Update:
All the hoopla over how many Teaneck residents really don’t want a virtual charter in their neighborhood and a mere twenty show up to rally against the plan? That’s right. Only 20 people carried placards to protest against the plan, chanting “We want a say in what we pay.” This measly group showed up outside the National Guard Armory where Governor Christie was addressing the press on another issue. The Terrible Twenty were able to convince Teaneck’s mayor to call for a district vote before any charter school gets established.

This would be laughable if not for the misinformation about virtual and charter schools tossed about by this small group of malcontents. And, in the end, these malcontents were given a win, as the New Jersey Department of Education rejected the application; no doubt a political move aimed at calming suburban discontent.

The movement toward improving education today in the US includes a strong focus on digital learning, an approach that involves a myriad of delivery mechanisms via online tools for students, no matter where they live or attend school.  Digital learning today is opening up classrooms to the world, and bringing the world into the once parochial classroom. Gone are the days that a school in a state would be limited by distance and cost from availing its students of every imaginable lesson that exists in the world to enhance the learning process.  The bi-partisan, multi-faceted support base for online or digital learning programs has sparked a nationwide movement that now includes not just the proverbial computer in the back of the classroom, but entire classrooms and schools delivering world-class education online, to students from all backgrounds and communities.

That the US is finally employing on a much more narrow scale the tools that other countries have used to surpass its educational superiority should elicit cheers and detailed, meaningful analysis by education groups and media alike.  Yet despite a recognition that the classroom of agrarian 20th century America should be a thing of the past and that our most needy children, in particular, need access to communities that they are physically barred from entering without more education or social status and that online learning can help them see and understand better, a chorus of naysayers, critics and even outrageous anthems against online learning is taking place on the pages of the nation’s once best newspapers, in school boards that are suing over the potential for online schooling to take root in their communities and the very notion that education as its stands might “suffer” a change that involves better technologies.

Hiding behind antiquated assumptions about what it means to learn online or virtually are a growing cadre of award winning journalists with no background in education, junior reporters who are influenced by conventional education groups and the unison and school boards that oppose any novel ideas that they do not control. Yes, the condition of education reform today stands at a crossroads of a status quo so strident that it seeks to derail any meaningful activity toward progress

As an organization committed to ensuring high quality digital learning and high quality educational options for all students, we are speaking out about the accomplishments of students engaged in digital learning, and pointing out the misconceptions had by many.  Undeniably, more students and teachers are using digital learning tools and content in the classroom every day because they work.

We are on the right path to making our schools better – with more children from more places learning more and achieving more thanks to digital learning and choice. While not for all children, online public schools are providing NEW options for students and NEW choices for parents in public education.

By generating new choices for families, online public schools are also rapidly expanding the coalition of parents, grandparents, and kids – low-income and middle income, rural, urban, and suburban areas — that are joining the fight for choice in education.  Before online public schools, families in many states had NO options in public education and never experienced the freedom to choose the public school that best fit for their children.  They are grateful for options and choice and joining the national effort for educational reform and choice.

The information provided here is a starting point so that you can have the facts about online learning and correct the misconceptions out there within your community, state and local politics, and the media.

MYTH: Online Learning is a Short-Term Trend

Online learning is one of the fastest growing sectors of education over the last few years. It’s estimated that over 4 million K-12 students participated in some kind of online schooling, such as taking one class in their conventional public school, or attending a blended learning program, or a complete virtual charter school. Currently, some type of online learning opportunity is available to students in 48 of the 50 states plus Washington, DC. (iNACOL, A National Primer on K-12 Online Learning, Version 2, 2010; www.inacol.org/research/docs/iNCL_NationalPrimerv22010-web.pdf)

States like New York, Florida and Tennessee have changed their education laws to make it easier for online learning to expand.

MYTH: Online Learning is Only for Gifted Students

In the past, online learning was seen as a tool for gifted students who needed to surge ahead, or for child athletes and actors who had to be away from home for long periods of time. That is simply not the case anymore. Digital learning, because it is individualized to the students’ strengths is a great tool for all types of students, including at-risk, those who live in rural areas and don’t have many school choice options, or those with special needs. Online learning is a great tool for students who may be behind in their classes, because students can work at their own pace and review subjects that may be difficult for them.

Online schools and blended school programs are offering new options for disadvantaged children in places like Chicago (Chicago Virtual Charter School, YCCS Virtual High School), Cincinnati (Cincinnati Public Schools Virtual High School) and Pennsylvania (Commonwealth Connections Academy).

