Investigation: K-12 Online Virtual Schools are a Failure
November 26, 2012
The New Mexico Public Education Commission rejected the application by Connections Academy, an online K-12 charter school connected to the conservative Rio Grande Foundation.
The PEC was right to do so.
Online K-12 virtual schools are a big part of the “Florida Model” that Martinez administration Education Secretary Designate Hanna Skandera is trying to foist on New Mexico.
Like most of the Florida Model, which the Miami Herald exposed as a failure in a series of investigative reports, an investigative report in Colorado found that online K-12 schools are also a failure succeeding only in draining valuable resources from brick and mortar public schools.
The in depth investigation found that approximately one-half of the students enrolled in virtual academies in Colorado left online learning within one year. Upon returning to brick and mortar public school these students were found to have fallen academically behind students who remained in traditional schools.
By the end of two years only one quarter of the students initially enrolled were still participating in the online academies.
More than three times as many online students drop out as graduate. One in eight drop out permanently.
Hundreds of Millions of dollars are paid to the private companies that operate these online charter schools. That money is based upon student enrollment early in the school year. The money paid to these companies is not repaid when students leave the online programs and either return to public school or drop out.
The investigation also found that despite marketing claims of online schools that they serve “at-risk” students, very few of the students who enroll in virtual online schools are actually at risk.
In Colorado less than one-half of one percent of the students enrolled in online virtual schools were defined at-risk.
Another often heard claim is that online students perform better than those in brick and mortar schools. That is also false.
The investigation in Colorado compared the standardized test scores of students who transitioned into online academies from brick and mortar schools. The investigation found that 59% of the students tested proficient while in a traditional school, but when tested again after enrolling in online academies only 51% tested to proficient.
Clearly these online schools are failing students who performed well in brick and mortar schools.
These schools are entirely about making money off of the backs of taxpayers while draining valuable resources from traditional public schools.
The New Mexico PEC was right to say no.
November 26, 2012
The New Mexico Public Education Commission rejected the application by Connections Academy, an online K-12 charter school connected to the conservative Rio Grande Foundation.
The PEC was right to do so.
Online K-12 virtual schools are a big part of the “Florida Model” that Martinez administration Education Secretary Designate Hanna Skandera is trying to foist on New Mexico.
Like most of the Florida Model, which the Miami Herald exposed as a failure in a series of investigative reports, an investigative report in Colorado found that online K-12 schools are also a failure succeeding only in draining valuable resources from brick and mortar public schools.
The in depth investigation found that approximately one-half of the students enrolled in virtual academies in Colorado left online learning within one year. Upon returning to brick and mortar public school these students were found to have fallen academically behind students who remained in traditional schools.
By the end of two years only one quarter of the students initially enrolled were still participating in the online academies.
More than three times as many online students drop out as graduate. One in eight drop out permanently.
Hundreds of Millions of dollars are paid to the private companies that operate these online charter schools. That money is based upon student enrollment early in the school year. The money paid to these companies is not repaid when students leave the online programs and either return to public school or drop out.
The investigation also found that despite marketing claims of online schools that they serve “at-risk” students, very few of the students who enroll in virtual online schools are actually at risk.
In Colorado less than one-half of one percent of the students enrolled in online virtual schools were defined at-risk.
Another often heard claim is that online students perform better than those in brick and mortar schools. That is also false.
The investigation in Colorado compared the standardized test scores of students who transitioned into online academies from brick and mortar schools. The investigation found that 59% of the students tested proficient while in a traditional school, but when tested again after enrolling in online academies only 51% tested to proficient.
Clearly these online schools are failing students who performed well in brick and mortar schools.
These schools are entirely about making money off of the backs of taxpayers while draining valuable resources from traditional public schools.
The New Mexico PEC was right to say no.