ONLINE EDUCATION INTERIM REPORT - Colorado Department of ...

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7. RECOMMENDATIONS
Through its public forum, written communications from the public, and feedback from
community groups, the task force has learned of the need for innovation, access, alternative
delivery models and advancement in education funding models. It is a delicate, but necessary
task, to balance education funding systems with accountability and student choice. Our common
interest of educating students can be overshadowed when systems become threatened by fi nancial loss.
It is with great hope that, as a result of a more longitudinal focus on learning gains, fewer children will
be left behind and neglected in their current settings. Even so, it is clear to this task force that there are
some students who will continue to struggle in the traditional system undetected and thus never reach
their full potential. The great potential of individualized learning as provided through the online delivery
method may close this gap.
Further study of online education should be pursued to inform later policymaking. Many issues cannot
be addressed adequately in the short-term, but should be considered after further study through
an inclusive, transparent process. Issues requiring further examination include accountability and
oversight, and funding of online programs. Specifi cally, the task force recommends:
• A study of why students leave their physical schools for online schools
• A collaborative study to develop best practices for online education by engaging online
education practitioners, the authorities that oversee them, and the families and students that
choose online education.
• A thorough review and analysis of recent innovation and performance in education throughout
the state, to identify and replicate what works, describe and address what doesn’t, and
understand the factors and circumstances that help or hinder such reform efforts.
In addition to these issues requiring further study, the following recommendations should be
considered immediately:
1) Consider multiple meanings of the term “at-risk,” including students who are behind
academically, when comparing online student outcomes to students in physical schools and
when evaluating the effi cacy of schools in general;
2) The State Board of Education rather than the legislature should defi ne “complete educational
program,” do so in a way that allows for innovation, and consider its application to online
schools and learning centers;
3) Clarify the application of rules and requirements for online learning centers in a way that does
not discourage online schools from using learning centers to serve at-risk students;
4) Encourage the sharing, documenting, and clarifying of performance indicators;
5) Clarify the roles and responsibilities of online educators;
6) Encourage state and/or district cooperation for the CSAP testing for online students;
7) Examine options for a state inter-district entity for online school accountability such as CSI, the
Colorado Department of Education, or BOCES;
8) Remove the current funding restriction that mandates enrollment in a public school in at least
one semester of the previous year for online students;
9) Provide the state PPR average for online students or a consistent and reasonable amount of