CO） Web site； plus major software and maintenance releases； product documentation updates； and next…day delivery of replacement parts。
Benefits and Results
The Cisco Networking Academy Program is in its first full year at schools。 But the pilot semester at one site； Thurgood Marshall Academic High School in San Francisco； provides an indication of the potential impact： more than 25 percent of the students involved in the school's program in Spring 1996 secured summer jobs as a direct result of their single…semester experience。
And for teachers who have seen the early impact on students and their futures； the Academy stands as a model for school…to…work programs。
Dennis Frezzo； technology instructor at Thurgood Marshall says； 〃In one leap； Cisco has helped us have the most effective school…to…work program I've seen locally； and we're proud of that。〃
〃The energy level of these students is so high； it's hard to find the words to describe it；〃 says Barry Williams； who oversees Regional activities for the Round Valley School District in Springerville； Arizona。 〃Once； about half of my students had permission to leave school about 20 minutes early。 But not a single one left。 I talked topologies and media for 90 minutes without a break。〃
FAQ about academy
What are some of the benefits that the Cisco Networking Academy program can provide to schools and institutions of higher education？
The Cisco Networking Academy Program Market Report ＇PDF 95K＇ highlights the application of the Cisco Networking Academy program to high schools； technical schools； community colleges； and universities。 The Cisco Networking Academy program provides the opportunity to obtain two levels of certification； Cisco Certified Networking Associate （CCNA） and Cisco Certified Networking Professional （CCNP）。 Both certifications are designed to meet employment standards for the networking industry。
What are the requirements to be a Regional Academy？
Please download the Regional Academy Requirements Factsheet ＇PDF 19K＇。
What are the requirements to be a Local Academy？
Please download the Local Academy Requirements Factsheet ＇PDF 20K＇
What is the difference between a Regional Academy and a Local Academy？
Regional Academies have administrative responsibilities for managing ten Local Academies； they designate a full…time employee to manage the Networking Academy Program； and they attend Cisco training and in turn train their Local Academy instructors。 Regional Academies track the equipment inventory of their Local Academies and answer curriculum questions or refer them back to the Cisco Networking Academy team。 They also deal directly with the Cisco Networking Academy team。
Local Academies are responsible for having trained instructors who teach the curriculum to students； these instructors supervise students as they design； build； and maintain their school's network。
Can a Local Academy exist without a Regional Academy to support it？
No。 Regional Academies provide many services to Local Academies such that Locals cannot exist without a supporting Regional。
Why do Local Academies have to commit to four semesters of classes？
If they don't teach all four semesters； students won't learn all the skills needed to properly support a TCP/IP Ethernet routed and switched network。 They also won't learn everything they need to be prepared to take the Cisco Certified Networking Associate exam。 Cisco wants to avoid offering incomplete programs。
How are the Regional Academy instructors trained？
Regional Academy instructors are trained by Cisco。 The first semester training is eight days； the second semester training session lasts five days； and the third and fourth semesters combined is six days。
Where is the training for the Regional Academy instructors held？
Current training sessions are held in Arizona； Minnesota； North Carolina； California； Florida； and Wisconsin。
How are the Local Academy instructors/teachers trained？
Local Academy instructors/teachers are trained by their Regional Academy trainers。
Who pays travel costs and expenses for the Regional Academy instruction？
The Regional Academy pays any travel costs and expenses for up to two instructors from their Regional Academy to attend training。 These costs are passed on to the Local Academies。
May I see a sample of the curriculum？
A sample module of semester one as well as an outline of the four semesters of curriculum are available on the Web site （cisco/edu）。
Do Cisco people install new hardware/software for the Academy； free of charge？
In the training that Cisco gives； Regional Academies are shown how to set up the equipment that is part of the next semester curriculum。 The instructors are shown everything they need to install for that upcoming semester。 Cisco also provides phone assistance in setting up the lab to Regional Academies who have attended training。 Regionals in turn provide assistance to their Local Academies。
May we receive a list of the other pilot schools so we can contact them and see how they have made use of the materials and with what success？
Yes。 Contact your local Cisco education account manager。
Are there any prerequisites for the Cisco Networking Academy curriculum； either for the students or for the Regional or Local Academy instructors？
The curriculum assumes no prior knowledge of computers or networks。 An eighth grade reading and math proficiency is expected； as well as a desire to learn the curriculum。
What is the status of getting the Networking Academy curriculum approved by State Education Organizations？
Each state has different requirements for curriculum approval。 Cisco is not currently engaged in any efforts on its own to gain statewide certification of the curriculum； but we are interested in working with a champion or champions in each state to help us achieve appropriate approval（s）。
Are the four courses aimed at being three credits each； and are they sequential in nature； in other words； is the first course the prerequisite for the second； which in turn is the prerequisite for the third； and so on？
They are prerequisite based and are sequential。 The courses are designed to be taught one hour a day； five days a week； but the setup can be changed to accommodate block class scheduling。
Are the courses designed to contain any particular number of students per section？
Cisco's only requirement is that there be no more than three students per computer。 The optimum is 20 students； but it's possible to have 30； and some even have 35。
Are the students expected to print manuals from the Web； or do they purchase manuals separately？
You wouldn't want to print this curriculum from the Web； since so much of it is interactive with quicktime movies and animation。 The materials that are on line are presently meeting teachers' and students' needs。
What kind of controls are there on course materials？
The Regional Academy has no way of controlling what a student does with the materials after they leave school property。
Are the materials copyrighted？
The curriculum is copyrighted。 Course materials and handouts are treated like any other type of curriculum would be treated。
Is there any maximum on the number of sections of a Cisco course we can offer？
No。 You can offer it as many times as you want； And if you decide that you need a second lab； you may purchase or lease one。
Can we use part of a Cisco course in some existing course that we already offer； such as a concepts course of some kind？
If it's to give an overview to solicit student interest； it's possible。 Cisco doesn't want schools to say 〃We're going to take your curriculum and put it into already existing curriculum and call that the class。〃 From an interest standpoint； it's fine to give some basic overview material； but it can't replace the need to teach the entire curriculum。
Can the Regional Academy use the materials for training its administrative or IS staff； or are the Cisco courses for academic use only？
It can't be the only use of the curriculum； but having IS staff that are trained using the same curriculum is ideal。 Staff members familiar with the curriculum could act as mentors to the students。
Are there any restrictions on the use of Cisco courses as a standalone 〃certificate〃 vs。 being part of the requirements for a two…year degree program （which would have additional requirements； of course）？
People who want to go into the training business are welcome to apply to be a Cisco Training Partner。 Cisco's training group wants to add training partners。 But Cisco doesn't want the academies to become competitors with local training partners by teaching accelerated courses。 This curriculum has been specifically designed and task analyzed for delivery in an academic； semester environment； Cisco wouldn't want someone to try to re…engineer that setup into a five…day…per…week； eight…hour…per…day workshop。 The courses in the training partner environment are specifically geared toward that。
What is the name of the Cisco certification that students who complete the four Cisco courses and pass the certification exam earn？
Cisco Certified Networking Associate。
How do we keep our grades and tests safe from students who are working on maintaining our network？
The Networking Academy tests are to be k