Fox River Valley students could soon take part in virtual classroom

A new multidistrict virtual school could be coming to the Fox River Valley. K12, one of the largest online learning companies in the country, is currently traveling across Illinois in the hope of getting 18 school districts to approve its charter. The company already runs a number of online schools nationally. In Illinois, it oversees the Chicago...

A new multidistrict virtual school could be coming to the Fox River Valley. K12, one of the largest online learning companies in the country, is currently traveling across Illinois in the hope of getting 18 school districts to approve its charter.

The company already runs a number of online schools nationally. In Illinois, it oversees the Chicago Virtual Charter School and Youth Connection Charter School – the only two online charter schools in the state.

Some Fox River Valley residents are concerned that the new charter school will drain resources from their traditional public schools. But research shows that only 0.25 to 0.5 percent of a district’s students usually transfer to online schools.

Many of these students are from diverse backgrounds. Some are struggling in school while others are homebound because of health issues.

For these students, online learning offers a variety of advantages over traditional public school.

First, it allows students from different geographic areas to have access to high-quality teachers. This is especially true in less populated areas like the Fox River Valley where students may have access to only one teacher in a particular subject.

Second, it allows students to learn at their own pace. Online schools do not operate on a normal school-day schedule. Students can view lectures and complete their assignments when they want. They are also able to graduate early if they complete all of their requirements.

Third, it allows for customized education. Some organizations such as New Classrooms Innovationhave created personalized curriculum that address student learning gaps.

Fourth, it improves productivity. Instead of teaching 20 to 30 students, online teachers can teach up to 150 without reducing quality. Schools can also be operated at a lower cost by relying more on technology and less on labor.

Lastly, it encourages innovation. Online learning entrepreneurs have financial incentives to innovate and develop new learning tools that can improve student outcomes.

Initial research suggests that students benefit from online learning. A 2009 report from the U.S. Department of Education found that “students who took all or part of their class online performed better, on average, than those taking the same course through traditional face-to-face instruction.”

Offering students the option to attend an online school is a step in the right direction. While it is not for everybody, online learning, for some, is the perfect way to learn.

That’s what Illinois’ education system should be all about – offering as many choices as possible to students whose situations or learning styles might not fit into the traditional school mold.