Savvas Learning Company Acquires Dual Credit Online Course Provider Outlier.org

Savvas Learning Company has acquired Outlier.org, an ed tech startup whose portfolio of online college-level courses enable high school students to earn dual credit without leaving their school campus, according to a news release.

Outlier.org “combines cinematic video and charismatic professors with the best in modern, evidence-based teaching techniques to virtually transport the student to a college lecture hall,” Savvas Learning said. Its diverse catalog includes courses in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, taught by instructors from NASA, MIT, Harvard, Yale, and other top-ranked institutions. 

“There’s a growing demand for dual-enrollment and dual-credit opportunities for high school students across the country,” said Bethlam Forsa, CEO of Savvas Learning Company. 

High school administrators considering such programs for students typically face challenges such as limited funding for on-campus dual-credit course offerings, transportation to other campuses that do offer them, and other logistical issues. Forsa said the acquisition will allow the company to offer dual-credit opportunities to “the millions of high school students served by Savvas.” 

Outlier’s platform also offers career and workforce training, including opportunities for students to earn credit-bearing professional certificates from leading technology companies like Google, Meta, and Salesforce, Savvas noted in its announcement. 

Outlier courses carry transferable college credits recognized at Outlier’s university partners, the University of Pittsburgh and Golden Gate University. The platform’s asynchronous 14- and 15-week (semester) and 39-week (full-year) general-education courses “offer high school students an introduction to the fundamental ideas typically taught on college campuses in STEM, humanities, economics, business, and other classes,” Savvas said, and each is designed to fit within a standard 45-minute period. Any high school teacher can support any course, aided by easy-to-use dashboards that provide faculty real-time visibility into student progress, the company said.

Learn more at https://www.savvas.com/.

About the Author

Kristal Kuykendall is editor, 1105 Media Education Group. She can be reached at [email protected].


Featured

  • three silhouetted education technology leaders with thought bubbles containing AI-related icons

    Ed Tech Leaders Rank Generative AI as Top Tech Priority

    In a recent CoSN survey, an overwhelming majority of ed tech leaders (94%) said they see AI as having a positive impact on education. Respondents ranked generative AI as their top tech priority, with 80% reporting their districts have gen AI initiatives underway, or plan to in the current school year.

  • computer monitor with a bold AI search bar on the screen

    Google Rolls Out AI Mode in Search

    About a year after introducing AI Overviews for its flagship search offering, Google has announced broad availability of AI Mode in Search.

  • glowing shield hovers above a digital cloud platform with abstract data streams and cloud icons in the background

    Google to Acquire Cloud Security Firm Wiz in $32 Billion Deal

    Google has announced it will acquire cloud security startup Wiz for $32 billion. If completed, the acquisition — an all-cash deal — would mark the largest in Google's history.

  • students using digital devices, surrounded by abstract AI motifs and soft geometric design

    Ed Tech Startup Kira Launches AI-Native Learning Platform

    A new K-12 learning platform aims to bring personalized education to every student. Kira, one of the latest ed tech ventures from Andrew Ng, former director of Stanford's AI Lab and co-founder of Coursera and DeepLearning.AI, "integrates artificial intelligence directly into every educational workflow — from lesson planning and instruction to grading, intervention, and reporting," according to a news announcement.