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A new report finds that even in a tough economy, companies that are contracted to manage charter schools and other public schools are expanding.
The report out Friday is by the National Education Policy Center at the University of Colorado Boulder.
It says that much of the growth is in the area of online learning, known as “virtual schools.”
For the rest of the article, go to Report: Education management sector expanding
2. Among all news stories, a three-part series titled Troubling questions about online education drew the most page views in 2011. A joint project of EdNews and the Rocky Mountain Investigative News Network, the articles were based on an analysis of state data that showed half of Colorado’s full-time online students wind up leaving their virtual programs within a year – and they’re often further behind academically than when they started. On a national level, The New York Times also took a look at virtual schools.
3. Election coverage of school board races in Douglas and Jefferson counties was a hit, perhaps because the campaigns receive little coverage elsewhere. We get the message – there are great stories outside of Denver that deserve attention.
For the rest of the article, go to Wednesday Churn: Welcome back
This trend has alarmed the usual suspects, including the teacher unions who see online education as a threat to their monopoly. But teachers who are involved in virtual schooling are enthusiastic about its power to give kids a leg up.
One, Kristin Kipp at Colorado Virtual Academy in Jefferson County, says she has found that she got to know her high school students more through their steady stream of texts, emails and phone calls. “My constant message in an online classroom is, ‘I see you. I know you’re there.’ So kids are constantly getting messages from me saying, ‘Hey, your grade went up 5 percent this week. Congratulations; keep up the hard work.’”
For the rest of the article, go to Learning online
There are few choices parents will make that are more important than how to educate their children. That is why it is essential that they actually have a choice in the first place.
Online schools should remain a valid option in our public education system.
After my oldest struggled in a traditional school, I explored other public options for my second child. For us, having the option of a public online education has made a world of difference.
Thousands of other Colorado families make use of public online schools for a wide variety of reasons. Their children have been freed from a host of bad influences or obstacles to their ability to excel academically.
For the rest of the article, go to Guest Commentary: Online schools play essential role
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 55 percent of all school districts in the nation offered some form of distance or online learning in 2009-2010. The majority of these were in the country’s Central and Western regions and involved smaller rural districts similar to those in Teller.
In Colorado, according to a June 2011 report from the Colorado Department of Education, 45 of the state’s 178 school districts are certified to offer multi-district, full-time single-district or part-time single-district online programs. Colorado jumped on the virtual-school phenomena in 2007 when legislators created the Colorado Department of Education’s Unit of Online Learning.
For the rest of the article, go to Making the news in 2011
As of 2011, all school districts serving Teller County now have online schools.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 55 percent of all school districts in the nation offered some form of distance or online learning in 2009-2010. The majority of these were in the country’s Central and Western regions and involved smaller rural districts similar to those in Teller.
In Colorado, according to a June 2011 report from the Colorado Department of Education, 45 of the state’s 178 school districts are certified to offer multi-district, full-time single-district or part-time single-district online programs. Colorado jumped on the virtual-school phenomena in 2007 when legislators created the Colorado Department of Education’s Unit of Online Learning.
Agenda items include accepting a donation of real property and directing the superintendent to “take commercially reasonable steps in connection with the donation,” approval of a David Meade Massie grant application and approval of an agreement of participation between the school district and Jefferson County ESC Virtual Learning Academy.
For the rest of the article, go to Paint Valley school board to meet today
DENVER — More schoolchildren than ever are taking their classes online, using technology to avoid long commutes to school, add courses they wouldn’t otherwise be able to take — and save their school districts money.
But as states pour money into virtual classrooms, with an estimated 200,000 virtual K-12 students in 40 states from Washington to Wisconsin, educators are raising questions about online learning. States are taking halting steps to increase oversight, but regulation isn’t moving nearly as fast as the virtual school boom.
For the rest of the article, go to Virtual schools booming, while states mull warnings about lack of oversight
DENVER — More schoolchildren than ever are taking their classes online, using technology to avoid long commutes to school, add courses they wouldn’t otherwise be able to take — and save their school districts money.
But as states pour money into virtual classrooms, with an estimated 200,000 virtual K-12 students in 40 states from Washington to Wisconsin, educators are raising questions about online learning. States are taking halting steps to increase oversight, but regulation isn’t moving nearly as fast as the virtual school boom.
The online school debate pits traditional education backers, often teachers’ unions, against lawmakers tempted by the promise of cheaper online schools and school-choice advocates who believe private companies will apply cutting-edge technology to education. Is online education as good as face-to-face teaching?
For the rest of the art6icle, go to Virtual schools are booming as states consider warnings
It’s been a rough year for the public image of K-12 virtual education.
Studies in Colorado and Minnesota have suggested that full-time online students in those states were struggling to match the achievement levels of their peers in brick-and-mortar schools. Articles in The New York Times have questioned not only the academic results for students in virtual schools, but also the propriety of business practices surrounding the use of public dollars for such programs.
Meanwhile, two left-leaning magazines, The Nation and Mother Jones, contended this month that education policy reforms pushed by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in the name of digital opportunities for students have the ulterior motive of funneling money to big technology companies. And the move into education by the right-leaning media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, with his News Corp. conglomerate’s purchase of the educational technology company Wireless Generation, has drawn protests from some teacher advocates at public appearances by Mr. Murdoch.
For the rest of the article, go to Virtual Ed. Advocates Respond to Wave of Criticism
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