Virtual Schooling In The News

Beginning with the eSchool News.

Budget cuts threaten Missouri virtual school
	Budget cuts could force Missouri’s statewide virtual school to close midway through the academic year, leaving students with half-earned credits scrambling to complete their education. Key words: Missouri virtual school, online learning, distance learning, virtual school, virtual education, iNACOL, educational technology | Read More

Next Tech & Learning eNews.

Additional Resources
• Online Education: It’s Not Just for Students

Then, the ASCD SmartBrief.

Budget cuts could close Missouri virtual school at midyear
The Missouri Virtual Instruction Program, which offers courses to 1,600 students from kindergarten through high school, is in danger of closing midway through the academic year because of state budget cuts. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said the school could remain operational if parents or local districts pay the cost for students to attend. For about half of the school’s students, the virtual program is their only school. Columbia Missourian/The Associated Press (11/2)

Back to the regular Yahoo! News Alert for virtual school.

School goes virtual with online public schools
Lexington Clipper-Herald Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:24 PM PDT
(ARA) – More children are logging on instead of getting on the bus this season.

State budget cuts hit some students, virtually
KY3 Springfield Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:02 PM PDT
The Missouri Virtual Instruction Program is designed primarily for home-school students as well as those who can’t go to traditional school.

Analysis: Budget cuts could unplug virtual school
KOAM-TV Pittsburg Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:04 AM PST
Associated Press – November 1, 2009 1:04 PM ET JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Budget cuts could force Missouri’s online school to unplug halfway through the academic year.

Advocates of MoVIP decry cuts to online school
Jefferson City News Tribune Sun, 01 Nov 2009 05:16 AM PST
Students in the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program have been delayed in starting the online school program this fall. They are given a list of ideas to stay busy while the problems are fixed.

Analysis: Missouri cuts could unplug virtual school
St. Louis Post-Dispatch Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:56 AM PST
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Budget cuts could force a Missouri school to close midway through the academic year, leaving students with half-earned credits scrambling to complete their education. Some students, just a few credits shy of graduation, could wind up as high school dropouts.

School goes virtual with online public schools
Lexington Clipper-Herald Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:21 AM PST
(ARA) – More children are logging on instead of getting on the bus this season. <

Advocates of MoVIP decry cuts to online school
Jefferson City News Tribune Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:04 AM PST
Students in the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program have been delayed in starting the online school program this fall. They are given a list of ideas to stay busy while the problems are fixed.

Virtual high school a good fit for some
Seattle Times Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:12 AM PST
Yakima Online!, in its third year, offers an alternative to the district’s traditional, brick-and-mortar high schools and its other, more conventional, alternative programs.

Analysis: Budget cuts could unplug virtual school
Columbia Missourian Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:12 PM PST
JEFFERSON CITY — Budget cuts could force a Missouri school to close midway through the academic year, leaving students with half-earned credits scrambling to complete their education. Some students, just a few credits shy of graduation, could wind up as high school dropouts. Others, struggling with cancer, could miss their only chance to earn a degree. The school in question is the Missouri …

Budget cuts could unplug virtual school
KMOV St. Louis Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:15 PM PST
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Budget cuts could force a Missouri school to close midway through the academic year, leaving students with half-earned credits scrambling to complete their education.

Advocates of MoVIP decry cuts to online school
Jefferson City News Tribune Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:04 AM PST
Students and families affected by state budget cuts made to MoVIP, the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program. (Stephen Brooks/News Tribune photo) State budget cuts are gutting MoVIP, the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program, which pays for close to 1,600 Missouri students to attend the online school.

Virtual school targets Plumas County
Plumas County News Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:19 AM PST
Charter School Development Systems out of Newport Beach presented its petition to Plumas Unified School District Tuesday, Oct. 13, to implement an “online e-charter school†in the district.

Advocates of MoVIP decry cuts to online school
Jefferson City News Tribune Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:21 AM PST
State budget cuts are gutting MoVIP, the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program, which pays for close to 1,600 Missouri students to attend the online school.

Missouri virtual school may be unplugged because of budget cuts
KFVS 12 Cape Girardeau Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:20 PM PST
Govenor Jay Nixon says he is halting state funding for an online school as part of the $204 million budget cuts.

