Some Maine students would be served well by virtual schools, either because the online classrooms augment homeschooling lessons, offer the simplest way to educate youth who travel often or have health problems, or suit particular learning styles. There are no full-time, kindergarten-through-12th grade online schools in the state, but there are efforts to start them, and Mainers should educate themselves about the possible risks and benefits.
Distance learning is not a new concept at the college level, but an increasing number of public school students in the United States are completing their schoolwork from their living rooms and kitchens. About 250,000 students were enrolled in a full-time virtual school in 2011, up 40 percent from three years prior, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal. Every state offers some form of digital learning, while 30 states have full-time, online schools, according to the International Association for K-12 Online Learning.
Virtual schools continue to rightfully generate debate. Superintendents, principals and school boards are concerned about losing students and funding. Parents are worried about online classrooms removing the social and group-discussion component of school. There are questions about the effectiveness of online models, with some studies showing that students studying online score lower on standardized tests. Some online schools have seen success, however, and proponents argue that many students arrive to the online systems already behind academically because the traditional school approach failed them.
The online model is not for every student. Those turning to the virtual environment tend not to be poor or have special needs; students who perform better in the online setting are likely to be self-motivated learners. Parents might introduce their children to online offerings if they provide more specialized classes or flexibility than their local brick-and-mortar school. Or perhaps a student athlete needs to travel and can best complete schoolwork online. In some cases, students will not attend only an online school but take a blend of online and traditional classes.
In Maine, the question is not whether virtual schools will one day exist but how best to prepare for them. There is currently no statewide policy on the matter, but a legislatively driven resolve, signed by the governor March 1, directed the formation of a working group, which is studying the opportunities and challenges of online learning options. It would be helpful to know how many Maine children are potentially interested in attending a virtual school and what the effect would be on local districts. The group also should research what works at virtual schools elsewhere to make sure those best practices are replicated in Maine.
The Maine Charter School Commission is responsible for approving both physical and virtual charter schools, and this year it decided to postpone a decision on two virtual school applications, saying it needed more in-depth training on the issue. The applicants — Maine Virtual Academy, which proposed contracting with education service provider K12 Virtual Schools LLC, and Maine Connections Academy, which proposed contracting with Connections Education LLC — later withdrew their proposals, though they said they would reapply.
A recent story in the Portland Press Herald described how K12, based in Virginia, and Connections Education, based in Maryland, have lobbied Maine lawmakers to support virtual-school legislation and thus the formation of virtual charter schools that they would then control and profit from. People should know when lobbyists and interest groups stand to benefit from programs or laws they help develop, but the practice is not unusual. Textbook manufacturers routinely weigh in on education legislation, for example. Maine can gather policy ideas from a number of experts without being beholden to them — including companies in the field — in order to best serve students. It will need to examine the strategies pursued by other states to know what will work in Maine and what won’t.
Maine needs to ensure that future virtual charter schools are aligned with state standards, that student advancement is based on proficiency and that assessments clearly measure student progress. Teachers helping students participate in online schooling must be accessible and accountable. And there should be a separation between the entity running a virtual school and its governing board. If a virtual school does not perform at the promised level, it should be shut down.
Some opponents may argue that virtual schools take away control from districts, but they should remember that the decision to enroll a student elsewhere is a local decision, most often made by a family. Virtual schools will not be for everyone, but they can be beneficial for those who choose them. Maine should be ready to adapt to an increasingly technology-driven world.
One can only imagine the effects of virtual schools…but then again, we have a virtual governor to lead the way.
Actually, I can’t imagine. What is it that you imagine?
I can imagine the effects of physical school… oh wait I don’t have to I can list them for you:
excessive top/admin heavy and poorly managed budgets
a serious lack of academic success, faltering standardized scores across the country
higher then ever depression among children which stems from failing academically and socially i.e. bullying
Bullying itself is a result of having so many children together in close proximity with teachers and admin who are so afraid of being sued for disciplining children they do nothing to prevent it. In the age of technology the bullying isn’t just a problem at school it now follows children everywhere.
However, for home schooling families I’d also worry about (present company excepted, of course) about domineering parent/teachers, lack of resources to the family, depression for not measuring up to domineering parental standards (possibly typical of those who still think they clone their kids).
Are you sure you aren’t talking about children in public school?
So much of high school is drama, there is actually very little academic learning. It’s time we become more progressive on how we educate our children.
Public schools are still a socialization factor. Virtual and other home schooled kids probably have more problems working with other people once they’re out of school.
I am now retired but in my last 8 years in the work force I worked with a lot of young people. IMO they are more concerned with their social life than the job at hand. Not all but a majority seem to feel that their every move, thought, emotion, etc. needs to be discussed via twitter, text, cell phone. Maybe I’m impatient with that because most of my life I drove truck and was my own boss so to speak.
