K-12 Online Learning Policy

Abstract

We cannot contort the character of the Internet to suit our familiar notions of regulation; do not dumb down the genius of the Net to match the limited vision of the regulator. (Michael Powell, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission) (Powell, 2004) The Internet and its applications have challenged policy makers in seemingly all areas of public life, and as one of the applications of the Internet, online learning is no exception. Online learning policy has tentacles throughout education policy, from union politics to technology infrastructure. Perhaps this complexity contributed to the lack of action that led the National Association of State Boards of Education to warn in its now oft-quoted statement: