As a follow-up to my post last summer, I came across this article on mandated online learning requirements. As online learning becomes more prevalent, a number of states and school districts are taking initiatives to require online learning experiences for their K-12 students:
- Michigan was the first state to require students to complete at least 20 hours of online learning between grades 6 and 12 (2002).
- Idaho recently passed a requirement for all high school students to complete two credits of online learning for graduation (Sept. 2011).
- Florida now requires online learning credits as part of their revised graduation requirements (2011).
- Alabama and New Mexico require an online “experience” as part of graduation.
Students are encouraged to complete the requirement on their own time (in the evenings or during summer) or as part of their high school schedule. To ensure equity of access for all students, schools are making their computer labs available during lunch or after-class hours or instituting a laptop check-out program (similar to a library book) so that all students have access to the technology.
As I suggested back in July, it is evident that “more kids will learn in cyberia” and that, once again, we are proceeding down the right path as we consider online learning for a Christian high school environment. This serves as a reminder, too, that we will need to address equity and access issues as part of our plan.
Reference:
Davis, M. R. (2011, Oct. 19) States, districts move to require virtual classes. Education Week: Digital Directions. Accessed Oct. 20, 2011 through Education Week.
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