Through the annual Keeping Pace survey, we learn more about what online and blended learning options are available to students around the country. (The survey will be released in a few short weeks for those of you anxious to fill it out in 2012!) Occasionally, however, we appreciate the opportunity to dig into a particular segment of the online or blended learning field and get a better understanding of what is happening - or in this case, perhaps why something is not happening. The Evergreen Education Group is pleased to be working with the Colorado Department of Education, the Colorado Rural Caucus, and the Colorado BOCES Association to better understand what fully online, supplemental online, and blended learning options are available to students and teachers in rural Colorado, and what barriers stand in the way of starting or growing online and blended programs.

To begin to understand the rural landscape, we have deployed a survey out to rural Colorado districts, BOCES, and online schools. We would like to know what types of online and blended options are available to students in rural Colorado, how many students are enrolled in online and blended programs, and what models of blended learning are being used. We are also very interested to find out what barriers prevent schools and districts from starting and growing online programs.

In addition, Evergreen will conduct a series of interviews with education leaders in rural Colorado to dig in a bit deeper. The survey results and interviews will help us to generate a report to be delivered in June that will focus on actionable policy and practice ideas that the legislature, Colorado Department of Education, and school leaders may consider in order to bring 21st century learning opportunities to students across Colorado.

The results are also likely to be included in Keeping Pace 2012, and perhaps in a VSS session!

If you represent rural Colorado students, please take 5-10 minutes to fill out the survey. It can be accessed here http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FCWGXPN, and will be open through April 13.