Online Learning in the United States
Lately I have been doing a lot of research on online learning. I have reviewed several reports compiled by organizations like iNACOL and the Sloan Consortium that help to document the trends of online learning in the United States. Here is a brief summary of my research along with the reports from which the data was gleaned.
The roots of online learning extend as far back as the early 1990’s. By 2001, approximately 10 states had state virtual schools. Ten years later, nearly all 50 states have some form of state virtual school or online school policy, however the scope of these programs and policies vary greatly. It is estimated that only 5% of the total US student population participates on online learning.
About 50 percent of all states have
- a statewide online learning program with developed policies and practices
- state-level policies that govern online learning programs across the state (Rice 2006)
As of fall 2010, 27 states plus Washington D.C. have at least one full-time online school operating statewide. (Keeping Pace 2010)
Image Source: Keeping Pace 2011
While the federal policy climate is favorable to online learning, policies at the state level make starting online programs challenging. Research conducted by NCREL (2004) concludes that only a few states have established policies in place for the development of K-12 online learning programs. In most cases online learning is little understood by policymakers. The results is the application of existing policies–policies that address the needs of physical schools– to online programs, which may not fit well and thus may not be in the best interest of students. (Rice 2006)
Sources:
Rice, Kerry Lynn. “A Comprehensive Look at Distance Education in the K-12 context.” Journal of Research on Technology in Education 38.4 (2006): 425-448. Web. 29 Apr 2011.
Watson, John, Amy Murin, Lauren Vashaw, Butch Gemin, and Chris Rapp. “Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning.” Evergreen Educational Group(2010): n. pag. Web. 29 Apr 2011. <http://kpk12.com/reports/>.