Pearson Introduces New Middle School “Interactive Science” Curriculum
PRWeb Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:09 AM PST
Students Dig Deep into Science with Virtual Learning, Personalized “Write-in” Texts, Hands-on Labs, and Blogging (PRWeb Nov 6, 2009) Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/11/prweb3170074.htm

CUSD board hears charter proposal
Calaveras Enterprise Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:59 AM PST
The proposal would create an online virtual public school, which Salazar said would target students who are not performing well in traditional classes or are having attendance problems.

School goes virtual with online public schools
Lexington Clipper-Herald Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:24 PM PST
(ARA) – More children are logging on instead of getting on the bus this season.

New director named for virtual school
Chambersburg Public Opinion Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:19 PM PST
NORRISTOWN — The Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School has named Joseph A. Bradley director of special education. He is a former high school principal of North Star School District, Somerset County, and assistant high school principal at South Fayette School District, Allegheny County.

Families react to virtual school loss
Columbia Daily Tribune Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:06 PM PST
At the computer lab at The Greens at Columbia apartment complex off Clark Lane, school is in session.

Military to Debut Virtual School
US News & World Report Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:36 PM PST
A new online curriculum is in the works to ease school transitions for itinerant members’ children.

Nothing from the Yahoo! News Alert for cyber school this week.

Moving on to the Google News Alert for virtual school.

Turning around bad schools with blended restarts
Huffington Post (blog)
Add about 30 state virtual schools and dozens of virtual district, contract and charter schools and you get enough capacity to teach about 3 million kids …
See all stories on this topic

H1N1 flu shots available after school
ABC Action News
The centers are set up to provide the vaccine to elementary school students, charter school students, virtual school students and students from school …
See all stories on this topic

Penn Foster Launches Virtual Yearbook
Reuters
About Penn Foster Penn Foster College, Penn Foster Career School, and Penn Foster High School are part of Penn Foster, Inc., a global leader in distance …
See all stories on this topic

Growing Number of Institutions Continue to Choose Elluminate Solutions to Meet …
Reuters
These include Bowie State University, Camosun College, Chattanooga State Community College, King Faisal University, Mississippi Virtual Public School, …
See all stories on this topic

Finally, the Google News Alert for cyber school.

Pa. charter school overhaul legislation proposed
Philadelphia Inquirer
The proposed Office of Charter and Cyber Charter Schools in the Department of Edu cation would have the authority to investigate complaints of fraud and …
See all stories on this topic

School enrollment in Beaver County continues to drop
Beaver County Times
That total includes students enrolled in Beaver County’s three charters — Pennsylvania Cyber Charter, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter and Beaver Area …
See all stories on this topic

Pa committee proposes sweeping reforms of charters
Philadelphia Inquirer
Citing The Inquirer’s reporting on fiscal abuses at area charter schools, the legislative proposal calls for the creation of an Office of Charter and Cyber …
See all stories on this topic

FREE WEBINARS for National Distance Learning Week (Nov. 9 – 13, 2009)

I wanted to follow-up on the earlier entry today, and I’ll post this with no more tag as there are a number of homeschooling, blended and K-12 sessions.

