Fusion Education Impact Report

2024 Education Impact Report

A NOTE FROM OUR CEO

Dear families, friends, and teammates,

I am especially honored this year to present the 2024 Fusion Education Group Annual Education Impact report. This report highlights data from our 2022-2023 school year. You’ll find statistics from student and parent surveys, as well as exciting new academic data from internal and external sources.

In years past, Peter Ruppert, the Founder of Fusion Education Group, presented this report to the Fusion community. This piece was his most cherished Fusion publication, as it demonstrates the life-changing impact of personalized education and celebrates the amazing work of our incredible teaching team. Sadly, Peter passed away in August 2023. Peter was a friend and partner for almost 27 years, and thus, I am honored to carry on the tradition of sharing the results that are happening at more than 80 campuses across the country, as well as Fusion Global Academy.

I’m so grateful to work with such a remarkable team of passionate people. It is because of the hard work and commitment of over 2,500 teachers and staff that the following pages are possible. Together, we will continue Peter’s vision of changing lives through personalized education. Please celebrate the positive impact with us as you read this report.

With gratitude,

Jeff Poole CEO

Fusion Education Group

Guided by a fundamental belief in the immense potential within every person, our mission is to help each student flourish – emotionally, socially, and academically – through positive, mentoring relationships and a personalized education experience. Our Mission

Our Vision

To create the most personalized schools in the world where every student has a path to success.

THE MOST PERSONALIZED SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD

Fusion Education Group (FEG) is focused on providing life-changing educational experiences through a relationship-based approach. Our three school brands operate as partner schools to bring our shared educational expertise to families and students. Each brand offers slight variances, but are all committed to helping students unlock their full potential – academically, socially, and emotionally.

Fusion Academy has more than 80 campuses nationwide. For over a decade, Fusion has offered the most personalized education in the world through revolutionary one-to-one teaching and the learning philosophy of love, motivate, teach.

Fusion Global Academy offers 100% virtual instruction for middle and high school students. Fusion Global Academy encompasses the magic of a Fusion Academy campus in a virtual learning environment.

Barnstable Academy is located in Oakland, NJ and delivers a traditional college-prep education in a private, smallschool setting. They serve students in grades 6-12 and offer classes with an average of 8-12 students.

2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR

STUDENTS

AT Campuses 81

Served 10,930 and at our online academy.

middle and high school 100

FEG continues to grow, but our commitment to our families and mission remains steadfast. We are proud of our worldwide impact and the positive changes our students and families see and experience.

95% of our parents are pleased with their child’s overall experience at their FEG school.

90% of our parents believe their FEG school is effectively fulfilling its mission

90%

90% of our parents report that their child enjoys attending their FEG school.

OUTSTANDING RESULTS

Annually, Fusion conducts surveys administered to students and parents1 by a third-party company, and the results affirm that when students feel safe and understood, they are more likely to engage in their personalized learning experience. This allows students to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally and can lead to them experiencing life-changing shifts that result in long-term transformation.

By first establishing positive, authentic relationships, and then personalizing the education experience, our schools help students realize their incredible potential and gain the confidence needed to set and achieve their goals.

FEG’s revolutionary approach focuses on the success of the whole student. In this section, we share our results in three key areas:

- Melissa D., Parent “ ”

A truly individualized academic experience. It is exciting to see our child engaged and enthusiastic about learning.

BUILDING CONFIDENCE

At the core of our educational philosophy is the belief that in order to learn, students must first feel safe and understood. That’s why our thoughtfully designed approach is Love, Motivate, Teach. Teachers first seek to understand each student and see them as an individual with the capacity to learn. When students feel that level of care and attention, students begin to develop trust in their educators. Trust becomes the cornerstone upon which teachers can then nurture motivation and instill confidence in their students.

Parents are also confident about Fusion. They report that Fusion is committed to their child’s success and partners with them to help their child succeed.

My child’s teachers are committed to my child’s success.

My child’s academic progress at school meets my expectations.

My school partners with me to help my child succeed.

THE POWER OF PERSONALIZATION

Learning is most effective when students have a personal interest or connection with the subject.

FEG teachers personalize instruction by leveraging each student’s strengths, interests, and learning preferences. This sparks curiosity and excitement for learning, and it results in dramatic increases in student engagement.

When we asked our parents to pick their school’s greatest strength, parents overwhelmingly voted for customized education as their top choice.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT SCORES

Fusion’s personalized instruction improves student achievement scores.

