While the country is trending towards an increase in online learning, there are still ups and downs in the process. Districts are still in the learning process of online education. Many districts are equipped with the tools and the desire to put together a successful program but don't have the know-how or background to handle successful implementation...yet. As time continues to pass and more and more districts put together successful new online programs, districts will develop blueprints for success. These blueprints are necessary and trial and error is the current way of the school district.
Scenarios develop and come about constantly. My district is no different. We have had to offer AP courses online in the past because of a lack of enough interest to dedicate a teacher to the class. Districts will never want to turn students away or fail to offer classes due to staffing or course filling issues. As my principal and superintendent now put it, public schools are all about public relations. Its become a customer service industry and to deny students the opportunity to take a class for these reasons could lead to district jumping. Not only this, but students deserve the right to challenge themselves and/or develop skills that they feel are relevant. Students also need the opportunity to succeed. While Mr Siko might have been a great chemistry teacher for some students, not everyone gets what they need from a certain teacher. Very few of us can truly be highly effective teachers. Some students do not respond to me and those students deserve a chance to succeed elsewhere and if my school doesn't offer that opportunity, they need to go somewhere.
There is also the scenario on the opposite side. Many educators understand the new standards for evaluation and how our effectiveness is dependent upon student success. Transfers are not differentiated in evaluation, ironically, because we are expected to differentiate our instruction to allow everyone success. Not every online course is successful, because not every online program is effective and backed by research. Every school needs to develop a good program for these students, not just for the students' sake, but for the teachers' sake and the district's sake as well. Successful online programs coupled with successful traditional programs will bring good PR and bring students and the dollars that accompany them.
Ultimately, 21F and its requirements basically just makes demands on things that smart and successful districts would do anyway, offer what other districts may not.