National Distance Learning Week–November 9-13, 2009       What will you do for NDLW 2009?   Purpose: The purpose of National Distance Learning Week (NDLW) is to generate greater awareness and appreciation for distance learning, including K-12, Higher Education, Corporate and Military, while recognizing leaders and best practices in the field. Goal: For schools, colleges, and corporations to conduct local events during NDLW to celebrate and promote the field of online learning. When: November 9th – 13th, 2009 Who: Professionals engaged in the day-to-day practice of distance learning (schools, colleges, corporations, military) and individuals and organizations providing products and services being distributed via online, video conferencing and satellite technologies. For more information on NDLW contact USDLA at 1.800.275.5162. http://www.ndlw.org/ ====================== FREE USDLA WEBINARS FOR NATIONAL DISTANCE LEARNING WEEK (NDLW) NOVEMBER 9-13, 2009 Visit this link to register: http://www.usdla.org/index.php?cid=115 *Make sure you fill in all areas of the RSVP form. ====================== MONDAY (NOV. 9th) 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 pm (ET) Pre K-12/HomeSchooling This webinar will explore how the use of related information, communication, and educational technologies are being used to support and improve Pre K-12 / home school based learning and student achievement. Specific areas of interest may focus on professional development for trainers/educators, cooperative models for developing and distributing instructional materials, best practices around all aspects of blended learning, content management, reusable content, development tools, learning governance and other related topics. Register Today: http://www.usdla.org/index.php?cid=115 Sponsored & Hosted by: Elluminate, Inc. (http://www.elluminate.com/) 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (ET) Higher Education This webinar will explore a broad range of issues related to the institution’s/unit’s practices and procedures as new global campuses become the norm and the traditional education landscape transforms. Specific areas of interest may focus on strategic planning, accreditation, faculty workload, international programs, virtual learning communities, leadership, connecting educational institutions globally, trends, best practices and alternative education as an issue of national competitiveness. Register Today: http://www.usdla.org/index.php?cid=115 Sponsored & Hosted by: Elluminate, Inc. (http://www.elluminate.com/) ====================== TUESDAY (NOV. 10th) 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 pm (ET) Blending Learning This webinar will explore the economy of scale and power of blended learning which is derived from its “elasticity”: the ability to integrate a variety of synchronous and asynchronous media allowing the instructional designer to attain the most appropriate blended learning solution. Each participant will receive a FREE copy of the USDLA Instructional Media Selection Guide for Distance Learning authored by Dr. Jolly Holden and Dr. Philip Westfall. Register Today: http://www.usdla.org/index.php?cid=115 Sponsored & Hosted by: Elluminate, Inc. (http://www.elluminate.com/) 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (ET) Game-based Learning This webinar will explore a broad range of issues related to Game-based Learning and some of the trends seen in this growing market. Specific areas of interest may focus on the differences, simulations and trends for Game-based Learning to include uses across various markets and social causes. Register Today: http://www.usdla.org/index.php?cid=115 Sponsored & Hosted by: Elluminate, Inc. (http://www.elluminate.com/) ====================== WEDNESDAY (NOV. 11th) 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (ET) Military / Government: **VETERANS DAY SPECIAL** This webinar will explore training, educating and benefits across the U.S. military. In excess of $20 billion is spent to train and educate service members each year, involving the delivery of thousands of courses for hundreds of specialized occupational areas. In addition, other governmental organizations are dealing with how to bridge that gap in a technology driven ever increasing globalize economy.  Specific areas of interest may focus on learning management systems, benefits of the new GI Bill, Virtual Worlds, human capital solutions, performance initiatives, innovative delivery methods for content in multiple modes, transformation of training, Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM), and interagency and multinational collaboration. Register Today: http://www.usdla.org/index.php?cid=115 Sponsored & Hosted by: Elluminate, Inc. (http://www.elluminate.com/) ====================== THURSDAY (NOV. 12th) 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (ET) Public Policy This webinar will explore today’s policy initiatives which drive information and communication technologies with a focus on distance learning opportunities for education and training. To that end and in order to support, accelerate and fulfill the tremendous potential of distance learning and its impact on education and training technologies, the USDLA Public Policy Committee supports an open discussion forum.  Specific areas of discussion for this event will cover an overview of Department priorities, status of legislative initiatives, reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act along with workforce development. Register Today: http://www.usdla.org/index.php?cid=115 Sponsored & Hosted by: Elluminate, Inc. (http://www.elluminate.com/) 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (ET) USDLA and Membership: Chapters, Membership and How to Get Involved! This webinar will explore the United States Distance Learning Association, which is a non-profit organization formed in 1987 and is located in Boston, Massachusetts. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking and opportunity. Distance education and training constituencies served include pre-k-12 education, higher and continuing education, home schooling, as well as business, corporate, military, government, and telehealth markets. Specific areas of interest may focus on an overview of activities, direction and ways you and your organization can get involved via individual and/or organizational levels with state or global chapter support. Register Today: http://www.usdla.org/index.php?cid=115 Sponsored & Hosted by: Elluminate, Inc. (http://www.elluminate.com/) ====================== FRIDAY (NOV. 13th) 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (ET) Mobile learning This webinar will explore the new undiscovered learning environment and how it is changing the way the world learns and interacts in a global multi-billion dollar education and training market.  Specific areas of interest may focus on mobile learning, simulation, social networking, blended learning and Web 2.0 technologies. Register Today: http://www.usdla.org/index.php?cid=115 Sponsored & Hosted by: Elluminate, Inc. (http://www.elluminate.com/) 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (ET) International: Culture, Language and Collaborative Learning Globally This webinar will explore a broad range of issues related to collaborative learning globally. Specific areas of interest may focus on what various countries are doing in regards to distance/open learning, distribution, culture, language and providing overall accesses to learning globally. Register Today: http://www.usdla.org/index.php?cid=115 Sponsored & Hosted by: Elluminate, Inc. (http://www.elluminate.com/) ============================ Visit this link to register: http://www.usdla.org/index.php?cid=115 *Make sure you fill in all areas of the RSVP form.
Disclaimer If you have received this e-mail in error or wish to be removed from the distribution list please hit the (unsubscribe) link below and then delete the message. We have taken precautions to minimize the risk of transmitting software viruses but we advise that you carry out your own virus checks on any attached message.  Please be advised that USDLA and its affiliates do not sell mailing lists or provide customer information to other organizations. Your e-mail address is used to maintain member and customer contact information and provide notification of new distance learning, education and training news, activities and events. About USDLA The United States Distance Learning Association is a non-profit organization formed in 1987 and is located in Boston, Massachusetts. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking and opportunity. Distance education and training constituencies served include pre-k-12 education, higher and continuing education, home schooling as well as business, corporate, military, government, and telehealth markets. The USDLA trademarked logo is the recognized worldwide symbol of dedicated professionals committed to the distance learning industry.www.usdla.org