Rocketship Education (http://www.rsed.org/) is a non-profit elementary charter school network that opened the nation’s first hybrid school in 2007 with the goal of closing the achievement gap. They operate K-5 elementary schools that overall serve a population that is 90 percent free-and-reduced lunch and 75 percent English Language Learners. Their schools in California achieved an overall score of 868 on the 2011 Academic Performance Index (API) growth score. The API is based on a scale of 0-1,000 with a score of 800 being the state proficiency target. Three of Rocketship’s schools are within the top ten schools serving low-income students in Santa Clara County.

MYTH: Online Learning is Only Available to Families with Computers

Recently, in New Jersey, an online charter school’s application was rejected because the state believed that online learning eliminates families without a home computer or Internet access. However, that is not the case. Many schools that offer blended learning, meaning that one or two classes are online and the rest are in classrooms, provide the proper technology, access and computers within the school to facilitate learning. Complete online school programs, offered in partnership with providers such as K12, Inc. or Connections Academy, provide each student with a computer and access to the web so no child is turned away for their socioeconomic status.

MYTH: Online Learning is Cheaper

People believe that because online schooling does not require physical buildings they will be much less expensive than traditional schools. However, online schools do not exist in a vacuum. An online school needs to develop its technological infrastructure and computers and computer programs are costly. In addition, many online programs maintain student-teacher ratios similar to the ratios of traditional schools. For these programs, as with physical schools, a major cost is in teachers and other personnel, and these costs increase in a linear fashion with the increase in the number of students.

Funding of online education is a complicated and sometimes controversial topic and education policy regarding per-pupil funding has not yet caught up with the reality of the times. Today, online charter schools receive a total of about 30 to 40 percent less in total funding compared to total funds received by traditional schools to educate a full time student. It’s estimated that the national average for traditional public schools is about $10,000 per pupil and only between $6-7,000 per pupil for online students. (Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning: An Annual Review of Policy and Practice, 2011, http://kpk12.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/KeepingPace2011.pdf). Clear guidelines for funding online learning need to be established in states so that school districts understand and comply with the policies.

MYTH: Online Learning Has No Real Accountability

Online schools that function as public schools, or public programs, are held to the same state and federal standards as other public schools, including participation in state assessment tests, attendance requirements, and other accountability mandates. Online courses are aligned to the same state standards as conventional public schools. They require active participation, require that students take tests, and take attendance. Their teachers are state-certified and must meet existing state standards; their accounting operations must all be documented and audited.  Concerns of cheating online is not warranted, because there are ways, using technology to make sure the student is taking their own tests or writing their own papers.

MYTH: Online Learning Isn’t Getting Positive Results

According to a study by the US Department of Education in 2010 that did a meta-analysis of online learning studies, it found that students in online conditions performed modestly better, on average, than those learning the same material through traditional face-to-face instruction, with an average effect size of +0.20 favoring online conditions. (US Department of Education, Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies, September 2010, http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf)

In 2010, Florida Virtual School (FLVS), a statewide online school program, showed academic progress and high achievement. Content mastery is measured on end-of-course exams. In 2010-11, FLVS students outperformed the rest of the state with 45 percent receiving above-average scores, compared to only 35 percent. State-approved providers in Florida have consistently been given A’s and B’s by the state for outstanding performance.

Arizona Connections Academy was rated as a Highly Performing school under AZ LEARNS and met AYP for two consecutive years.  Ohio Virtual Academy, one of the largest online charter schools in Ohio – and in the U.S. – was rated an “Effective” school by the state in 2011.

The media unfairly represents online learning, particularly if a school does not make AYP. Because online schools are viewed as a single K-12 entity, if one subgroup fails to make AYP, then the entire school will not. In school districts, because they have a much larger population, one benchmark can be missed without affecting the district’s overall AYP score.  Additionally, online schools are seeing a rise in the number of students that are entering below grade level and/or behind in credits after failing in their local school.

For new models like online schools and blended schools, academic growth is a better and more reliable measure of performance, however many states have not enacted a sophisticated growth measure.  Many online schools and providers do use assessment tools to measure growth and have shown students are making positive academic gains. More scrutiny is needed when analyzing academic achievement of online schools compared with conventional school districts to make sure an apple-to-apples comparison is taking place.

