Learning Unlimited: With Its Many Small and Remote Districts, Colorado Is Using Online Learning to Educate Kids in Every Nook and Cranny in the State

YOUR ZIP CODE shouldn't determine the quality of your education, declared Eric Feder, director of the Colorado Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology, as he kicked off the first meeting of Colorado's E-Learning Task Force in 2001. Feder challenged the group to design a model of online learning that could be used by all schools to strengthen their educational offerings and close wide gaps in opportunity. The model was to address the spectrum of student need, ranging from credit recovery to accelerated programming, with a focus on collaboration with local schools. Thus began Colorado Online Learning (www.col.k12. sco.us), currently used by more than half of Colorado's 178 school districts to supplement local curriculum via 60-plus rigorous courses taught by highly qualified, licensed teachers. makes it possible for us to offer so much more, said Steve Jones during the 2004-2005 school year, when he was serving as superintendent of the South Routt County School District (Soroco) in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. I don't know how small districts get by without COL or something like it. One hundred forty-one of Colorado's school districts have fewer than 3,000 students; 61 have fewer than 300. A study conducted by COL showed that districts with fewer than 300 students are only able to offer a basic high school course menu (typically fewer than 50 courses), while students from large high schools have more than 200 courses available to them. This gap in opportunity makes it harder for students from rural and small schools to gain the knowledge and skills needed for success in post-secondary studies and to be competitive in the workforce. A Rocky Start The goal of narrowing this gap prompted Soroco to begin using online courses to supplement its local offerings. The district's entry into online learning in 2002 was not without challenges, however, and it illustrates the collaboration needed to ensure high-quality, rigorous eLearning experiences. Soroco began with the belief--one shared by many districts--that highly motivated, high-performing students don't need much guidance. They thrive when allowed to direct their own learning, proceed at their own pace, and ask questions when needed, and thus they are highly successful in online courses. But most students are not of this variety, and external focus and direction can make a critical difference in their learning. In the fall of 2003, Soroco had 40 students registered in one or more online courses. A computer lab, facilitated by school staff, was set up for the students to use according to assigned schedules during the day. Soroco parents were pleased that the school was offering more learning opportunities for their kids. The students were happy about it too. The online format allowed more choices, and it allowed them to work independently, without the close supervision ever-present in traditional classrooms. But it became apparent to online teachers that Soroco students were not spending adequate time on their coursework. Some students were only studying a few minutes a day, then becoming distracted. Online staff contacted the on-site coordinator, who was unsuccessful in efforts to encourage students to apply themselves. The situation intensified when school administrators learned that only 53 percent of students completed and passed their online courses the first semester. South Routt Superintendent Jones and Soroco High School Principal James Chamberlin wanted to preserve the online option, but knew mechanisms had to be put in place to ensure the academic outcomes they sought. First, they installed a lab facilitator, who monitored student work and, while encouraging and friendly, accepted no excuses for failure. Second, they raised the stakes by informing the students and their parents that they would be charged for the cost of failed courses. …