Districts and schools constantly troubleshoot and mitigate new and ongoing challenges. Rather than addressing each challenge ad hoc, they are looking to adopt a systematic, repeatable process proven to diagnose and respond to challenges efficiently and effectively. One such approach with wide application and use in education is a Networked…

This study reviewed 31 articles on parental support and parent-school relationships of K-12 online students. Under the guidance of the Academic Communities of Engagement framework, this literature review explored existing studies on the interactions between online students' personal, course, and school community support. The challenges faced by…

This applied dissertation was designed to provide concise information and research to delineate the role of the virtual school principal (VSP). The research available was outdated, scarce, or inadequate. The role of VSPs and the challenges that are faced were unclear. This researcher has found very little evidence to establish whether virtual…

Studies have indicated that self-regulated learning is critical for 21st century learners and lifelong learners, and it can also explain students' learning outcomes. In the current learner-centered instruction, especially in online learning environments, self-regulated learning has become a more critical element for students' success. Given the…

At-risk students face a variety of challenges that encompass cultural, social and environmental contexts and identities. Full time virtual schools offer help for at-risk students through the provision of a personalized learning option where students can catch up with past work or complete school work in a non-traditional environment. The purpose…

Enrollment in online schools (OS) has increased significantly in recent years. Due to advancements in technology, OS are able to provide education entirely online to K-12 students. Despite their growth, there has been little research on the working environments of OS. This paper explores teacher perceptions about working conditions in OS. We use…

Parents are increasingly choosing to enroll their students in online schools rather than traditional brick-and-mortar schools. Despite the growth of online schooling, however, there is extremely limited research on such schooling and the role parents play in the educational outcomes of students enrolled in online schools. The current quantitative,…

Given the rapid growth of K-12 online learning, research is needed in the effective identification of at-risk students so that administrators and teachers can develop appropriate supports and interventions. The purpose of this research was to determine if student success in an online course could be predicted for English Learners (EL) using…

Senate Bill 19-129, concerning the regulation of online schools, calls for the Colorado Department of Education's Office of Online and Blended Learning to produce an annual report on the number of students who withdraw from Colorado K-12 online schools after the pupil enrollment count date. This report is required to include the dates on which…

Existing research on facilitators in K-12 schools has focused on supplemental online programs where on-site personnel work with online students in a local brick-and-mortar school. While some insightful research exists focused on online facilitators at full-time cyber schools, additional research is needed to examine facilitators using synchronous…

While spring of 2020 introduced virtual instruction to all public schools, virtual schooling had already been growing in most states. We focus on pre-COVID-19 changes to full-time virtual school enrollment in public schools, and provide evidence on the relationship between virtual school enrollment, internet speed, community demographics, and…

There continues to be an abundance of research conducted and published about online learning in K-12 settings. In this systematic review, 386 articles on K-12 online teaching and learning published between 2000 and 2019 were reviewed for research themes, participants, school type, research methodologies, and data collection methods. The data was…

Although the COVID pandemic dramatically expanded K-12 remote learning in its first years, little is known about the lasting effects on virtual schooling policies and practices. Drawing on evolutionary theories of change and qualitative data from 2019 to 2022, we explore this topic in Oregon, a state with a long history of virtual schools. We find…

Online school systems and school administrators do not place enough emphasis on the mental health and well-being of their teachers. Mental health and well-being influence the efficacy of teachers' instruction and the relationships they have with students. Educational success depends on the excellence of its teachers, and schools must intentionally…

Since the peak of the pandemic in 2020, enrollment in virtual schools has steadily increased, with virtual schools now accounting for approximately 1.4% of the nation's public school students. While the effects of the pandemic on student achievement and mental health have been extensively studied, research has yet to thoroughly examine the impact…