Barbour, M. K., (2015, March). The disconnect between policy and research: Examining the research into full-time K-12 online learning. A full paper presentation at annual conference for the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education, Las Vegas, NV.

1. Michael K. Barbour
Sacred Heart University

2. http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/virtual-schools-annual-2014

3. • “based upon the personal experiences of
those involved in the practice of virtual
schooling” (Cavanaugh et al., 2009)
• “a paucity of research exists when
examining high school students enrolled in
virtual schools, and the research base is
smaller still when the population of
students is further narrowed to the
elementary grades” (Rice, 2006)

4. 1. Comparisons of student performance based upon
delivery model (i.e., classroom vs. online)
2. Studies examining the qualities and
characteristics of the teaching/learning
experience
 characteristics of
 supports provided to
 issues related to isolation of online learners
(Rice, 2006)
1 Effectiveness of virtual schooling
2 Student readiness and retention issues
(Cavanaugh et al., 2009)

5. Literature Finding
Bigbie &
McCarroll (2000)
…over half of students who completed FLVS courses
scored an A in their course & only 7% received a failing
grade.
Cavanaugh (2001) …effect size slightly in favor of K-12 distance education.
Cavanaught et al.
(2004)
…negative effect size for K-12 distance education.
Cavanaugh et al.
(2005)
FLVS students performed better on a non-mandatory
assessment tool than students from the traditional
classroom.
McLeod et al.
(2005)
FLVS students performed better on an algebraic
assessment than their classroom counterparts.
Means et al. (2009) …small effect size favoring online cohorts over face-to-
face cohorts based on limited K-12 studies.
Chingos &
Schwerdt (2014)
FLVS students perform about the same or somewhat
better on state tests once their pre-high-school
characteristics are taken into account.

6. Ballas & Belyk
(2000)
participation rate in the assessment among
virtual students ranged from 65% to 75%
compared to 90% to 96% for the classroom-
based students
Bigbie &
McCarroll (2000)
between 25% and 50% of students had dropped
out of their FLVS courses over the previous two-
year period
Cavanaugh et al.
(2005)
speculated that the virtual school students who
did take the assessment may have been more
academically motivated and naturally higher
achieving students
McLeod et al.
(2005)
results of the student performance were due to
the high dropout rate in virtual school courses

7. Literature Finding
Kozma et al.
(1998)
“…vast majority of VHS students in their courses
were planning to attend a four-year college.”
Espinoza et al.
(1999)
“VHS courses are predominantly designated as
‘honors,’ and students enrolled are mostly college
bound.”
Roblyer &
Elbaum (2000)
“…only students with a high need to control and
structure their own learning may choose distance
formats freely.”
Clark et al.
(2002)
“IVHS students were highly motivated, high
achieving, self-directed and/or who liked to work
independently.”
Mills (2003) “…typical online student was an A or B student.”
Watkins (2005) “…45% of the students who participated in e-
learning opportunities in Michigan were either
advanced placement or academically advanced
students.”

8. Literature Finding
CO (2006) “Online student scores in math, reading, and writing have been
lower than scores for students statewide over the last three years.”
OH (2009) …online charter school students experienced significantly lower
achievement gains compared to brick-and-mortar charter schools
in the state.
OH (2009) Online charter schools “rank higher when looking at their ‘value-
added’ progress over one year rather than simply measuring their
one-time testing performance.”
WI (2010) “Virtual charter school pupils’ median scores on the mathematics
section of the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination
were almost always lower than statewide medians during the 2005-
06 and 2006-07 school years.”
CO (2011) “Half of the online students wind up leaving within a year. When
they do, they’re often further behind academically then when they
started.”
MN
(2011)
“Compared with all students statewide, full-time online students
had significantly lower proficiency rates on the math MCA-II but
similar proficiency rates in reading.”

9. Literature Finding
AZ (2011) “[N]early nine of every 10 students enrolled in at least one statewide
online course, all had graduation rates and AIMS math passing rates below
the state average”
OH (2011) “[N]early 97 percent of Ohio's traditional school districts have a higher
score than the average score of the seven statewide” online charter schools.
Those schools in Ohio also underperformed brick-and-mortar schools in
graduation rates.
PA (2011) 100% of these online charter schools performed significantly worse than
feeder schools in both reading and math.
AR (2012) …online students performed at levels comparable to their face-to-face
counterparts in six out of eight measures, and on the remaining two
measures online students outperformed their face-to-face counterparts at a
0.10 statistically significant level.
National
(2012)
“…students at K12 Inc., the nation’s largest virtual school company, are
falling further behind in reading and math scores than students in brick-
and-mortar schools.”
KS (2015) “Virtual school students perform similarly to traditional school students in
reading before and after controlling for student demographics. After
controlling for demographic differences, virtual school students’
performance in math was similar to that of traditional school students.”

10. Virtual Public Education In
California: A Study of
Student Performance,
Management Practices and
Oversight Mechanisms at
California Virtual
Academies, a K12 Inc.
Managed School System
http://www.inthepublicinterest.org/sites/default/files/Virtual_Public_Education_In_California.pdf

11. Several findings suggest that the virtual
education model advanced by K12 Inc. in
California does not adequately serve many of its
students. In every year since it began graduating
students, except 2013, CAVA has had more
dropouts than graduates. Its academic growth
was negative for most of its history and it did
not keep up with other demographically similar
schools after 2005. Its Academic Performance
Index scores consistently ranked poorly against
other demographically similar schools and the
state as a whole.

12. • Understanding that K¹²-managed schools are
serving large numbers of students who enter
behind grade level in math and reading
K12 Inc. Public Affairs. (2012). Response to NEPC report on K12 Inc.. Herndon, VA: K12,
Inc.. Retrieved from http://www.k12.com/response-to-nepc#.VPfKu2TF_Kk

13. • “K12 Inc. virtual schools enroll approximately the same
percentages of black students but substantially more white
students and fewer Hispanic students relative to public schools
in the states in which the company operates”
• “39.9% of K12 students qualify for free or reduced lunch,
compared with 47.2% for the same-state comparison group.”
• “K12 virtual schools enroll a slightly smaller proportion of
students with disabilities than schools in their states and in the
nation as a whole (9.4% for K12 schools, 11.5% for same-state
comparisons, and 13.1% in the nation).”
• “Students classified as English language learners are
significantly under-represented in K12 schools; on average the
K12 schools enroll 0.3% ELL students compared with 13.8% in
the same-state comparison group and 9.6% in the nation.”
Miron, G. & Urschel, J. (2012). Understanding and improving full-time virtual schools. Denver, CO: National
Education Policy Center.

14. “AYP is not a reliable measure of school
performance…. There is an emerging
consensus to scrap AYP and replace it with a
better system that measures academic
progress and growth. K12 has been
measuring student academic growth on
behalf of its partner schools, and the results
are strong with academic gains above the
national average.”
Jeff Kwitowski - K12, Inc. Vice President of Public Affairs

17. http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/02/02/is-k12-inc-out-of-the-woods.aspx

22. Director of Doctoral Studies
Sacred Heart University
mkbarbour@gmail.com
http://www.michaelbarbour.com
http://virtualschooling.wordpress.com