Online Education Interim Report

Overview & Synopsis

This interim report produced by the Colorado State Board of Education Online Education Task Force examines key issues related to online education. Task force members agree that: (1) online education has become a viable element of Colorado's public education system; (2) the role of technology in educating our children will continue to grow; and (3) online education has significant potential to help students succeed. The primary focus of this report is on full-time online education in Colorado, offering a background of the issue and definitions for key terms, and addressing the following areas: benefits and challenges, accountability, access and funding. Also, the task force found several successful examples of online education and its positive impact on the lives of students and their families, and a sample of success stories are showcased throughout the report. The task force recommends that a review of supplemental online education includes a complete analysis of resources, costs, funding, academic and remediation benefits, student demographics, and capacity potential. The report is organized in the following sections: (1) Definitions; (2) Background; (3) Benefits and Challenges; (4) Accountability; (5) Access; (6) Funding; and (7) Recommendations. Appended is: State Auditor Recommendations and Department of Education Responses from the November 2006 Audit of Online Education. (Contains 2 endnotes.)