Besides high marks in academics, parents are also extremely satisfied with online learning. In a survey of parents, Connections Academy found that 95 percent of parents are satisfied with the program, and 96 percent believe the curriculum is of high quality. K12 also receives equally high marks from parents. According to their survey, 96 percent of parents are satisfied with the program and curriculum.

MYTH: Online Students Have No Social Interaction

Students have as much, if not more one-on-one interaction with their teachers and students in online courses because they are receiving some individualized attention. Shy students thrive in online environments because they feel they can contribute in class without fear of being bullied by other students. Online students also participate in physical education and other extra-curricular activities or field trips with other students. Many online programs are part-time, meaning that the students take only one or two courses online while receiving the rest of their classes in their physical school. This keeps students involved with their classmates to engage face-to-face.

For example, Odyssey Charter Schools (http://www.odysseyk12.org/), a K-12 school in Clark County, Nevada, have used a blended learning model since opening in 1999. Their instructional model combines fully online, distance-based curriculum with required on-site attendance. Students attend classes on campus one day a week for four hours, receiving face-to-face instruction and mentoring with highly qualified teachers in classrooms equipped with computer and online access.

Options and Choice

As with all charter schools, the students in online public schools chose to enroll.  Online schools provide students more public school options and give parents the freedom to choose – regardless of where they live or socioeconomic status.  No student is required to enroll, nor is any student required to stay.  Parents make the decision that they believe is best for their children.

Online public schools are a new innovative model in education choice.  Online school leaders, teachers, providers, parents and kids are joining their allies in the charter school movement to fight for education reform, choice and freedom in public education.

Additional Resources for Information on Online Learning

iNACOL, The International Association for K-12 Online Learning, is a non-profit organization that facilitates collaboration, advocacy, and research to enhance quality K-12 online teaching and learning.
http://www.inacol.org/

Digital Learning Now! is a national campaign to advance policies that will create a high quality digital learning environment to better prepare students with the knowledge and skills to succeed in college and careers.
http://www.digitallearningnow.com/

Getting Smart is a site focused on innovations in learning.  It covers developments in research, technology, learning entrepreneurs, and strategies.
http://gettingsmart.com/news/nytimes-misses-the-mark/

Informing Your Community,
Communicating with the Media

Staying on Message

Given the negative media surrounding digital learning and school choice in general, it is important that you both speak out, as well as make clear, compelling arguments using only facts in your communications.

You want to share the good news, but don’t forget to temper your comments with a call to action: we need to use the data we have, and continue to accumulate data to get a true picture of online learning and its success!

We recommend sticking to three, simple messages when talking about online learning:

1. Online learning is quickly growing across the country and millions of families are making a choice to take advantage of the individualized programs they are able to access with success, that are often not available in their zoned school or even amidst some of the available choices. All choices are important because all children learn in unique ways.

2.  Attempts to discredit academic progress of those engaged in online learning modalities are premature.  State data systems are broken, and attempts to compare students in traditional schools with students in online classrooms miss wide variables and benchmarks. More data is needed that reveals individual growth levels and more research is needed on the work being done altogether.

3.  Myths abound about how and whether children learn in online learning environments. Speak to the myths and the realities that we know exist.

How to Inform Your Community

Whether you run a brick and mortar charter school, lead a grassroots group, a think tank or are “just” a citizen, it’s important that people in your community with whom you interact know that there are places to go for good information about this issue.

• You might start by directing your friends and colleagues to Digital Learning Now! (http://www.digitallearningnow.com/), a project of several leading education and reform groups uniting dozens of experts, policymakers and opinion leaders behind making digital learning possible for every child!

• Many parents have rallied behind this issue and formed a group called the National Council for Public School Options (www.publicschooloptions.org/) to help inform one another and you about the potential and information regarding online learning.

Educating the Media

Increased media attention to online learning is coming from a variety of sectors, most notably complaints by those in the education establishment or even disgruntled employees that believe their departure is related to the idea of digital learning and not their own skills.  However, make no mistake — the increased attention to digital learning has more to do with increased opposition to school choice in general than with this specific kind of school choice. It is important than anyone who supports education reform makes sure reporters in their community know that there is a whole host of data available on online learning achievement.

• Give reporters you have worked with a quick call and let them know that many of these articles on digital learning provide false information; provide them with this fact sheet for their file.

Remember, it’s okay if the reporter doesn’t write a story right away – it’s important that he or she have the information for future stories.

• Has your local newspaper featured negative articles on digital learning?  Use this as a chance to visit your local editorial board.