WHY PERSONALIZED LEARNING MATTERS

The academic research is clear. When it comes to student learning, there is one thing that makes a big difference. Dedicated 1-to-1 time with a student and their teacher. That’s why we design our entire school day at Fusion around personalized instructional time.

Student achievement scores at Fusion grow

33% MORE in a school year than their peers nationally.1

Fusion achievement scores in math grow 65% MORE in a school year than their peers nationally.1

Educational Research That Backs

FEG’s 1-to-1 approach

Resourceful students explore their creativity, discover their own resources, contribute to class discussions, examine commonly held beliefs, make evidencebased decisions, and set goals. They also connect with peers who are similar and different to them, and are able to use helpful strategies when personal or social challenges arise.

1

1-to-1 education is a proven, effective strategy for increasing student learning outcomes (Fryer & Howard-Noveck, 2020).

2

Personalized learning enables students to gain essential skills or concepts from past years that were missed or not fully covered (Zhou, Molfino, & Travers, 2021).

4

1-to-1 education during the school day leads to greater learning gains than after-school or summer interventions (Nickow, Oreopoulos, & Quan, 2020).

3

Instructional approaches using 1-to-1 learning are particularly effective in supporting a wide range of learners, including students who have fallen behind academically (Nickow, Oreopoulos, & Quan, 2020; Robinson, Kraft, Loeb, & Schueler, 2021).

5

Personalized learning enables students to progress two to three times faster than their peers academically (Robinson, Kraft, Loeb, & Schueler, 2021).

CONFIDENCE + PERSONALIZATION = ACADEMIC SUCCESS

An actively engaged and confident student will learn better and dive deeper than they can in a traditional classroom. This heightened understanding, engagement, and confidence not only leads to academic success in high school, but also extends into a post-secondary environment. This positive mindset is also critical to being a lifelong learner.

93% of parents agree or strongly agree that their child is academically engaged at their FEG school.

93%

of parents agree that their child enjoys learning at their FEG school.

96%

of parents agree or strongly agree that the academic experience at their FEG school is customized for their child.

89%

of parents agree that, compared to their previous school, their child is more successful academically at their FEG school.

PERSONALIZATION IS PROVEN TO BE THE BEST WAY TO EDUCATE STUDENTS.

BEYOND GRADUATION

At FEG, success is also personalized. We are committed to helping students find the path that’s right for them. For most students, this means finding the right college or university — not just the school that sounds best on paper, but the one that allows them to flourish. For others, this means pursuing highly specific interests that may be best developed outside the traditional college model.

We also customize our post-secondary support around the needs, dreams, plans, and goals of each student to help them discover and pursue their own path.

Post-Secondary Plans

Our students are accepted by and attend a wide array of public and private colleges and universities, ranging in size, geographic location, and areas of specialty and training. They also pursue other paths like gap year programs, entering the workforce, and more.

Here is the breakdown from the students who shared their post-secondary plans:

Sample of Fusion Graduate College and University Acceptances

Adelphi University

American University of Paris

Arizona State University

Art Center College of Design

Bard College

Baylor University

Beacon College

Belmont University

Beloit College

Bentley University

Berklee College of Music

Boston University

Bridgewater State University

Bucknell University

Butler University

California College of the Arts

California Institute of the Arts

California Lutheran University

California Polytechnic State University

- Pomona

- San Luis Obispo

California State University

- Bakersfield

- Chico

- East Bay

- Fresno

- Fullerton

- Long Beach

- Los Angeles

- Monterey Bay

- Northridge

- Sacramento

- San Bernardino

- San Marcos

Carthage College

Chapman University

Clemson University

Colgate University

College of the Holy Cross

Colorado State University - Fort Collins

Columbia University

Concordia University - Irvine

Cornell University

Curry College

DePaul University

DigiPen Institute of Technology

Dominican University

Drew University

Drexel University

Duquesne University

Eckerd College

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Emerson College

Fairfield University

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Fashion Institute of Technology

Flagler College

Florida Gulf Coast University

Florida International University

Fordham University

Full Sail University

George Washington University

Georgia State University

Gnomon - School of Visual Effects, Games, & Animation

Gonzaga University

Goucher College

Grand Canyon University

Guilford College

Hampton University

Hawaii Pacific University

High Point University

Hollins University

Humboldt State University

Indiana University

Jacksonville University

Johns Hopkins University

Johnson & Wales University

Kansas City Art Institute

Landmark College

Lewis & Clark College

Louisiana State University

Loyola Marymount University

Loyola University Chicago

Lynn University

Marist College

Marquette University

Menlo College

Metropolitan State University

Miami University

Michigan State University

Montclair State University

Mount Holyoke College

Mount Saint Mary’s University

New York University

Northeastern University

Ohio State University

Ohio University

Oregon State University

Pace University

Pacific Lutheran University

Paul Mitchell the School

Pepperdine University

Pitzer College

Pratt Institute

Purdue University

Radford University

Reed College

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rhode Island School of Design

