The following success stories and state initiatives give you a peek into what is being done around the country to address the needs and challenges of today’s education system. Click on the links to access the full story.

Florida Virtual School (FLVS)

Orlando, FL

No matter where Florida's students reside, they now have access to top quality courses and instruction through Florida Virtual School, the nation's first statewide school to be funded on a per-pupil model just like any other district in the state. With more than 30,000 enrollments in 04-05, and 50,000 expected in 05-06, FLVS is poised to become one of the largest virtual programs in the nation. Read more about the Florida Virtual School.

The Algebra I Online Program

Louisiana Department of Education, Louisiana Center for Educational Technology

Baton Rouge, LA

The Algebra I Online project is supported by BESE and funded by the Louisiana state legislature to address the needs of high-quality teachers and curriculum for Algebra I, which is a gateway course for graduation. Read more about the Algebra I Online Program.

Faulkton Professional Development

Faulkton School District 24-2

Faulkton, SD

Using research-driven statistics, the Faulkton School District 24-2 created a partnership with the University of South Dakota to offer reading and writing professional development to the district's staff. The Faulkton staff will be trained online by the university's TTD staff in the areas of Instructional Design and Advanced Instructional Design. Instruction will be delivered via the Internet, Web CT, and the statewide Digital Dakota Network. Read more about Faulkton Professional Development.

Effective Instructional Technology Online Course Series

Louisiana Department of Education

Baton Rouge, LA

The Effective Instructional Technology (EIT) online course series is designed to support teacher technology proficiency and knowledge. The courses are aligned to the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers and the Louisiana K–12 Educational Technology Standards. Read more about EIT.

Louisiana Virtual School

Louisiana Department of Education

Baton Rouge, LA

Developed through a partnership between the Louisiana Department of Education and the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, the Louisiana Virtual School (LVS) uses the Internet to provide Louisiana high school students with access to standards-based high school courses delivered by Louisiana teachers. Students in LVS courses use the Web, e-mail, and other online and offline resources to complete a multitude of courses. Read more about the Louisiana Virtual School.

Rural School Internet Connectivity

Graham County Education Consortium

Safford, AZ

The Graham County Education Consortium (GCEC) was established in 1999. The consortium's original objective was to assist four of the most rural schools located in Graham County with obtaining connectivity to the Internet. Today, GCEC's wireless wide-area network connects the Graham County Schools superintendents office, eleven school districts (located in Graham, Greenlee, and Cochise Counties), one charter school, one accommodation school, Graham County Regional Detention Center, Eastern Arizona College, Pima Library, and the University of Arizona's Graham County Extension Center to each other and to the Internet. Read more about the Rural School Internet Connectivity.

Enabling Homebound Students to Achieve

Springfield Public Schools

Springfield, MA

The Enabling Homebound Students to Achieve program was designed to afford homebound students the opportunity to succeed academically in a nontraditional, nonthreatening, supportive environment. As a result of this project, homebound students will have access to the same high-quality, rigorous, standards-based curriculum that other in-school students have. Moreover, the curriculum will be taught, monitored, and assessed online by content area specialists. Read more about Enabling Homebound Students to Achieve.

Tech Team

Marion School District One

Marion, SC

Tech Team introduces girls to a range of technologies, including video production and interviewing skills, Web page creation, and Flash animation projects. Throughout the program, Tech Team members are able to explore career opportunities in technology-related fields. The girls also maintain online journals and can communicate with each other and with the ETV staff by means of a message board on the Tech Team Web page. Read more about Tech Team.

Utah's Distance Learning Network

Utah State Office of Education

Salt Lake City, UT

Utah’s Distance Learning Network provides high-quality technology resources, infrastructure, and professional development for all Utah teachers and students in grades K–20. Read more about Utah's Distance Learning Network.

Freedom to Learn

Michigan Virtual University and Ferris State University

Lansing, MI

Freedom to Learn engages Michigan students in learning activities through the use of one-to-one wireless computing technology to (a) increase student achievement in core academic subjects and (b) bridge the digital divide through greater access to educational opportunities statewide. Read more about Freedom to Learn.

Ohio’s eLearning–Online Professional Development

Ohio SchoolNet Commission/Ohio Department of Education

Columbus, OH

The goal of the Ohio’s eLearning–Online Professional Development program is to provide high-quality online professional development for educators throughout the state of Ohio. One of the objectives is to design and develop online courses that align with a high-quality professional development framework, so Ohio educators can learn and have access to information at any time and from any place. Read more about Ohio's eLearning—Online Professional Development.

Digital School District

Quaker Valley School District

Sewickley, PA

 In 2001, the Quaker Valley School District won a competitive state grant ($4.1 million) to develop a model for a "Digital School District." The initiative established a districtwide wireless network and provided students in grade 3–12 with individual laptop computers (Apple iBooks). Read more about Sewickley's transformation into a Digital School District.

School Support Services Program

South Side Middle School

Anderson, IN

South Side Middle School in Indiana needed a way to reach and motivate students who were in danger of being suspended from school. Through our School Support Services Program (SSSP), we sought to keep these students in school and work on their behavioral issues without losing focus of core academic skills. We found an online program, Kid’s College, that combined sports with standards-based math and language arts activities. Read more about the School Support Services Program.