'The Case for City Cyber Schools': Can Online Learning Make a Difference in Baltimore City's 'Bricks and Mortar' Schoolhouses and Beyond? The Abell Report. Volume 23, No.1

Abell Foundation. 111 South Calvert Street Suite 2300, Baltimore, MD 21202. Tel: 410-545-1300; Fax: 410-539-6579; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.abell.org

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Urban Schools; Online Courses; Educational Technology; Public Schools; At Risk Students; Low Income Groups; Minority Group Students; Technology Uses in Education; Blended Learning; Computer Assisted Instruction; Kindergarten; Charter Schools; Elementary Secondary Education; Elementary Schools; Middle Schools; High Schools; Educational Methods; Academic Persistence; College Students; Prevention; College Preparation

California; Illinois; Maryland; Ohio; Pennsylvania

This report highlights the ongoing discussions between the believers of "online learning" vs. the "not enough proven research" for K-8 cyber schooling. Discussing successful processes and operations in states around the country, the author focuses on Maryland and, in particular, Baltimore schools, and reports that very little is being done to promote online educational opportunities of any kind for K-12 students. Some possible reasons for this are: (1) many principals are not comfortable with technology and do not make online learning program purchases part of their budget needs; (2) the perception that technology does not live up its promises; and (3) poor children are not going to do well interacting with a computer and need the in-person attention of a face-to-face teacher. On the question of whether school systems should be doing more with online curriculum, the Maryland opinions vary from "there is not a huge amount of very rigorous research on the relative effectiveness of online education versus traditional education" or "there is not a strong base of evidence that says this is a better way of doing things." Recommendations coming from the decision makers make it clear that there is plenty of evidence that educators need to be thinking of new ways of doing things in public education. So what is really important is to begin experimenting with some of these ideas so that they can be evaluated. Additionally, school systems need to encourage the development of blended charter schools so that parents interested in this approach for their children can try it. A second article in this issue discusses the CollegeBound Foundation's Retention Program, which couples an award of Last Dollar Scholarship (up to $3,000 annually) with the personal support of a retention counselor through graduation at nine Maryland colleges and universities. Three college sophomores, Travis Willett, Natasha Fung, and Andrew Williams, describe how CollegeBound made it possible for them to continue their college education.

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2014

ED547274