Rhodes College

Ringling College of Art & Design

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rutgers University

Saint Mary’s College of California

San Diego State University

Santa Clara University

Sarah Lawrence College

Savannah College of Art & Design

Seton Hall University

Smith College

Sonoma State University

Southern Methodist University

Southern Oregon University

Southwestern University

Stevens Institute of Technology

Stevenson University

Suffolk University

SUNY

- Albany

- Binghamton

- Brockport

- Cortland

- Old Westbury

- Purchase

Temple University

Texas A&M University

Texas State University

Texas Tech University

The Art Institute of Chicago

The Los Angeles Film School

The New School

The University of Tampa

The University of Tennessee

The University of Texas

Towson University

Tufts University

University of Amsterdam

University of Arizona

University of California

- Berkeley

- Davis

- Irvine

- Los Angeles

- Merced

- Riverside

- San Diego

- Santa Barbara

- Santa Cruz

University of Central Florida

University of Colorado - Boulder

University of Connecticut

University of Delaware

University of Denver

University of Hawaii - Manoa

University of Houston

University of La Verne

University of Louisiana - Monroe

University of Maryland

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

University of Miami

University of Michigan

University of Minnesota

University of Nevada - Reno

University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina - Charlotte

University of North Dakota

University of North Georgia

University of Northern Colorado

University of Oklahoma

University of Oregon

University of Puget Sound

University of Redlands

University of Rochester

University of San Diego

University of San Francisco

University of Southern California

University of Southern Maine

University of St. Andrews (UK)

University of the Pacific

University of Tulsa

University of Utah

University of Vermont

University of Washington

University of Wisconsin

Villanova University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Washington State University

West Virginia Wesleyan College

Wheaton College

Willamette University

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

The tailored instruction to each of my child’s individual needs has given them such confidence that there is no longer anxiety with learning

- Tina B., Parent “

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Along with academic success, we design our programs to support our students’ social and emotional development. We take pride in providing students with the support and guidance they need as they confront the complexities of life. At FEG, our Schoolwide Learner Outcomes (Resourceful, Critical Thinker, Self-Aware, and Inclusive) describe the commitment we make to our students about their development. Each of these outcomes embrace academic and social-emotional learning themes and are embedded into our curriculum and programming.

Resourceful

Resourceful students explore their creativity, discover their own resources, contribute to class discussions, examine commonly held beliefs, make evidence-based decisions, and set goals. They also connect with peers who are similar and different to them, and are able to use helpful strategies when personal or social challenges arise.

“

” Fusion is more than a school, it’s a place where learners can truly explore and celebrate the best version of themselves.

- Ivy, Parent

Critical Thinker

Critical-thinking students demonstrate curiosity and ask questions, analyze information to differentiate between accurate and misleading, and express ideas. They engage in conversations about what’s going on in the world, and are thoughtful about the beliefs and perspectives of others.

97% of parents report their child has positive relationships with their teachers.

89% of our parents agree that their child is comfortable asking their teacher for help.

88% of students agree or strongly agree that they feel connected to their teachers.

78% of our students report that they are comfortable standing up for themselves.

93% of Fusion parents report that their child FEELS COMFORTABLE at school.

Self-Aware

Self-aware students are active participants in their own learning and advocate for themselves. They are aware of their strengths and challenges, and they reflect on how their emotions, thoughts, and actions affect others. They can set achievable goals for themselves and are aware of their own needs. They are open to feedback and practice good communication skills.

82% of students agree that they participate in the process of creating their educational goals.

85% of students agree that they are aware of and understand their educational goals.

Inclusive

Inclusive students adapt their communication to be effective for a variety of audiences. They demonstrate cultural sensitivity, recognize inequalities, and promote equity in their school and community. They reflect on their biases and make thoughtful choices.

FEG teachers use their training as mentors to create a safe, supportive environment that fosters positive mindsets and ensures students are emotionally supported.

- Jennifer S., Parent “ ”

Fusion Academy has truly changed life not only for my child but for our entire family.

The strife at home, the worry, the unhappiness - it is all gone.