I suspect you are right. Already kids are too isolated from face to face interactions with others by too much television time and video games. Online schools (and even home-schooling) will keep kids from important social growth and development. Not to mention the obesity epidemic in children that would continue to skyrocket.
Linking homeschooling to obesity is silly. There are plenty of overweight kids in our schools and there will continue to be.
There is also no evidence that public school is positive for social development. Cite one study to that effect. If anything I hypothesis that; highschool via bullying and poor academic success will have a negative socializing effect, turning children cynical and introverted.
Homeschooled children have ample opportunities for important and positive socialization. Rather than learn negative social skills from same age peers, they have many adults in their lives that role model positive and effective social skills and practices. Homeschooled children most often are involved with sports activities, scouts, CAP, homeschool groups, church activities, volunteer opportunities, interactions within their family members, etc.
I have met many homeschoolers over the years and have not noticed any problems with obesity as a trend among homeschoolers. If anything, they have more opportunity to get up and move around during the day rather than their same-age peers who sit at desks all day. They also have healthy food choices versus getting foods from vending machines in schools that are filled with sugary sodas and other high calorie snacks.
Many of the foods served in school lunches are pre-made, frozen items with high sugar/carbohydrate/calorie count, and filled with additives, preservatives, artificial ingredients, hormones, steroids and antibiotics.
All so very true. If anything, our kids saw far more people as a result of homeschooling because we traveled so much. When we were home they had multiple activities and tutors and we were active in our church and our community. I think this holds true for most homeschooling families, who realize–especially in the case of some rural communities–that they CAN do better than their local school.
well put man.
My son has Asperger’s…an online school was a life saver for us.
Homeschooled children actually have less problems working with other people when they are out of school because they have had positive social experiences rather than the negative social experiences that often occur in public school.
Homeschooled children do well interacting with people of all ages because they have been exposed to and interact with people of all ages rather than being confined to same-age peers for six plus hours a day, five days a week for thirteen years.
All of my sons first employers commented on how responsible and dependable that they are in the work setting. College professors have told me that my sons were more mature than other students just entering college. My oldest son was honored at his bootcamp graduation for being one of the top 12 soldiers out of hundreds that graduated that day.
The socialization aspect of homeschooling is often misrepresented by people not familiar with homeschooling. It’s actually the public schooled children that have trouble adapting to the work place, especially if they have spent most of their teen years with same-age peers. They have been locked away from society while homeschooled children are out in the community each and every day.
Please present studies and sources to validate your claims – this is not what I found in my work as an educator before retiring recently regarding home-schooled children; your personal anecdotes are not valid.
As valid as your biased anecdotes.
Mine comes from interaction with the homeschool community on the state and national level for the last 16 years. I have met and spoken with hundreds (possibly thousands) of homeschoolers in that time.
My biased ancedotes? Simply my observations based 25 years of teaching, but then hmmm, I must be so blind oh educational messiah! I’ve noticed your posts and anti-public school agenda in the past – go ahead and peddle your personal agenda to the ignorant masses, perhaps with a “virtual education” at home they can get a virtual job……….
Either everything is anecdotal or nothing is anecdotal. You can find “studies” regarding a number of different things that show completely different results. It’s kind of like statistics, which can be made to show whatever it is that you want to show. Judging by your name and profession, I’d guess that whatever you have to say on the subject will be biased.
Sounds like you raised well adjusted children. I’m curious who your kids got exposure to working and interacting with people of all ages. Did they have opportunities out in society not available to their peers in schools? Didn’t they have friends outside your family? Church? Part time jobs? Athletics? Same age interaction may be more prevalent in the lower grades (even then, mixed age interaction is not uncommon) but once a student goes to middle school and high school, multi-age interaction is much more common. in addition, interaction with teachers is also important.
Gee, you must have done something correct…
like being a parent who was involved and made
sure the children did study. I personally know a number
of homeschooled families and I don’t know of one whose
children didn’t turn out successful. Congrats to you and
your family.
PROBABLY? Oh Lord…fact is there are students that were home schooled going to Harvard. I home schooled last year and my child was actively involved in many activities to ensure good socialization, most home schooling parents do the same. When my child attended school (online) she was able to concentrate 100% on LEARNING, asked questions and participated in online discussions with her classmates. Virtual school is an amazing opportunity for those who want their children out of the public school setting, which isn’t always conducive to learning.
I fully appreciate that many home schooled kids do very well. And that many parents provide socialization opportunities. However, these opportunities are also available to public school families and may not be offered by many families in either category. I also fully appreciate that every child has different learning capablities and needs varying teaching methods for optimal learning. However, these are also often available in public schools. I’m just saying that home schooling, virtual schooling (apparently a good way to facilitate home schooling), public schooling, whatever are not automatically the best choices for educating one’s kids.
