Online Learning in Washington State School Districts August 18, 2009

The Problem Washington State has little centralized data and it is limited in scope. Most meaningful policy and practices regarding online learning have been set at the district level, with no consistent reporting mechanism.

Washington State has little centralized data and it is limited in scope.

Most meaningful policy and practices regarding online learning have been set at the district level, with no consistent reporting mechanism.

The Question What are Washington State school district policies and practices related to online learning?

What are Washington State school district policies and practices related to online learning?

The Definition Online courses are defined as fully online, delivered entirely via the Internet, with no face-to-face component.

Online courses are defined as fully online, delivered entirely via the Internet, with no face-to-face component.

The Report Based on an online survey of 20 questions sent to each district in the state 45% completion rate

Based on an online survey of 20 questions sent to each district in the state

45% completion rate

The Issues District policies regarding student access to online courses, such as restrictions and policies to handle student requests to take one or more online course for credit Perception of barriers to online courses and how students receive information about online courses Types of course providers from which students take online courses for credit and which types of courses are likely to be approved for credit Funding and tracking of online courses taken for credit Practices to ensure online course quality

District policies regarding student access to online courses, such as restrictions and policies to handle student requests to take one or more online course for credit

Perception of barriers to online courses and how students receive information about online courses

Types of course providers from which students take online courses for credit and which types of courses are likely to be approved for credit

Funding and tracking of online courses taken for credit

Practices to ensure online course quality

National Trends Districts reporting students enrolled in online learning

National Trends Number of students enrolled in online learning

National Trends In 2007-08, 665,871 students were enrolled in fully online courses In 2005-06, 73% of online students were in grades 9-12. This percentage dropped to 64% by 2007-08.

In 2007-08, 665,871 students were enrolled in fully online courses

In 2005-06, 73% of online students were in grades 9-12. This percentage dropped to 64% by 2007-08.

National Trends Major barriers/issues in national surveys: Concerns about course quality Course development and/or purchasing costs Concerns about FTE funding issues with online students Need for teacher training

Major barriers/issues in national surveys:

Concerns about course quality

Course development and/or purchasing costs

Concerns about FTE funding issues with online students

Need for teacher training

State Trends Student enrollment in 2007-08: 14,266 students taking at least one course 6,766 took just one 3,630 took two or more (but not full time) 3,827 took all courses online

Student enrollment in 2007-08:

14,266 students taking at least one course

6,766 took just one

3,630 took two or more (but not full time)

3,827 took all courses online

State Trends In 2007-08: 301 schools had one or more secondary students enrolled in online courses 26 schools had 100 or more students enrolled in at least one online course

In 2007-08:

301 schools had one or more secondary students enrolled in online courses

26 schools had 100 or more students enrolled in at least one online course

State Trends Three largest online schools in 2007-08: WAVA in Steilacoom – 2,513 students Insight School of Washington in Quillayute Valley – 991 students Internet Academy in Federal Way – 609 students

Three largest online schools in 2007-08:

WAVA in Steilacoom – 2,513 students

Insight School of Washington in Quillayute Valley – 991 students

Internet Academy in Federal Way – 609 students

Online Schools in Washington Advanced Academics Kent Full-time and part-time 8-12 Kent School District Kent Virtual High School www.highschoolontheweb.com/kent / Kaplan Virtual Education Statewide Full-time 7-12 Stevenson-Carson School District Kaplan Academy of Washington kaplanacademywa.com KC Distance Learning Statewide Full-time 7-12 Evergreen School District (Vancouver) iQ Academy Washington iqacademywa.net Insight Schools Statewide Full-time 9-12 Quillayute Valley School District Insight School of Washington www.insightwa.net Developed in-house Statewide Full-time and part-time K-12 Federal Way School District Federal Way Internet Academy iacademy.org / Digital Learning Commons, Apex Learning, Global Student Network, Calvert 10 member districts Full-time and part-time K-12 Valley School District Columbia Virtual Academy. www.columbiavirtualacademy.org Achieve Online Worldwide Full-time and part-time K-12 Private (located in Yakima) Christa McAuliffe Academy www.cmacademy.org Course Provider(s) Area Model Grades District School