National Distance Learning Week, Nov. 9 – 13, 2009

This was posted to the iNACOL forums a few weeks back.

Dear Colleagues:

National Distance Learning Week 2009 is coming, and I wanted to take a moment to encourage your participation to promote and celebrate the tremendous growth and accomplishments occurring today in distance learning programs in your organization, on your campus and in your community. We want to help tell people about what you are doing to shape the future of education. Sponsored by the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA), (www.usdla.org) the 2009 National Distance Learning Week (NDLW) will be held November 9-13, 2009. During this time, schools, colleges, businesses and other organizations will highlight their offerings for current and prospective students and educators. Additionally, the USDLA will conduct a series of free webinars during National Distance Learning Week, educating their constituents on the latest happenings in distance learning.

The purpose of National Distance Learning Week is to generate greater awareness and appreciation for distance learning, including K-12, Higher Education, Corporate and Military, while recognizing leaders and best practices in the field. Therefore, we urge you to conduct local or national events during this time—whether you are a professional engaged in the day-to-day practice of distance learning, or an individual or organization that provides products and services being distributed via the Internet, video conferencing, or satellite technologies.

“[Distance] learning programs are invaluable because they provide a segment of our population with critical literacy and job-related skills as well as the means to take their careers to the next level,” said the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), former Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee.

There are a variety of ways to participate in National Distance Learning Week, from hosting a distance learning webinar to donating computers to educational facilities. Here is just a short list of ideas:

- Provide a link from your website, wiki or blog to the NDLW site (download a logo at http://www.ndlw.org/media.html )

- Send an email to your communities inviting them to the NDLW site or to your own NDLW promotional event

- Help your clients to host an NDLW event within or outside their organization for educational outreach

- Participate in one of our live webinars ( http://www.ndlw.org/learners.html )

- Launch new products and services during NDLW

- Provide content/giveaways for the NDLW website that promotes distance learning awareness in some way. Although content may be branded, please ensure that it is educational/informative in nature and not overly marketing oriented.

For additional ideas, more information, or press materials, visit www.ndlw.org.

This is the time to celebrate your accomplishments and highlight your contributions to the field of distance learning!

Please feel free to forward to members of your professional networks who may want to take advantage of this opportunity.

NRCRES Conference: Increasing Rural 8th Graders’ Access to Algebra I: Is Online Education An Effective Alternative?

