EdNext Readers Poll: Funding for Online Learning
This week we want to know:
When students decide to take a course online, should all the state funding for the course go to the organization that offers the course, or should some funding also go to local school districts to help defray other school costs?
(polls)
Read our top favorite online learning and technology related posts here.
Read the outcome of last week’s EdNext Reader Poll here.
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Bad question. What about asking whether online learning should be funded at all?
Interesting idea, Leonie. I think you are on to something. We should not be funding the input (traditional classes or online ones). We should fund the outcome. Whichever is able to get the student to develop competency should be funded. If either is unable to do that, neither should be funded.
I agree. Bad question. There is insufficient information to give an informed opinion.
Online classes don’t get funded unless the student passes. This requires a lot of effort on many levels from staff and teachers at the online school. Why should a school district be funded for a class that they don’t offer? Or for teachers that they don’t pay?
This question makes no sense, and frankly I am surprised and appalled by the poll results. If the district wants some funding for an online course, then they must somehow be involved in the success of the student throughout the course duration.
Why would the funding go to anyone but the online course provider? That’s like saying, “You fixed my car Mr. Repairman, here is 70% of the cost, the other 30% goes to the car shop around the corner because I think they need some money too.”
Funding should go to the organization/school where the student learns and completes a course successfully. Maybe if schools only received funds for students that pass a course, there would be a lot fewer failing students and dropouts. Online schools are held to this standard, so why not public brick and mortar schools?