Online Schools in Washington K12 Inc. Statewide Full-time K-8 Steilacoom Historical School District Washington Virtual Academy www.k12.com/wava/ Advanced Academics Centralia and Chehalis Full-time and part-time 7-12 Centralia School District and Chehalis School District Twin Cities Virtual Academy www.highschoolontheweb.com/twincities / Developed in-house Spokane Part-time 9-12 Spokane School District Spokane Virtual Learning www.spokaneschools.org/onlinelearning / In-house development, Apex Learning, Class.com Everett Full-time and part-time 9-12 Everett Public Schools OnlineHS online.everett.k12.wa.us OdysseyWare Statewide Full-time 6-12 Onalaska School District Onalaska Virtual School http://www.ov-school.com / Advanced Academics Statewide Full-time and part-time 9-12 Okanogan School District Okanogan Regional Learning Academy www.highschoolontheweb.com/okanogan / Advanced Academics Statewide Full-time and part-time 7-12 Marysville School District MOVE UP www.iwanttograduate.com / Course Provider(s) Area Model Grades District School

Survey Findings – March 2009 Purpose: Determine school district policies and practices related to online courses Part 1 – Respondent characteristics Part 2 – Survey findings – Policies and Practices Students taking courses for credit Online course providers, at-risk students, funding Tracking and quality assurance Access issues General comments

Purpose: Determine school district policies and practices related to online courses

Part 1 – Respondent characteristics

Part 2 – Survey findings – Policies and Practices

Students taking courses for credit

Online course providers, at-risk students, funding

Tracking and quality assurance

Access issues

General comments

Respondent Characteristics 133 schools districts = 45% response WA State School for the Blind WA State School for the Deaf Total enrollment = 495,509 = 48.4% 3 anonymous districts Representative sample, based on District enrollment Online course enrollment Urban and rural

133 schools districts = 45% response

WA State School for the Blind

WA State School for the Deaf

Total enrollment = 495,509 = 48.4%

3 anonymous districts

Representative sample, based on

District enrollment

Online course enrollment

Urban and rural

Policies – Students Taking Online Courses for Credit

District Size Variation Small (< 1,000) Medium (1,000 – 9,999) Large (> 10,000) None permitted All small districts (15) making up 25% of small districts 11 of 15 are rural 11 of 15 don’t have a high school No medium/large districts gave this response Most common response – only HS students permitted 64% have no restriction on number of courses taken at a time Those with restrictions: 1, 2, 3, 6 courses most common

Small (< 1,000)

Medium (1,000 – 9,999)

Large (> 10,000)

None permitted

All small districts (15) making up 25% of small districts

11 of 15 are rural

11 of 15 don’t have a high school

No medium/large districts gave this response

Most common response – only HS students permitted

64% have no restriction on number of courses taken at a time

Those with restrictions: 1, 2, 3, 6 courses most common

Who decides whether/how much credit is granted?

Determining Whether Course Can Be Taken for Credit 29% consider all 5 factors 17% consider 4 of 5 factors 51% consider >3 factors

29% consider all 5 factors

17% consider 4 of 5 factors

51% consider >3 factors

Online Courses Likely Approved 98% selected at least 2 course types

98% selected at least 2 course types

Other Credit Granting Policies and Procedures 34 districts 17 urban/17 rural 7 large/16 medium/11 small) Must be from accredited institutions Follow ALE policies and procedures Considers FTE status of student Who is involved / How approval process happens Student eligibility

34 districts

17 urban/17 rural

7 large/16 medium/11 small)

Must be from accredited institutions

Follow ALE policies and procedures

Considers FTE status of student

Who is involved / How approval process happens

Student eligibility

Online Course Providers Note: 17 wrote in DLC, though it was meant to be in “Nonprofit or Commercial Provider” category From which course providers do students take online courses for credit?