The final day of The National Research Center on Rural Education Support’s Supporting Rural Schools and Communities Research Conference (see program here). The breakout session today that focused upon K-12 distance education is:

8:00 – 9:45
Break-Out Session I
Distance Education and Technology

Chairs: Judith Meece and Matthew Irvin
Discussant: Miles Bryant (UNL)

Presenters:

• Wallace Hannum (UNC-CH) and Matthew Irvin (UNC-CH) – Enhancing Distance Education in Rural Schools
• Michael Barbour (Wayne State University) – Supporting K-12 Students Online: Local schools, Virtual Schools, and Teacher Education
• Peggy Clements (REL-NEI) – Increasing Rural 8th Graders’ Access to Algebra I: Is Online Education an Effective Alternative?
• Steve Oliver (UGA) – Relevance of NSF Drivers of Systemic Reform for Instructional Technology Interventions

This entry is focused on the first group in this session:

Peggy Clements (REL-NEI) – Increasing Rural 8th Graders’ Access to Algebra I: Is Online Education an Effective Alternative?

The session began with a rationale for her study…  Studying Algebra I because it is a gatekeeping course for more advanced mathematics, and studying it in an online environment with eighth graders because online delivery is a common way to increase access to curricular opportunities.  The sample focused on 70 schools in Maine and Vermont that did not previously offer Algebra I courses in their school.  The students who were the focus of the study were “algebra ready” (AR) eighth graders (based on the decision of the schools), but they were also interested in any side affects for the three quarters of eighth grade “non-algebra ready” students who were left in the classroom environment.

The primary research questions were:

1. What is the impact of offering Algebra I online to AR students on their end-of-eighth grade algebra achievement?
2. What is the impact of offering Algebra I online to AR students on their subsequent high school course taking?

The secondary research questions:

1. What is the impact of offering Algebra I online to AR students on the N-AR students mathematics achievement?
2. What is the impact of offering Algebra I online to AR students on the n-AR students subsequent high school course taking?
3. What is the impact of offering Algebra I online to AR students on the AR general mathematics achievement?

Unfortunately, while the research project has been completed the funding agency hasn’t approved the report yet – so the presenter was not able to discuss the results.

As a side note, on two separate occasions the presenter decided to “correct” something she thought I had said in my presentations – the first time she clearly wasn’t listening to what I said and the second time it was something she appears to have made up altogether.

Crossposted at Rural Education SIG.

NRCRES Conference: Enhancing Distance Education In Rural Schools

The final day of The National Research Center on Rural Education Support’s Supporting Rural Schools and Communities Research Conference (see program here). The breakout session today that focused upon K-12 distance education is:

8:00 – 9:45
Break-Out Session I
Distance Education and Technology

Chairs: Judith Meece and Matthew Irvin
Discussant: Miles Bryant (UNL)

Presenters:

• Wallace Hannum (UNC-CH) and Matthew Irvin (UNC-CH) – Enhancing Distance Education in Rural Schools
• Michael Barbour (Wayne State University) – Supporting K-12 Students Online: Local schools, Virtual Schools, and Teacher Education
• Peggy Clements (REL-NEI) – Increasing Rural 8th Graders’ Access to Algebra I: Is Online Education an Effective Alternative?
• Steve Oliver (UGA) – Relevance of NSF Drivers of Systemic Reform for Instructional Technology Interventions

This entry is focused on the first group in this session:

Wallace Hannum (UNC-CH) and Matthew Irvin (UNC-CH) – Enhancing Distance Education in Rural Schools

This session was a follow-up or more detailed focus on the qualitative results from yesterday’s session (see NRCRES Conference: Overview Of The Enhancing Rural Online Learning Project).  The data was based on discussion boards and interviews.  Some of the findings included:

• scenarios very useful to facilitators
• felt strategies likely effective but time limitations often impeded use
• already knew students and families very well
• the APA Learner Centered Principles may be better for less experienced educators

Interestingly, the research targeted what they called “very small” rural school and for over 80% of the schools that participated in their study this was the first time they had online learning in their schools. Based on their findings, they found that the best facilitators

• communcated regularly
• kept teacher informed of absences in advance
• had some connection to the content
• were aware of what students were doing
• assisted students with daily activities
• kept students on task
• were more than just a “baby sitter”
• checked daily e-mails from teacher
• were effective classroom managers

In terms of practice, the researchers found the facilitators were likely important, particularly when there was good communication and awareness of the role.

Crossposted at Rural Education SIG.