| Traditionally thought of as a venue for | | | | the Michigan Virtual School delivers online education |
| undergraduate and graduate students to pursue a | | | | to students who might not otherwise have |
| degree-or for established professionals to enrich | | | | access to particular courses. The state funds this |
| their careers-online schools are touted for their | | | | non-profit, private corporation, but the school itself |
| convenience, accessibility and cost-savings for | | | | does not directly grant credits or diplomas. |
| busy adults. But online school programs for kids | | | | Pros and Cons of Online Schools for K-12 |
| are also quickly becoming a staple in K-12 | | | | Students |
| education. | | | | States and online education providers typically |
| As part of its action plan for the class of 2020, | | | | offer online schools at no cost to K-12 students. |
| the State Educational Technology Directors | | | | And, as mentioned above, online education |
| Association (SETDA) identifies the crucial role that | | | | dramatically expands access to courses and |
| online schools play for children in grades K-12. | | | | curriculum for students. Online learning for K-12 |
| In its study, "Learning Virtually: Expanding | | | | students also provides these advantages:o flexible, |
| Opportunities," SETDA reports that as of | | | | self-paced learningo the chance for young |
| November 2008, 44 states had online learning | | | | students to advance technology skillso |
| programs. And a 2004-2005 survey found that 37 | | | | individualized lessons that match a student's unique |
| percent of school districts provided access to | | | | learning styleo resources for parents to use to |
| online education, with public high schools showing | | | | become more engaged in their child's education |
| the highest levels of online school enrollment. | | | | Additionally, online K-12 education offers an option |
| Along with online schools that originate within | | | | to school districts dealing with budget cuts, and it |
| states, online education providers, such as K12, | | | | can be a viable solution for children who need |
| Connections Academy and Canada's first e-school, | | | | alternative education options:o home-schooled |
| Linkonlearning, create curriculum for primary and | | | | childreno gifted or advanced learnerso military |
| secondary school children and teens. Online school | | | | family studentso students who are involved in the |
| programs like these typically provide a number of | | | | arts or sports and are unable to attend traditional |
| services:o a broad range of class options, including | | | | schoolso children who reside in rural or remote |
| language arts, reading, math, science and social | | | | areaso students who need supplemental education |
| studieso teacher supporto daily lesson plans for | | | | assistanceo students who don't thrive in traditional |
| parents looking to change or supplement their | | | | schools for a variety of reasons |
| child's traditional schoolingo fewer dropout rates | | | | But there are skeptics. A May 2009 U.S. |
| by offering academic programs that meet | | | | Department of Education (DOE) review of |
| diploma-level standardso programs for special | | | | research studies on online learning effectiveness, |
| needs populationso additional curriculum for | | | | entitled "Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in |
| advanced learnerso credit recovery, which enables | | | | Online Learning," found only a very limited number |
| students to retake a course that they previously | | | | (five) of rigorous studies on the efficacy of online |
| failed | | | | learning for K-12 students as compared to |
| As SETDA acknowledges, virtual learning is not a | | | | face-to-face instruction. Further, the DOE indicates |
| "one-size-fits-all" solution to educational issues. | | | | that policymakers should use caution in generalizing |
| However, it does expand access to education | | | | positive results of adult online learning experiences |
| regardless of a student's socioeconomic status or | | | | to K-12 education. |
| geographic location. And it gives students the | | | | In response to the DOE analysis, some educators |
| opportunity to experience individualized, self-paced | | | | add that face-to-face instruction is invaluable to |
| learning that can engage their unique learning style | | | | K-12 students. Teachers often rely on the |
| and encourage them to stay in school. | | | | non-verbal cues, behavior and expressions of |
| How Online Schools Work for Kids | | | | young students to discern how well they are |
| Online schools for grades K-12 can incorporate a | | | | learning a topic. Additionally, the face-to-face |
| mixture of online and traditional classroom learning | | | | interaction with peers and a caring, supportive |
| or involve a purely online approach, as the | | | | teacher can play a significant role in a child's social |
| following examples, taken from the SETDA study, | | | | development, especially those children who might |
| show.o Full-time online public school-The Arizona | | | | lack compassionate caregivers at home. |
| Connections Academy (ACA), which accepts | | | | Online Learning for Kids in Practice |
| students from anywhere in the state, offers a | | | | Both public and private school systems may be |
| free public school curriculum and provides | | | | interested in online elementary programs as a |
| textbooks, curriculum materials, online resources, | | | | supplement to their traditional curriculum, as a |
| a computer and an Internet service subsidy to | | | | way to manage expenses, as an option for gifted |
| students. Similarly, the Ohio Virtual Academy | | | | or challenging students, or simply to take |
| (OHVA), which uses K12 curriculum and services, | | | | advantage of new technology in education. |
| is open to students across Ohio and delivers a | | | | Kids enrolled in online elementary school will |
| highly interactive and engaging online learning | | | | become more familiar with current technologies |
| environment.o Public school with a blended online | | | | because they have to use a computer and work |
| learning approach-At the Chicago Virtual Charter | | | | with software programs. Grade school students |
| School, students attend class one day per week | | | | can also receive a more personalized curriculum |
| at a minimum, but rely on online learning to | | | | than in a traditional classroom where coursework |
| complete the majority of their curriculum. | | | | caters to the majority status quo rather than to |
| Typically, students have the same online and | | | | an individual's abilities and interests. |
| classroom teacher and study at their own pace, | | | | Whether a proponent-or critic-of online grade and |
| unless they have fallen behind in grade level. In | | | | secondary school education, one thing is clear: |
| that case, they must attend class in person an | | | | technology has impacted every facet of our lives, |
| additional number of hours per week.o Public | | | | from the way we shop to how we conduct |
| provider of supplemental online education-The | | | | research and gather our news. It's no surprise |
| Idaho state legislature created the Idaho Digital | | | | that education has been affected as well. As with |
| Learning Academy (IDLA) to increase course | | | | all technology, it's critical to apply some diligence |
| accessibility to students across the state. As of | | | | and oversight to be sure it's working well for each |
| November 2008, 87 percent of Idaho school | | | | child. Online learning continues to grow in |
| districts participated in IDLA, and the program | | | | popularity-there's no getting around it-but the key |
| offers a wide range of courses from AP Calculus | | | | is to use it effectively to meet the variety of |
| to Driver Education.o Private provider of | | | | needs that it can address. |
| supplemental online education-Similar to the IDLA, | | | | |