Online Schooling Grows, Setting Off a Debate

ONLINE SCHOOLING GROWS, SETTING OFF A DEBATE
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Sam Dillon]
Half a million American children take classes online, with a significant group getting all their schooling from virtual public schools. The rapid growth of these schools has provoked debates in courtrooms and legislatures over money, as the schools compete with local districts for millions in public dollars, and over issues like whether online learning is appropriate for young children. Two models of online schooling predominate. In Florida, Illinois and half a dozen other states, growth has been driven by a state-led, state-financed virtual school that does not give a diploma but offers courses that supplement regular work at a traditional school. Generally, these schools enroll only middle and high school students. The other model is a full-time online charter school. About 90,000 children get their education from one of 185 such schools nationwide. They are publicly financed, mostly elementary and middle schools.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/01/education/01virtual.html?ref=todayspaper
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