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Accountability

Online school outcomes are better than critics say—here’s why

Monday, February 24, 2025
3:15 PM – 4:30 PM East Coast USA Time
Location: M301
Session Type: Panel Discussion

    Presenter(s)

  • BS

    Ben Scafidi

    Professor
    Kennesaw State University
    Kennesaw, GA, United States

  • IK

    Ian Kingsbury

    Senior Fellow
    Educational Freedom Institute
    Marble Head, Massachusetts, United States

If you selected Cutting-Edge, what innovative ideas, approaches, or methodologies will your session introduce or explore?:

Abstract Description :

Empirical studies suggest students in virtual charter schools have smaller learning gains relative to “similar” students in other public schools.  However, newer research shows (1) virtual students face more difficult circumstances than students in brick and mortar schools; (2) low income students in virtual schools are often coded as higher income, and (3) virtual students take tests with unfamiliar adults and in settings often far from home (Kingsbury, 2023). Together, these flaws in administrative data and testing environments produce estimates of the performance of virtual schools that are biased downwards, with negative policy implications. 

This presentation will provide you talking points to use in your discussions with stakeholders.

If someone was doing a search for your session in the program what 5 words might they use to search for and find your session.: measuring online school performance

Learning Objectives:

  • This presentation will summarize the conventional wisdom on the academic performance of virtual charter schools, share the new research that points out the flaws in student-level administrative data and testing environments that bias empirical findings against virtual schools.
  • This presentation will provide you talking points to use in your discussions with policymakers, reporters, parents, and other stakeholders.
  • This presentation will provide a more accurate way to assess the research on virtual schools.