Vol. 27 No. 1 (2013)
Research Articles

Virtual Charter Schools: Realities and Unknowns

HTML ePub
  • Daniela Torre
Daniela Torre
Vanderbilt University

Published 2013-09-18

Keywords

  • charter schools,
  • distance education

How to Cite

Torre, D. (2013). Virtual Charter Schools: Realities and Unknowns. International Journal of E-Learning & Distance Education Revue Internationale Du E-Learning Et La Formation à Distance, 27(1). Retrieved from https://ijede.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/838
Copyright Notice

Abstract

Virtual charter schools have emerged over the last decade as an increasingly popular alternative to traditional public schooling. They present a host of new policy problems that need to be scrutinized in order to ensure that students enrolled in these public schools are receiving an adequate, if not excellent, education. The purpose of this article is to synthesize the inchoate body of literature that presently exists regarding the topic to provide a backing for future policy making. In this article I first describe the landscape in which virtual charter schools have emerged, then I describe how virtual charter schools have grown and how they operate, and finally I discuss the sparse findings on effectiveness and how research can inform the continued development of these schools.
HTML ePub

References

  1. Baker, J. D., Bouras, C., Hartwig, S. M., & McNair, E. R. (2005). K12 Inc. and the Colorado Virtual Academy: A virtual charter school. In Z. L. Berge & T. Clark (Eds.), Virtual schools: Planning for success (pp. 133–142). New York: Teachers College Press.
  2. Barbour, M. K., & Reeves, T. C. (2009). The reality of virtual schools: A review of the literature. Computers & Education, 52(2), 402–416.
  3. Blomeyer, R. & Dawson, M. (2005) Virtual schools :policy and practice considerations. In Z. L. Berge & T. Clark (Eds.), Virtual schools: Planning for success. New York, NY: Teachers College Press
  4. Borup, J., Graham, C. R., & Davies, R. S. (2012). The nature of adolescent learner interaction in a virtual high school setting. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning.
  5. Buckley, J., & Sattin-Bajaj, C. (2010). Are ELL Students Underrepresented in Charter Schools? Demographic Trends in New York City, 2006-2008. Journal of School Choice, (5):1, 40-65
  6. Burian-Fitzgerald, M., Luekens, M. T., & Strizek, G. A. (2004). Less red tape or more green teachers: Charter school autonomy and teacher qualifications. Taking account of charter schools: What’s happened and what’s next, 11–31.
  7. Bushaw, W. J., & Lopez, S. J. (2011). Betting on teachers: The 43rd annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools. Phi Delta Kappan, 93(1), 8–26.
  8. Carnevale, D. (2001) Assessment takes center stage in online learning. The Chronicle of Higher Education. (47)31. A43
  9. Cavalluzzo, C. (2005). Costs funding and the provision of online education. In Berge, Z., and Clark, T., (Eds). Virtual schools: planning for success. New York: Teachers College Press.
  10. Cavanaugh, C. (2001). The effectiveness of interactive distance education technologies in K–12 learning: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Educational Telecommunications, 7(1), 73–78.
  11. Center for Education Reform web site (http://www.edreform.com/).
  12. charter school legislation. North Carolina Journal of Law and Technology 6(2), 395-436.Retrieved from http://jolt.unc.edu/sites/default/files/knight_4.pdf
  13. Chubb, J. E., & Moe, T. M. (1990). Politics, markets, and America’s schools. Brookings Institution Press.
  14. Clark, T (2001, October). Virtual schools: Trends and issues, A study of virtual schools in the United States. WestEd: A Distance Learning Resource Network
  15. Clark, T., and Berge, Z. (2005) “Perspectives on virtual schools” In Z. L. Berge & T. Clark (Eds.), Virtual schools: Planning for success. New York, NY: Teachers College Press
  16. Dornbusch, S. M., & Ritter, P. L. (1988). Parents of high school students: A neglected resource. Educational Horizons, 66, 75-77.
  17. Eckes, S & Trotter, A. (2007) Are Charter Schools Using Recruitment Strategies to Increase Student Body Diversity? Education and Urban Society 40: 62.
  18. Economics and Statistics Administration & National Telecommunications and Information Administration (2011) Exploring the Digital Nation: Computer and Internet Use at Home. U.S. Department of Commerce
  19. education management organizations: Thirteenth annual report - 2010-2011. Boulder, CO: National Education Policy Center. Retrieved [April 2012] from http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/EMO-profiles-10-11
  20. Ellis, K. (2008). Cyber charter schools: Evolution, issues, and opportunities funding and local oversight. Educational Horizons, 86, 142-152.
  21. Friedman, M. (1962) Capitalism and Freedom. Chicago: University of Chicago Press
