Online Course-Taking and Breadth of Curricular Options in High Schools

• In Event: Incorporating Personalization and Flexibility in Online Learning

Abstract

A common rationale for the use of online courses in K-12 schools is that virtual courses will allow students to take courses not offered at their high school; however, there has been little prior research on how online courses are used to expand curricular options when used at scale. We draw on statewide, student-course level data from Florida to explore how students use online courses to expand curricular offerings. We find that roughly 7% of high school students in 2013-14 used online courses to take a course not offered at their high school. This use of courses was more common among higher-achieving students, in rural schools, and in schools with relatively few Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate offerings.

Authors

• Cassandra M.D. Hart, University of California - Davis

• Brian Jacob, University of Michigan

• Robert Linden, University of California - Davis

• Susanna Loeb, Brown University