind and in need of updating

• Actually, we are seen as the leader– NCPSA– US Department of Education

• Why the discrepancy?

We Are a System• B-12

– Only private system in USA that 100% of schools are accredited– Only system in which the curriculum is developed and

implemented system-wide– Perceived to be one of the best private school “systems”

• 30%• Governance

– Only system in which there is coordination of programs and technology to leverage benefits

• Higher Education– Beginning to move toward cooperation

• Imagine what would happen if we actually used our potential?

Trends in Technology

• Distance Education– Griggs– AAA– Remote/small schools– Home Schools– 70% of Adventist children who do not go to our

schools– Professional growth and development

Trends in Technology

• Educational Technology– Interactive classrooms– eBooks– Web Services

• Cloud• On-line registration/grade book/data collection• Web pages – almost obsolete• Social Networking

– Mobile devises– Inquiry-based Education

Trends in Delivery

• Content-driven• Inquiry-based• Project-based• Competency-based• Student-driven• Distributed education• Mobile delivery

What are the expectations of parents?

• Does it matter?• Who’s responsibility?

– Division/Union/Conference– School Board– Principal

• Is technology the answer?• How do you pay for it?• How do you get started?

– Tech plan– TDEC– Board

Issues In Adventist Technology

• Adventist School Management (ASM)• Adventist Accounting Software International

(AASI)• Adventist School Connect

– Free– Can be individualized– Conference/Union/Division pushed content

• Curriculum Development– Science

Hunter/STI

• Small School Minder• iNow• Data Roll-up• Why are we doing this? What is in it for me?

Future

• Distance Education• InService/Training• www.adventisteducation.org

– TDEC– eLists

So What?

Q & A