Do your negative views of public schools come from personal experience? I’d have to say that my public school experiences had both their ups and downs but as I look back, even though I was a nerd and not in the “In” group, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. My two kids also were in the “middle”, one with mild learning difficulties, the other a B student. Thanks to an excellent school system, both are quite successful, well adjusted adults with families.
That’s not a sound argument at all. Where did people get the idea that homeschooled kids are somehow less socially apt than other kids? Who do you think is raising all of them–wolves?
My husband worked overseas for 20+ years and we homeschooled both our kids for several years during that time so we could be together and travel with them. The experiences they got were priceless: seeing and experiencing many other countries and cultures firsthand was far, far more immediate than anything they could have gotten in a classroom. They turned out fine, too…both are in college now, doing very well, and putting it mildly, neither one has any trouble ‘working with other people.’ Why should they?
I didn’t say that was inevitable, just that the family has to work harder at surmounting this potential difficulty.(see my other responses). You two responders obviously have done a good job with homeschooling. However, I can assume that many other home schooled families aren’t doing so well and they are probably not the ones interacting with your groups.
I can see how virtual schools can help some students. Just like traditional schools aren’t suited for every student virtual school wouldn’t be suited to every student. I would guess that if the virtual school concept isn’t used to cut down on educational expenses it would be valuable. However, I don’t see Landslide LePage doing anything with virtual schools that would be directed to anything other than saving money.
Yes I would send my child to a virtual school.. I think they would do a much better job at educating my children. The school systems in this state don’t do much to educate children.
From what I have read, Virtual Schools are more interested in their bottom line then the education of the students.
and local school boards aren’t? In the 2 years I have attended local school board meetings I have never once heard them ask how their choices affect students, it is always the bottom line they are concerned about.
Not that long ago, I saw a quote from a school superintendent whose district was considering taking in students from another town to help offset the rising costs of doing business. He said that public education is a business and it needs to be treated as such. No interest in the bottom line there I guess.
Virtual schools are a for profit entity, whivh means profits are why they are entering into the field. Profits are the top three things a virtual school worries about and somewheer down the line they worry about education.
School boards have to worry about the bottom line because the RW is always attacking the costs of education and trying to cut those costs regardless of the impact on students.
You give a choice to a schoolbaord member between the bottom line and education, they are going to chose education everytime. You give a choice to the CEO of a virtual school corporation between the bottom line and education, they will choose the bottom line everytime.
You don’t send them anywhere.
With proper adult supervision and oversight, and quality programs, I bet there would be more learning. As an adult student I have done a number of classes this way. Some of the interactive programs are AMAZING. As for the social stuff, there are plenty of way to make sure kids as they are little and grow to adults are with others that is not just school based.
Y ball!
“As for the social stuff, there are plenty of way to make sure kids as
they are little and grow to adults are with others that is not just
school based.”
???
Should be used SPARINGLY. Taking out the human element is generally NOT good education.
Yeah, it’s a real testament to how well some of our public school systems are working when they have to have police patrolling the hallways and metal detectors at the doors.
virtual schools will never replace brick and mortar schools until every child in the state of maine has their own computer and a broadband connection. in households where both parents have to work in order to get by and younger children go to day care, nursery school, and regular school virtual schooling would require one parent to stay home. where two incomes are needed to be able to live decently brick and mortar schools are the only option.
I read the applications sent to the charter commission by both K-12 and Connections. They included use of a computer and paid for internet if the families qualified for free or reduced lunch.
I think kids today can learn so much via computers and virtual schooling may be good for some. I know some kids who just have a hard time in school and if they could learn at their own pace with parents who will guide them in a virtual school, that would be great. I definetly would consider it if I thought it would benefit my child. However I would be concerned with the lack of socializing for my child. Alot of people homeschool and their children turn out just fine, but I think there needs to be a balance.
There was a recent Education Week piece on what is needed for a teacher to be good in the virtual learning environment. Take look: http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/08/29/02el-certified.h32.html
For many children, it would be impossible to learn at home; for many, difficult even to survive. Too, nothing virtual is inspirational. Teachers and school personnel can transform a life – for better – sometimes for worse, but at least they are real.
There is a connection that happens in the brain from hand to pen to paper that, when missing, rather fouls up depth of thinking and perception and understanding.
Most virtual schools have certified teachers teaching their classes. They are wonderful and inspirational. These teachers are real, they do interact with students and they interacted more with me (a parent) then the ones at the local public school!
Bad idea! Reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmatic is a relatively small part of what kids learn in school. You can’t realistically teach social skills, teamwork, or public speaking online … to say nothing of physical education. What about that teacher who saw a kid at risk and inspired them to do better? And how many mothers really want a biology or chemistry lab in the kitchen? With so much of life turning to social networks and instant messaging, bricks-and-mortar schools will become even more important … better to think outside the box than to try and cram everything into it!
Learning online doesn’t mean the kids have to stay online. Mine sure didn’t.