PARENT COMMUNICATION

We consistently hear that our schools not only change the lives of students, but of whole families as well. Each of our schools do it a bit differently, but parent communication is a top priority for us at FEG. From daily class summaries and dedicated administrative connections, to thriving parent groups, our families are encouraged to be as connected as they’d like to be to their child’s education.

You’ll see in the data and on our various review platforms that parents appreciate this and are highly satisfied with their school experience.

97% of parents believe that FEG faculty and staff are approachable.

96% of parents feel that they are regularly informed about their child’s overall performance.

91% of parents agree their school provides timely communication about school updates or new initiatives.

91% of parents have expressed satisfaction with the level of awareness about their child’s learning.

We asked our parents on a scale of 1-10 how likely they are to recommend FEG schools to another family. We used those answers to calculate our Net Promoter Score (NPS). NPS is a powerful tool that measures overall customer satisfaction. Based on global Net Promoter Score standards, any score above 0 is considered good. FEG’s score of 72 is rated outstanding. For perspective, the 2023 NPS scores of top consumer brands were: Apple, 50, Amazon, 51, and Google, 44 (Source: research company Comparably.)

“

” My son had lost confidence in school, but at Fusion he has regained a love for learning. The teachers are encouraging and supportive and communicate along the way. He is taking honors classes and enjoying a variety of electives.

- Morgan H., Parent

DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD

FOR IT.

REVIEWS & TESTIMONIALS

Outside of our surveys, we get notes and online reviews with success stories all the time. In the following pages, you’ll find some of the 5-star Google and Trustpilot reviews we have received this past school year.

Fusion Education Group’s Trustpilot pages have over 800 reviews with an Excellent Trustscore of 4.6/5.

Additional Testimonials: Along with the testimonials on the following pages, each of our brands has testimonials and videos on their websites. To read more reviews about a specific school, please visit their site:

Fusion Academy

Fusion Global Academy

Barnstable Academy

““Quality education with so much flexibility to fit the needs of my child. The staff and teachers are so caring and responsive. Fusion Global really goes out of their way to create a wonderful community! There are regional field trips, game nights, clubs, parent meetups and the list goes on. We were nervous about switching to an online school, but couldn’t be happier with our decision!

- G.M, Parent

“Fusion Global Academy has been the perfect program for our son. As parents of a bright but struggling high school student, we knew that we needed to find a different path for him. Thankfully we discovered this incredible school for our son to finish his high school journey. Through great instruction and renewed academic inspiration, he was recently accepted into the rigorous Computer Science program at his University of choice. We could not be happier with our decision.”

- John and Cassandra, Parents

“This school has been a massive game-changer. My son is ready to go every day with a smile on his face. The teachers and staff are absolutely lovely! I now have a much happier kid who smiles when it’s time for school. -Thank You”

“The school’s dedicated, energetic teachers customize lesson plans to accommodate each student’s aptitudes and personal needs, working oneon-one to ensure they feel seen and heard, which contributes to their growing social confidence, awareness, and empathy among their peers.

Fusion’s approach is respectful, challenging, motivational, and empathic. Even two months ago, before the school year began, we couldn’t imagine our son telling us what he said the other day: that for the first time in his life, he loves school.

- Todd P., Parent

- Nadene B., Parent

““Fusion Academy is very supportive to our family and our daughter’s teachers provide excellent, personalized instruction. Our daughter has always been an A student - at Fusion it feels like a team effort to help our daughter continue on her honors academic path during a difficult personal time in her life dealing with anxiety and depression. We would recommend Fusion to any family in need of specialized, but accredited, education for their teenager.”

- Anne S., Parent

PARENT QUOTES

““ ”“My son absolutely loves Fusion. It 100% fits his learning style. We went from so much stress about school to zero stress. College used to be a no-go for him, and now he’s considering it and sees it as an option. The staff are wonderful, and teachers are great!”

- Christine, Parent

““This was our first week my son attended Fusion as a junior. It was a big change for him who had reservations on day one. By day five, he was skipping into the house sharing how amazing the school is. We are elated to hear this. From the 1:1 learning, the teachers have been able to engage my son in a way he didn’t think he was capable of doing. We have been so pleased with the staff, daily progress reports and true hands-on experience. So excited for this year and see what my son can achieve.”

- Carolyn D., Fusion Parent

“”“Fusion offers incredible one-on-one education. My daughter started in Pre-Algebra last year and went from someone who didn’t like math, wasn’t engaged in math, and, quite frankly, wasn’t showing any real promise with math to the opposite. She is now in Algebra 1 and has become someone who loves math, understands the concepts, and is doing incredibly well. We are so grateful for Fusion and what they offer!!”

- Kimberly A. Parent