TelePresence provides equity of access for students to courses from a school that they do not attend. For example, Latin is a course that is offered at RHS and usually has low enrollment. Often times, courses with low enrollment are difficult to offer and may even be subject to closure. Through TelePresence, a course like Latin can now be shared with students who attend other high schools; thus, increasing enrollment. The ability to share courses among our high schools not only increases our student’s access to courses that may not be offered on their own campus but also limits course closures. TelePresence will provide equity of access for students.

TelePresence is a tool to:
-Increase access to students
-Provide live interaction between a student and a highly qualified teacher, regardless of location
-Broaden the learning experience
-Increase access to experts
-Maximize social contact
-Enhance group coherence
-Make best use of limited time
-Allow genuine dialog between all participants
-Provide immediate, two-way communication and sharing of content such as documents
-Create a sense of social interaction and collaboration
-Expand course offerings
-Encourage student engagement with a highly qualified teacher

TelePresence is NOT:
-An effort to reduce the number of teachers
-Watching a recorded lesson
-Passive learning
-Independent study

RUSD began looking into the TelePresence program in 2011 after meeting Dr. Lance Ford, a teacher in Oklahoma who has used TelePresence to teach for the past 6 years. When the district invited Dr. Ford to present to RUSD teachers, administrators, and community members via Telepresence in 2011, 2012, and 2014, all came away excited about the possibilities of such a program. After these presentations, RUSD teachers were offered the opportunity to become pioneers in this exciting learning environment. Our team of teachers began teaching through TelePresence at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year to over 200 RUSD students. In 2015-2016, we will have TelePresence courses taught and received at Redlands High School, Orangwood High School, Citrus Valley High School, Redlands East Valley High School, and Redlands eAcademy.