Note: 17 wrote in DLC, though it was meant to be in “Nonprofit or Commercial Provider” category

Districts Providing Own Courses 37 districts (27%) 8 provide internal courses exclusively Rest have at least one other provider 76% - medium/large 46% urban

37 districts (27%)

8 provide internal courses exclusively

Rest have at least one other provider

76% - medium/large

46% urban

Online Courses Helping At-Risk 74% of districts use as a tool Themes: Credit recovery/retrieval Alternative high schools/ALE programs

74% of districts use as a tool

Themes:

Credit recovery/retrieval

Alternative high schools/ALE programs

Funding for Online Who pays? Other responses: It depends, Grant, State, District 66 25 Courses beyond 1.0 FTE 54 71 Credit recovery 51 61 Electives 45 76 Required for graduation 38 58 College credit 47 61 Advanced Placement Student School Circumstance

Who pays?

Tracking Summary

Quality Assurance Question: What actions, if any, do you take to ensure that online courses are aligned with WA GLEs and or CBAs? 71% take some action 9% take no action Remainder – don’t know, NA

Question: What actions, if any, do you take to ensure that online courses are aligned with WA GLEs and or CBAs?

71% take some action

9% take no action

Remainder – don’t know, NA

What Actions? Review course curriculum, description, syllabus Assured alignment by DLC Same as with traditional courses Assuring accreditation Researching programs and providers Making sure instructor is Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT)

Review course curriculum, description, syllabus

Assured alignment by DLC

Same as with traditional courses

Assuring accreditation

Researching programs and providers

Making sure instructor is Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT)

Who is Responsible? Course provider Teacher Curriculum department Counselor and principal High school curriculum team High school department Curriculum advisory committee

Course provider

Teacher

Curriculum department

Counselor and principal

High school curriculum team

High school department

Curriculum advisory committee

Assuring Quality: Teacher PD Question: What kind of PD, if any, do you require for a teacher to be qualified to be an online instructor? 41% provided info on PD Online course provider DLC Online learning conferences In-house supervisor Orientation for teacher mentor Online program coordinator

Question: What kind of PD, if any, do you require for a teacher to be qualified to be an online instructor?

41% provided info on PD

Online course provider

DLC

Online learning conferences

In-house supervisor

Orientation for teacher mentor

Online program coordinator

Access Barriers 64% cited more than one barrier Others: student characteristics, misalignment of need and fit, district policies

64% cited more than one barrier

Others: student characteristics, misalignment of need and fit, district policies

Info Provided to Students about Online Courses

General Comments Students who have been schooled with online classes and then enroll at our school are usually behind our students. My main concern is that someday most students will take their high school courses online and teachers will no longer be needed. Completion rates drop off without a face-to-face component built in. I wonder how effective the funds used to support online classes are in terms of completion rates for courses without that support system built in. I would love to see the state provide funding opportunities for online courses

Students who have been schooled with online classes and then enroll at our school are usually behind our students.

My main concern is that someday most students will take their high school courses online and teachers will no longer be needed.

Completion rates drop off without a face-to-face component built in. I wonder how effective the funds used to support online classes are in terms of completion rates for courses without that support system built in.

I would love to see the state provide funding opportunities for online courses

General Comments Not for everyone. Only certain kinds of students are successful in this type of learning. Online course participation should be a graduation requirement for all students in preparation for the work world or higher education. Some regulation of all these online course providers and the basic education funding attached to various models seems like a good idea for the near future!

Not for everyone. Only certain kinds of students are successful in this type of learning.

Online course participation should be a graduation requirement for all students in preparation for the work world or higher education.

Some regulation of all these online course providers and the basic education funding attached to various models seems like a good idea for the near future!

Variations in Policies 64% of districts do not restrict the number of online courses a student can take at a time. Districts reported using 50 different kinds of online course providers. Districts listed 54 unique factors that are considered in determining if an online course can be granted credit.

64% of districts do not restrict the number of online courses a student can take at a time.

Districts reported using 50 different kinds of online course providers.

Districts listed 54 unique factors that are considered in determining if an online course can be granted credit.