Key Facts:
• North Carolina has the infrastructure to expand online course offerings significantly. An average of 99 percent of North Carolina classrooms in rural districts have an Internet connection. Moreover, there is a statewide average of 2.43 students per Internet-connected computer.
• While statistical tests would need to confirm a causal relationship, districts that enroll few students in online courses generally have a higher per-pupil expenditure than those that enroll a higher number of virtual school students.
• This report offers several recommendations, including:
— Introduce virtual charter schools
— Expand online course offerings from private and for-profit companies, community colleges, and universities
— Develop off-site high school campuses.
