Quantcast
728 x 90
728 x 90
728 x 90
728 x 90
728 x 90

Public K-12 Online Education: Stop the Discrimination

IB-2001 (November 2001)
Author: Pamela Benigno

PDF of full Issue Backgrounder
Scribd version of full Issue Backgrounder

Synopsis

Technology is expanding opportunities in education. Today elementary and secondary students can enroll in an online education program and never walk into a brick and mortar building. Students can take most any class online, even art and music. They usually communicate with a teacher through e-mail and telephone. Students can enroll in a private program and pay tuition, or enroll in a public program through a Colorado public school district for free. Through a law passed in 1998, the State of Colorado sanctioned online public education programs. All public education online programs are supervised by local school districts according to state guidelines, just like brick and mortar public schools.

Under Colorado law, any student can enroll in a public online program unless during the previous year the student was participating in a home school program or enrolled in a private school. This is clear discrimination against two select groups of students. The law should be changed to allow equal access to public online elementary and secondary education programs.