Virtual Schools in the U.S. 2019

National Education Policy Center. School of Education 249 UCB University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309. Tel: 303-735-5290; e-mail: nepc@colorado.edu; Web site: http://nepc.colorado.edu

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Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice

Computer Simulation; Efficiency; Distance Education; Academic Achievement; Institutional Characteristics; Public Education; Educational Research; Educational Practices; State Legislation; Educational Policy; Teaching Methods; Blended Learning; Student Characteristics; Elementary Secondary Education; Educational Finance; Governance; Educational Quality; Teacher Effectiveness; Teacher Student Ratio; Enrollment; Educational Improvement; Accountability; Costs; Online Courses; Full Time Students; Charter Schools; School Effectiveness; Proprietary Schools

As proponents continue to make the case that virtual education can expand student choices and improve the efficiency of public education, full-time virtual schools have attracted a great deal of attention. Advocates contend that this potential for individualization allows virtual schools to promote greater student achievement than can be realized in traditional brick-and-mortar schools. NEPC researchers found, however, that the research evidence does not support this claim. This three-part brief provides disinterested scholarly analyses of the characteristics and performance of full-time, publicly funded K-12 virtual schools; reviews the relevant available research related to virtual school practices; provides an overview of recent state legislative efforts to craft virtual schools policy; and offers policy recommendations based on the available evidence.

As Provided

2019

ED595244