Find out who your editorial editor is, or who is in charge of arranging regular editorial board meetings, and request a time for you to come in and talk about this timely topic – remind them that the newspaper has been running news articles on the issue. Bring along a parent, a local lawmaker or a teacher who can help strengthen your case.

• Draft an opinion-editorial about choice in general and the importance of digital learning to options parents should have. Include any stories or numbers you have from local experiences. And remember – no matter how great a story you have to tell – keep it under 650 words!

• Write a letter-to-the-editor to your local paper with your three key messages – remember to include local statistics from the report. Keep the letter under 150 words.

• Having trouble identifying the right media?  Need a second-look at your opinion-editorial?  We’re here to help.  Call CER at (301) 986-8088.

• Encourage parents to write a letter to their local newspaper when they read negative coverage on school choice.

Engaging Lawmakers and Community Leaders

As you well know, our lawmakers read the newspaper, too.  It’s important that they know that there is more to digital learning than a couple newspaper articles!

• Write a letter to your local city council members, mayor and state legislator informing them of new, exciting research on online learning.  Include local statistics as well as anecdotal stories that support the message that school choice schools, including online ones, are doing a great job serving kids in their community.

• Make sure that your allies in the state legislator or city council have a fact sheet on online learning data, so that they can strengthen future testimony with credible research.

• And remember, thank these lawmakers for all they’ve done to provide an environment in which school choice can succeed, and encourage them to take the next step (removing restrictive caps, allowing alternative authorizers, or providing equal funding, to name a few).

Questions?

CER’s research, media, and policy experts are available to offer advice or answer any questions you have. Call us at (301) 986-8088.  We’re here to help you get the message out.

CMO schools represent 17% of the nation’s charter schools and are located in urban areas and in specific states because of charter laws that allow CMOs to manage schools and have autonomy. States include TX, CA, AZ and OH. Relative to host districts, CMO schools serve a larger number of black, Hispanic and low-income students, but fewer special needs students (13% vs. 9%).

When looking at academic achievement of students in CMO schools results are somewhat mixed. There are limitations to this study however. Only CMO middle schools were analyzed and achievement impact was only estimated in 22 CMOs. Overall, when looking at two-year impact, half of the CMOs were positively impacting students’ test scores, one-third were negatively impacting and the remaining schools have made no significant difference. In addition, there are certain high-performing CMOs that can generate up to three years of learning gains within two years of enrollment. These are generally larger CMOs that have more money via strong foundation support and are able to devote more time on developing strong leaders and curriculum. The study also found that academic impacts are largest in schools that incorporate a comprehensive behavior policy, or that utilize intensive coaching of teachers and have strong leadership.

When looking over three years, none of the academic impacts in any subject are statistically significant, although they are positive in all cases but one. Math and reading impacts were higher for Hispanic students at the nine CMO schools with sufficient data for analysis.

Another aspect of the study is analyzing CMO practices regarding managing the schools and teachers. According to the study, CMO principals report that their teachers receive more coaching and are more likely to receive performance pay than district teachers. Furthermore, 69% of CMO principals report using student test scores to evaluate teachers, compared to 46% of district principals. Ninety-five percent of CMOs in the study have school-wide behavior standards versus 76% of district schools.

This report is just a snapshot of a handful of CMOs across the country, but it does paint a strong picture of these charter school networks positively influencing students’ academic achievement and creating a safe learning environment with strong discipline and school leaders. However, more research and data is needed to truly measure the effectiveness of CMOs on students and schools across the US.

The 10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning are organized around three general areas: customization and success for all students, a robust offering of
high quality options and infrastructure.

The ten elements are:
1. Student Access
2. No Barriers To Access
3. Personalized Learning
4. Advancement (According to progress achieved)
5. Quality Content
6. Quality Instruction
7. Quality Choices (access to multiple digital learning providers)
8. Assessment and Accountability
9. Funding
10. Infrastructure

These “10 Elements” were unveiled in 2010 at a National Summit on Education Reform, and were fashioned by the Digital Learning Council, which convened the same year. Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida, and Bob Wise, former governor of West Virginia, are co-chairs on this council that brought together over 100 leaders from education, government, philanthropy, business, technology, and think tanks.

To help states get started on reform, the Digital Learning Now! initiative created a state report card based on the “10 Elements” framework. Check out what an ideal state’s digital report card looks like, and compare how your state stacks up.

In the coming weeks you’ll also be able to go to the Center for Education Reform’s State Map to see how digital learning factors into the overall rating and general education weather forecast for your state.