Kerry Rice

As university professors and researchers who work closely with K-12 online teachers and learners, we’ve heard from many newly remote educators who are struggling. Recent class discussions have focused on the difficulties of getting through to students without in-person contact, especially during a time of enormous stress. Some teachers report that their students lack interest and in the worst cases, that students are dropping from classes entirely.

This topic has come up several times in discussions I’ve had with others on the impact of coronavirus on the lives of, well… everyone. So I thought it might be a good time to clarify where we stand in terms of making a shift to educating students from a distance. Remote learning is a response to a crisis with a focus on continuity of learning using whatever means possible.

It has been only 20 years since the Internet became widely used. In that time K-12 online schools have emerged across the U.S., giving families additional education options to consider — especially in states like Michigan, Florida, Idaho and Georgia, which have been leaders in innovation and growth. Families today consider online learning for a variety of reasons — among them, the flexibility, safety and variety of curriculum available.