Return to Blog

Arkansas Virtual Academy Becomes the World’s First Virtual School to Earn the Visible Learning Associate School Award 

Community & SocialSchool Announcements
ARVA earns the visible learning associate award

At Arkansas Virtual Academy (ARVA), helping students grow has always been the mission. This summer, the world took notice. On July 14, at the 2026 Annual Visible Learning Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, ARVA became the first and only virtual school in the world to earn Corwin Visible Learning’s Associate School Award. 

The designation celebrates how ARVA is transforming the way students engage with their learning. It also marks the first major milestone in the school’s implementation of the Visible Learning framework, developed by world-renowned educational researcher John Hattie to identify the teaching strategies proven to have the greatest impact on student achievement. 

For a school built on flexibility and personalized instruction, the award is a powerful affirmation that a virtual classroom can hold its own alongside the best schools anywhere. 

Making Growth Visible 

At its core, Visible Learning trains educators to make learning collaborative and transparent. Students learn to set goals, track their own progress, and take ownership of their education, so that in any classroom, growth becomes something they can see and measure. 

“This process has completely transformed our school environment and made growth visible,” ARVA Academic Administrator Mendy Felton said. “The Visible Learning framework elevates the daily learning experience through close collaboration between teachers and students, paired with meaningful feedback that quickly identifies what works best for each student. We can clearly see the proof that our students are growing faster.” 

One Vision Across All 75 Counties 

Because ARVA serves students in every corner of Arkansas, adopting a shared approach to instruction is no small task. The Visible Learning framework gives the school’s statewide team a common language and a consistent set of proven practices to build on. 

“Our educators and families live in all 75 counties of Arkansas, so we have to make sure that our actions have the highest possible positive impact on our students,” ARVA Executive Director Amy Johnson said. “By partnering with the Corwin Institute, our statewide staff can implement a shared instructional vocabulary and proven teaching practices across our entire organization.” 

Seen in Every Classroom 

That shared vision is already showing up in classrooms across grade levels, where the framework is reshaping how students learn and how those lessons carry into everyday life. 

“Watching my 4th graders learn how to set and achieve goals, and then watching them take those habits into their personal lives, has been incredible,” 4th grade teacher Sierra Wiser said. 

For ARVA, the milestone is also proof that meaningful, research-backed instruction is possible in any setting. 

“We are paving the way and showing that Visible Learning is a journey, and it can happen in any space, even virtually,” Assistant Elementary Principal Linetta Jackson said. 

Built on a Legacy of Student Success 

The Visible Learning Associate School Award marks the latest chapter in ARVA’s long history of academic quality and student achievement. Highlights include: 

  • High-Quality Instruction: Live, teacher-led instruction from Arkansas-certified educators, powered by K12’s 26 years of online education experience 
  • Flexible, Tailored Learning: Personalized, adaptable instruction that meets students at their individual skill levels across all grades by blending self-paced, synchronous, and asynchronous learning 
  • Graduate Success: Across ARVA’s Class of 2026, students earned 285 industry certifications, received 151 job offers, and completed eight associate’s degrees alongside their high school diplomas 
  • Recognized Academic Growth: Named a National Capturing Kids’ Hearts School for three consecutive years, while outpacing state growth averages in high school math and science on 2025 state assessments 

Looking Ahead 

For ARVA, earning the Associate School Award is just the start of its work with Corwin to strengthen its use of the Visible Learning framework. School leaders say this ongoing work helps ensure every ARVA student has the tools and support to succeed. 

Ready to see what ARVA can do for your student? 

Families who want to learn more about ARVA or enroll their child for the 2026–2027 school year can visit arva.k12.com. We would love to help your student grow. 

Back to Blog