This document discusses the growth of online and blended learning programs. It notes that enrollment in online schools has increased 30% per year, compared to 11-20% annual growth for charter schools. The challenges of high dropout rates and students unprepared for college/careers are also mentioned. The document then provides definitions for online, blended, and traditional learning. It reviews the history and policy landscape of online K-12 education in the U.S. and gives examples of different types of online schools including statewide programs and those run by private companies. Research showing comparable or better achievement for online students is summarized before contact details are provided.

1. Background: Online Learning
Dr. Rob Darrow / Dr. Kelly Schwirzke
#Iste12
June 2012
http://iste12.wikispaces.com

2. Big Question:
What do you have to do to
create an effective and
sustainable online or blended
learning program? (Demystify
the myths, know the landscape,
create a plan)

3. Background – National Trends
 Two educational trends challenging
traditional education:
** Charter Schools **
Enrollment increases
11% - 20% per year
** Online Schools **
Enrollment increases
30% per year

4. One Other National Trend:
Static Dropout Rates

5. The Challenge for the Nation
Three out of every ten students do not graduate from high school.
About half of those who graduate are not college- and work-ready.
Source: EPE 2007; Greene 2002

6. Research and Dropouts
“Lack of school success is
probably the greatest single
cause which impels pupils to
drop out of school.”
– Ayres (1909). Laggards in our schools.

7. Online School History and Policy
 1994 – 1997 - First K-12 online schools:
– Utah Electronic School
– Virtual High School – Massachusetts
– Florida Virtual School
 2007 – Number of states with online programs / online
legislation: 42
 2007 – Number of online charter schools:
– 173 in 18 states
– 92,235 students (Center for Ed Reform, 2008)
 2008 – Online course enrollments grew by 65% from
2002-03 to 2004-05 (Means, 2009)
 2009 – More than a million K-12 online school students
(Picciano and Seaman, 2009)

8. Defining Terms
 Traditional Learning
– attend courses daily in face-to-face setting
 Online Learning
– attend courses online where 70% instruction
is online (may also have face to face interaction)
 Blended Learning
– attend courses online where 30% instruction
is online
 Charter School
– independently operated public schools of
choice

9. Definitions:
Online School Enrollment
 Part-time Online Students
 Take one or two online courses in
addition to attending traditional school
 One student in one course per
semester counts one
 Full Time Online Students
 One student attending the school
counts one
Watson, Gemin, Ryan & Wicks (2009). Keeping pace with
K-12 online learning.

10. One Example: Florida Virtual School
One student in one course for one semester

11. Definitions:
Counting Online School Enrollment
Standards in Some States (Florida, Idaho, Michigan)
 Part-time online students not officially counted,
except as an estimate in response to a
researcher’s survey
 Full time online students counted if they attend
an online charter school
 In California, public school students, including
charters, are counted each October via
California Basic Educational Data System
(CBEDS)

12. Types of Online Schools
A. National Companies – individual online charter
schools in different states (K-12, Inc.
Connections Academy, Insight)
– Primarily charter schools
B. Statewide – run by state agencies
– Some charters, some not
C. District / County – run by school districts or
county educational offices
– Some charters, some not
?? How many here in each category??
Watson, Gemin, Ryan & Wicks (2009). Keeping pace with
K-12 online learning. http://www.kpk12.com/

13. State/organization Full-time or 2007-2008 2008-2009 Annual
supplemental enrollment enrollment increase
Florida Virtual School Supplemental 120,000 154,125 25%
Idaho Digital Learning Supplemental 6,619 9,646 46%
Academy
Alabama ACCESS Supplemental 18,955 28,014 48%
Michigan Virtual School Supplemental 11,000 16,000 45%
Minnesota (state) Both 23,722 28,332 19%
Colorado (state) Full-time 9,238 11,641 26%
Ohio (state) Full-time 24,011 27,037 13%
Arizona (state) Both 15,000 23,000 24%
Connections Academy Full-time 13,000 20,000 54%
(across U.S.) charter
K12, Inc. Full-time 39,500 56,000 42%
(across U.S.) charter
Watson et al, Keeping Pace. http://www.kpk12.com/

14. Online Learning and Student Achievement
 Meta-analysis have found that overall,
student achievement in online schools is
the same or better when compared with
traditional schools
– Means et al. (2009), Cavanaugh et al. (2004)
 Emerging Research
– Online student interaction in discussion
boards / forums (Lowes, 2007)
– Student success / student attrition in
online courses (Porta-Merida, 2009; Roblyer, 2008)

15. Contact Information
Rob Darrow, Ed.D. Kelly Schwirzke, Ed.D.
Director of Member Services Instructor, Oasis Independent Study /
Coordinator of Online Learning
iNacol
Alternative Education Programs
559-838-6151
Santa Cruz County Office of
rdarrow@inacol.org
Education
www.inacol.org
P 831-466-5655
Rob’s Wiki:
C 831-359-1778
http://robdarrow.wikispaces.com
kschwirzke@santacruz.k12.ca.us
http://iste12.wikispaces.com