Online K-12 education surging, but official says 'it's buyer, beware'
Published: Monday, Jul. 26, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 1B
Interest in online schools for kindergarten through 12th grade is surging as new virtual offerings flood the market, leading education experts to warn parents that not all programs are equal.
The biggest influx is in credit recovery programs to help students meet graduation requirements. But high-achieving students also are turning to online programs that offer more flexibility, personalized instruction and accelerated courses.
John Fleischman of the Sacramento County Office of Education cautions parents to thoroughly vet online programs, because they don't go through the same rigorous adoption process as curricula at traditional public schools.
"It's buyer, beware," said Fleischman, assistant superintendent of technology services for the county office.
Typically, the state adopts new textbooks and instructional materials in core subjects for kindergarten through eighth grade. At the high school level, individual school districts and charters
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/07/26/2914196/online-k-12-education-surging.html#mi_rss=Education#ixzz0umx33q9M