  22. Glass, G. (2009). The Realities of K-12 Virtual Education. Boulder and Tempe: Education and the Public Interest Center & Education Policy Research Unit. Retrieved from http://epicpolicy.org/publication/realities-K-12-virtual-education
  23. Glass, G. V & Welner, K.G. (2011). Online K-12 Schooling in the U.S.: Uncertain Private Ventures in Need of Public Regulation. Boulder, CO: National Education Policy Center. Retrieved from http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/online-k-12-schooling.
  24. Guarino, C., Zimmer, R., Krop, C., Chau, D. (2005). Nonclassroom-based charter schools in California and the impact of SB 740 (Vol. 112). RAND Corp.
  25. Harris, D., and Witte, J. (2011).The Market for Schooling. In D. Shipps, R. Crowson, (Eds.), Shaping Education Policy: Power and Process. (92-116). New York: Taylor & Francis.
  26. Hassel, B. C. & Hassel, E. A. (2011). Teachers in the age of digital instruction. Creating sound policy for digital learning, A working paper series from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Washington, DC: Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Retrieved March 30, 2012, from http://www.edexcellence.net/publications/teachers-in-the-age-of-digital-instruction.html
  27. Hassel, B. C., & Terrell, M. G. (2004). How can virtual schools be a vibrant part of meeting the choice provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act. Virtual School Report.
  28. Hernandez, F. J. (2005). Equity and access: The promise of virtual schools. In Z. L. Berge & T. Clark (Eds.), Virtual schools: Planning for success (pp. 20–34). New York, NY:
  29. http://via.library.depaul.edu/soe_etd/6
  30. Huerta, L. A., d’ Entremont, C., & González, M. (2006). Cyber Charter Schools: Can Accountability Keep Pace with Innovation? Phi Delta Kappan, 88(1), 23-30.
  31. Jones, G. R. (1997). Cyberschools: An education renaissance. Englewood, CO: Jones Digital Century Banchero, S., & Simon, S. (2011, November 12). My Teacher Is an App. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204358004577030600066250144.html#articleTabs_slideshow.
  32. K12 (2011) K–8 edition guide to online learning. Retrieved from http://k12.com.
  33. Knight, M. (2004). Cyber Charter Schools: An Analysis of North Carolina’s Current Charter School Legislation. NCJL & Tech., 6, 395.
  34. Lacireno-Paquet, N., Holyoke, T. T., Moser, M., & Henig, J. R. (2002). Creaming versus cropping: Charter school enrollment practices in response to market incentives. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 24(2), 145–158.
  35. Layton, L., & Brown, E. (2011, November 28). Virtual schools are multiplying, but some question their educational value. The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/virtual-schools-are-multiplying-but-some-question-their-educational-value/2011/11/22/gIQANUzkzN_story.html
  36. Marsh M., Carr-Chellman A., & Sockman B. (2009) Selecting Silicon: Why Parents Choose Cybercharter Schools. (2009). TechTrends, 53(4), 32–36.
  37. Means, B., Toyama, Y., Murphy, R., Bakia, M., & Jones, K. (2009). Evaluation of evidence-based practices in online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning studies.
  38. Meyn-Rogeness, Tammy, "Privatization and Cyber Charter Schools" (2010). College of Education. Paper 6.
  39. Minow, M. (2003). Public and Private Partnerships: Accounting for the New Religion. Harvard Law Review, 116, 1229.
  40. Miron, G., Urschel, J.L., Yat Aguilar, M.A, & Dailey, B. (2011). Profiles of for-profit and nonprofit
  41. Murphy, J. (1996). The Privatization of Schooling: Problems and Possibilities. Corwin Press, Inc. Thousand Oaks, CA
  42. Murphy, J. (2012). Staying Home: Homeschooling in America. Corwin Press, Inc. Thousand Oaks, CA
  43. National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. (2012). The public charter schools dashboard. Washington, DC: Author.
  44. O’Dwyer, L. M., R. Carey, and G. Kleiman. 2007. A study of the effectiveness of the Louisiana Algebra I online course. Journal of Research on Technology in Education 39 (3):289–306.
  45. Sattin-Bajaj, C. (2011). Communication Breakdown: Informing Immigrant Families about High School Choice in New York City. In M. Berends, M. Cannata & E. Goldring, Eds., In School Choice & School Improvement: What have we learned? (147-173). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
  46. Tomlinson, J. (2004) Number of Instructional Days/Hours in the School Year. Education Commission of the States.
  47. Tucker, B. (2007). Laboratories of reform: Virtual high schools and innovation in public education. Washington, DC: Education Sector.
  48. Watson J., Gemin B., Ryan, J & Wicks, M. (2009) “Keeping Pace with K–12 Online Learning: A Review of State-Level Policy and Practice.” Evergreen, Colo.: Evergreen Consulting Associates. Retrieved from <http://www.nacol.org/docs>.
  49. Wisconsin State Statute 118.19(13)) . Retrieved from: http://dpi.wi.gov/imt/onlinevir.html